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Guides

Guides to understanding housing in the United States

We explain in plain language what HUD, the IRS, the CFPB and each state's agencies publish: every figure carries its source. No opinions, no promises and nothing asked of you.

Guides
208
Topics
12
Official pages cited
1,384

Last verified: November 6, 2026

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Essential guides to start with

The foundation guide of each path: the most complete one, and the one the others point to. Each puts the most important points first, so you know in a minute whether it is the one you need.

A Hispanic family shares a meal at the dinner table.

Buying a home Essential guide 15 minute read

How to buy a home in the United States, step by step

The nine steps to buying a home: paperwork, credit, budget, assistance, preapproval, offer, inspection, closing and the first year, with official sources.

The most important thing

Order matters: credit and budget before looking at homes; preapproval before making an offer.

Get offers from several lenders and compare their Loan Estimates: each one has three business days to give you one.

Never send closing money by following an email: confirm by phone with the number you already had.

Verified on October 17, 2026

  1. Mortgage loans Essential guide Mortgage loan types: FHA, conventional, VA and USDA What each mortgage type asks for, what its insurance costs, fixed or adjustable rate, points and APR. A neutral comparison with official sources. 14 min read Verified on October 17, 2026
  2. ITIN Essential guide What an ITIN is and what it is for The ITIN is the IRS number for filing taxes without a Social Security number: what it does and does not do, how to apply with Form W-7, timing and expiry. 15 min read Verified on October 17, 2026

By topic

Each topic gathers its guides, from the basics to the specifics. Open one to see all of its guides in order, with the date we verified each one.

  1. Buying a home

    36 guides

    From the first savings to the keys: steps, costs, loans and traps to avoid, with official sources.

    See all 36 Buying a home guides

  2. Mortgage loans

    25 guides

    FHA, conventional, VA, USDA and ITIN loans: what each one asks for and how to compare them.

    See all 25 Mortgage loans guides

  3. ITIN

    8 guides

    What the ITIN is, how to get it and how to use it to open accounts, rent and buy.

    See all 8 ITIN guides

  4. Credit

    16 guides

    How to start a history, raise your score and read your report without paying for it.

    See all 16 Credit guides

  5. Renting

    29 guides

    Finding a place, signing without fear, knowing your rights and what to do about an eviction.

    See all 29 Renting guides

  6. Help and programs

    13 guides

    Down payment help, free counseling, rent vouchers and who to turn to.

    See all 13 Help and programs guides

  7. Owning a home

    29 guides

    Taxes, insurance, maintenance and what to do if you fall behind on payments.

    See all 29 Owning a home guides

  8. Protect yourself from scams

    12 guides

    Housing scams, how to spot them and where to report them.

    See all 12 Protect yourself from scams guides

  9. Money problems

    15 guides

    If you can't pay the rent or the mortgage, lost your job or face a utility shutoff: what to do first.

    See all 15 Money problems guides

  10. Taxes and money

    7 guides

    Budgeting with several incomes, saving, remittances and taxes without the headache.

    See all 7 Taxes and money guides

  11. Moving

    7 guides

    Changing city or state: costs, paperwork and what to check before you sign.

    See all 7 Moving guides

  12. Puerto Rico

    11 guides

    The island's rules: CRIM, Vivienda, AFV and what changes if you move to Florida.

    See all 11 Puerto Rico guides

Most recent

Recently verified

The guides we most recently checked against their official sources. If a rule changes, we update the guide and its date.

How we make them

Every guide shows where each rule comes from

We read what the official agencies publish and record which page each rule, number and deadline comes from. At the end of every guide are its numbered sources, with the date we read them.

The guides explain what the rules say; they do not give advice for your case. For that, every guide points you to free or low-cost help: HUD-approved housing counselors, legal aid and other services.

Read how we work See every source

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