Renting vs. buying, affordability, first-time buyer programs, and refinancing — the real math behind the biggest purchase most people make.
A mortgage pre-approval tells you the most a bank is willing to lend — it says almost nothing about what you can actually afford to live with every month. This section walks through that gap: how to figure out a realistic home budget instead of stretching to your maximum approval, how renting and buying actually compare once you account for opportunity cost and how long you plan to stay, and which first-time buyer programs — down payment assistance, low-down-payment loans, tax credits — you might qualify for without realizing it. It also covers refinancing, including how to tell whether a lower rate is actually worth it once closing costs and your break-even timeline are factored in, since a "better" rate isn't automatically a win.
A mortgage pre-approval tells you the most a bank will lend. It doesn't tell you what you can actually live with every month.
Reviewed for accuracy by the Clearcoin team
Down payment assistance, low-down-payment loans, and tax credits that many first-time buyers qualify for without realizing it.
A lower rate isn't automatically a win once closing costs and your break-even timeline are factored in. Here's how to actually check.
Most rent-vs-buy tools ignore opportunity cost. Here's how to actually compare the two, city by city.
