Skip to navigationSkip to main content':"";if(a){var r=n.promos.showYahooLogo?"":"yns-no-logo";a=a.replace("{notifOnboardBtnLabel}",n.promos.notifOnboardBtnLabel).replace("{notifOnboardMsg}",n.promos.notifOnboardMsg).replace("{subscriptionTopic}",n.promos.subscriptionTopic).replace("{noLogoClass}",r).replace("{promoLogo}",n.promos.promoLogo)}var s=t.newCount>n.panel.maxCount?t.newCount:"",c=n.panel.notificationCenterPath,l=c?"":P,u=n.panel.headerMsg?"":" "+P,d=c?R:"",p=void 0;t.count?p=t.markup:p='{emptyPanelMsg}'.replace("{emptyPanelMsg}",n.panel.emptyPanelMsg);return e=e.replace("{notifMarkup}",p).replace("{promoMarkup}",a).replace("{hideClass}",l).replace("{notifCenterLink}",c).replace("{paddingClass}",d).replace("{headerMsg}",n.panel.headerMsg).replace("{hideHeaderClass}",u).replace(/{notificationCenterNavMsg}/g,n.panel.notificationCenterNavMsg).replace(/{newCount}/g,s)}},{key:"render",value:function(e,t){var n=this;if(n._panelNode){var o=void 0,i=n._panelNode,a=void 0,r=void 0;switch(e){case"expanded_panel":o='{promoMarkup}{notifMarkup}',r=n._store.getNotifications(),a=n._generatePanelMarkup(o,r),i.innerHTML=a;break;case"error_panel":a=(o='{errorMsg}').replace("{errorMsg}",n._config.panel.errorMsg),i.innerHTML=a}t&&t()}else t&&t(new Error("No panel parent"))}},{key:"createPanelParentNode",value:function(e){e&&(e.innerHTML='',this._panelNode=document.getElementById(D))}},{key:"updateBadgeNode",value:function(e){if(e){var t=this._store.getNotifications().newCount,n=this._config.badge.maxCount;if(t){var o=t>n?n+"+":t;e.innerHTML=o}else e.innerHTML=""}}},{key:"addStyles",value:function(e){if(e&&"undefined"!=typeof window){var t=document.getElementById(this._config.panel.styleTagId);t||((t=document.createElement("style")).type="text/css",t.id=this._config.panel.styleTagId,t.innerText=e,document.head.appendChild(t))}}}]),e}(),U=function(){function e(t,n,o){L(this,e);var i=this;i._store=n,i._view=o,i._config=t;var a=i._config.panel;i._panelParentNode=document.querySelector(a.parentSelector),i._badgeNode=i._config.badge.selector&&document.querySelector(i._config.badge.selector),i._indicatorNode=a.indicatorSelector&&document.querySelector(a.indicatorSelector)}return E(e,[{key:"createPanelParentNode",value:function(){this._view.createPanelParentNode(this._panelParentNode),this._notifPanelNode=document.getElementById(D)}},{key:"refreshPanelNode",value:function(e,t){var n=this;A(n._notifPanelNode,B),n._store.fetchNotifications(e,(function(e,o){var i=window.wafer&&window.wafer.base;i&&i.destroy(n._notifPanelNode),e?n._notifPanelNode.innerHTML||(n._view.render("error_panel"),A(n._notifPanelNode,B)):(n._view.render("expanded_panel"),n._view.updateBadgeNode(n._badgeNode),n._showBadge(),n._showIndicator(),n._view.addStyles(o.css)),M(n._notifPanelNode,B),i&&i.sync(n._notifPanelNode.parentNode),t&&t(e,o)}))}},{key:"resetBadge",value:function(){var e=this;e._store.resetNewCount(),e._view.updateBadgeNode(e._badgeNode),A(e._badgeNode,e._config.badge.hideClass)}},{key:"_showIndicator",value:function(){this._indicatorNode&&(this._store.getNotifications().newCount?A(this._indicatorNode,this._config.panel.indicatorClass):M(this._indicatorNode,this._config.panel.indicatorClass))}},{key:"_showBadge",value:function(){var e=this;e._store.getNotifications().newCount?M(e._badgeNode,e._config.badge.hideClass):A(e._badgeNode,e._config.badge.hideClass)}}]),e}(),j={promos:{eligibleBodyClass:"display-push-promos",enableNotifOnboard:!0,bypassEligibleClassCheck:!1,notifOnboardBtnLabel:"Notify Me",notifOnboardMsg:"Get alerts for breaking news and top stories",promoLogo:"https://s.yimg.com/cv/apiv2/ae/news/circle_bell.png",showYahooLogo:!0,subscriptionTopic:"gondor_homerun_news"},badge:{hideClass:"",maxCount:5,selector:""},panel:{emptyPanelMsg:"You have no new 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t}},{key:"_validateRequiredConfigs",value:function(){var e=this.config;return!(!e.panel.parentSelector||!e.service.url)}},{key:"_assignHelperMethods",value:function(){var e=this;e.helpers={refreshPanelNode:e._panelController.refreshPanelNode.bind(e._panelController),resetBadge:e._panelController.resetBadge.bind(e._panelController),resetIndicator:function(){M(e._panelController._indicatorNode,e.config.panel.indicatorClass)}}}}]),e}()},F="lnct",z=function(){function e(){var e,t;this.personalized=!1,this.ybarElem=document.getElementById("ybar"),this.partnerClasses=null===(t=null===(e=this.ybarElem)||void 0===e?void 0:e.className)||void 0===t?void 0:t.match(/ybar-variant-([a-z]*)/),this.client=new Y.NotificationClient(this.getConfig())}return e.prototype.refreshPanel=function(){var e,t,n,o=this,i={lastUpdate:this.getTimeStamp()||this.setTimeStamp(),loadInHpViewer:!0,includePersonalized:this.personalized},a=(null===(e=window.YAHOO)||void 0===e?void 0:e.context)||(null===(t=window.Af)||void 0===t?void 0:t.context)||{};return a.region&&a.lang&&(i.lang=a.lang,i.region=a.region),(null===(n=this.partnerClasses)||void 0===n?void 0:n.length)&&(i.partner=this.partnerClasses[1]),new Promise((function(e,t){o.client.helpers.refreshPanelNode({matrixParams:i},(function(n,o){n&&(c("Notification refresh error:",n),t(n)),e(o)}))}))},e.prototype.resetBadge=function(){this.client.helpers.resetBadge(),this.setTimeStamp()},e.prototype.getConfig=function(){var e,t,n,o,i,a=document.getElementById("notification-container"),r=null===(e=null==a?void 0:a.dataset)||void 0===e?void 0:e.config;if(I&&!r)return I;var s={promos:{eligibleBodyClass:"display-push-promos",enableNotifOnboard:!0},badge:{selector:"#notif-badge",hideClass:"ybar-notification-hidden"},panel:{emptyPanelMsg:"You have no new notifications.",errorMsg:"Please check back 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Date).getTime()/1e3);return null===(e=window.localStorage)||void 0===e||e.setItem(F,t),t},e}(),W=new z,G=function(){return W},K="",J=[],V=function(){},$=function(){window.removeEventListener("beforeunload",$),""!==K&&c("Rapid not found on page",new Error(K))},X=null,Z=function(){return null===X&&(X=document.getElementById("ybar")),X},Q=function(){var e=0,t=window.YAHOO;if(q)return q;if(t)if(t.i13n)if(t.i13n.__RAPID_INSTANCES__)if(t.i13n.__RAPID_INSTANCES__.length0)for(var n=0;n0){if(q.addModules(i,!1,o),J.length>0)for(e=0;e40959)&&(i19903)&&(i55215))return!1}return!0},fe={navBeaconFired:!1},ve=["ready","navigation"],ye=function(){function e(e){var t=this;this.triggerEvent=r,this.addEventListener=s,this.logError=c,this.logPerformance=l,this.getConfig=u,this.getPerformanceMetrics=d,this.rapidRefresh=te,this.state=m({},fe),this.modules=e,this.userEmail="",window.YBAR&&(ve.forEach((function(e){var n="on".concat(e),o=window.YBAR[n];o&&(t[n]=o)})),window.YBAR.wssid&&(this.wssid=window.YBAR.wssid),window.YBAR.appid&&(this.appid=window.YBAR.appid)),ve.forEach((function(e){var n="on".concat(e);s(e,(function(){for(var o,i=[],a=0;a0,o=_.scrollTope.pageOffset,a=_.scrollTop>E+h,r=_.scrollTop0){if(o&&i){var n=t>99;o.classList.add("".concat(St)),i.classList.add("count-loaded"),o.textContent=n?"99+":t+"",n?o.classList.add("".concat(kt)):t>=10&&o.classList.add("".concat(Ct))}e.onDestroy((function(){o&&(o.textContent="")}))}})).catch((function(){}))}(e,s)}));var Ht="_yb_1e46uhr",Ut=function(e,t){var n;t.logoImages&&(n=t.logoImages).length>0&&Array.prototype.forEach.call(n,(function(e){e.onerror=function(){e.onerror=null,e.style.display="none"}})),t.wrapper&&(function(e,t){e&&(Ae("#ybar-logo","#ybar-logo",t),t.onDestroy((function(){e.classList.remove("ybar-show-outline"),e.classList.remove("ybar-hide-outline")})))}(t.wrapper,e),function(e,t){t&&e.addElementListener(t,"click",(function(){e.triggerEvent("logo-click")}))}(e,t.wrapper))};be("ybar-mod-logo",(function(e){var t={wrapper:document.getElementById("ybar-logo"),logoImages:document.querySelectorAll(".".concat(Ht))};Ut(e,t)}));var jt={"dropdown-open":"_yb_1qr55t8","merchant-is-selected":"_yb_hpfgev",overlay:"_yb_1t4opbo","selected-merchant-clear-button":"_yb_sdzekv","shops-buttons":"_yb_1gmhi8h","styled-select":"_yb_1fed2vs",tooltip:"_yb_156j5sr","tooltip--show":"_yb_t94u7s",tooltip__text:"_yb_149d3c6",tooltip__voice:"_yb_rkldcd",tooltip__web:"_yb_1bze76z",dark:"_yb_of9a42",darker:"_yb_1br2rz9",light:"_yb_p0373k","search-border-gradient":"_yb_109k2ga","search-border-gradient-hover":"_yb_vljmzl",midnight60:"_yb_1o792pg","search-input-uh3-hover":"_yb_15ox84z","search-input-uh3-focus-visible":"_yb_1e6541m","sa-btn-bar":"_yb_1axm66t","searchbox-icon-uh3":"_yb_1uef33k",empty:"_yb_owcm9n"},Yt=function(e,t){var n=Math.max(e,t),o=Math.min(e,t),i=Math.abs(n-o);return h([],y(new Array(i+1)),!1).map((function(e,t){return o+t}))},Ft=function(e,t,n){var o=e.getConfig().bucketConfig,i=(void 0===o?{}:o).enable_search_ui,a=void 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n=e.getConfig();"smartphone"===n.device&&("finance"===n.property&&"crunch"===n.ytheme&&e.addElementListener(t.searchInput,"click",(function(){var n,o;n="search_input_focus_click",null!==(o=ae())&&(ne[n]||(ne[n]=o)),e.addElementListener(t.searchForm,"click",(function(){if(t.ybar){if(t.ybar.classList.contains("ybar-searchbox-assist-fullscreen"))return;t.ybar.classList.add("ybar-searchbox-assist-fullscreen"),t.ybar.classList.add("ybar-searchbox-assist-fadein")}if(!document.documentElement.classList.contains("ybar-overlay")){document.documentElement.classList.toggle("ybar-overlay"),document.body.classList.add("ybar-overlay-noscroll");ee("ybar","websrch","",{elm:"expand",subsec:"searchbox",itc:"1"})}}))})),e.addElementListener(t.searchBoxPlaceholder,"click",(function(){Ft(e,t)})),e.addElementListener(t.searchBoxPlaceholder,"keydown",(function(n){var o=n,i=o.keyCode,a=o.key,r=Yt(65,90),s=h(h([],y(Yt(58,57)),!1),y(Yt(96,105)),!1),c=h(h([],y(r),!1),y(s),!1).includes(i);(32===i||13===i||c)&&(n.preventDefault(),n.stopPropagation(),Ft(e,t,c?a:""))})),t.searchBoxBackButton&&(e.addElementListener(t.searchBoxBackButton,"click",(function(e){e.stopPropagation(),window.YAHOO&&window.YAHOO.SA&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0]&&(window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0].view.resetQuery(),window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0].view.hide()),zt(t);ee("ybar","back-close-srch","",{elm:"btn",subsec:"searchbox",itc:"1"})})),e.addElementListener(t.searchInput,"keyup",(function(e){e.stopPropagation();27===e.keyCode&&(e.stopPropagation(),zt(t))}))),e.addEventListener("viewerClosed",(function(){zt(t)})),e.onDestroy((function(){zt(t)})))},Gt=function(){function e(e,t,n){t&&(this.ybar=e,this.elem=t,this.options=n,this.show=this.show.bind(this),this.hide=this.hide.bind(this),this.addEventListeners())}return Object.defineProperty(e.prototype,"tooltip",{get:function(){var e=this;return this.tooltipMarkup||(this.tooltipMarkup=this.createTooltip(),(this.options.tooltipParentElm||this.elem).appendChild(this.tooltipMarkup),this.ybar.onDestroy((function(){var t,n;null===(n=null===(t=e.tooltipMarkup)||void 0===t?void 0:t.parentNode)||void 0===n||n.removeChild(e.tooltipMarkup)}))),this.tooltipMarkup},enumerable:!1,configurable:!0}),e.prototype.show=function(){this.tooltip.classList.add(this.options.showClass)},e.prototype.hide=function(){this.tooltip.classList.remove(this.options.showClass)},e.prototype.addEventListeners=function(){this.ybar.addElementListener(this.elem,"mouseenter",this.show),this.ybar.addElementListener(this.elem,"focus",this.show),this.ybar.addElementListener(this.elem,"mouseleave",this.hide),this.ybar.addElementListener(this.elem,"blur",this.hide)},e.prototype.createTooltip=function(){var e=document.createElement("div");e.className=this.options.containerClass||"";var t=document.createElement("p");return t.textContent=this.options.label,t.className=this.options.textClass||"",e.appendChild(t),e},e}(),Kt={containerClass:jt.tooltip,textClass:jt.tooltip__text,showClass:jt["tooltip--show"]};be("ybar-mod-searchbox",(function(e){var t,n=e.getConfig(),o={ybar:document.getElementById("ybar"),searchInput:document.getElementById("ybar-sbq"),buttonBar:document.querySelector(".".concat(jt["sa-btn-bar"])),searchForm:document.getElementById("ybar-sf"),searchBoxIcon:document.querySelector(".".concat(jt["searchbox-icon-uh3"])),searchBoxPlaceholder:document.getElementById("ybar-smartphone-searchbox-placeholder"),searchBoxBackButton:document.getElementById("ybar-search-back-btn"),shopsButtonsWrap:document.querySelector(".".concat(jt["shops-buttons"])),categorySelect:document.getElementById("shops-category-select"),selectedMerchantInput:document.getElementById("selected-merchant-input"),selectedMerchantClearButton:document.querySelector(".".concat(jt["selected-merchant-clear-button"])),submitSearchBtn:document.getElementById("ybar-search"),clearSearchBtn:document.getElementById("ybar-sbq-x"),searchGradientBorder:document.querySelector(".".concat(jt["search-border-gradient"]))};if(function(e,t){var n,o,i,a=e.getConfig();if(t.ybar&&"desktop"===a.device&&(null===(n=a.bucketConfig)||void 0===n?void 0:n.highlight_searchassist)&&(null===(o=a.bucketConfig)||void 0===o?void 0:o.overlay_class)){t.ybar.setAttribute("data-ovrly-bkt",a.bucketConfig.overlay_class),null===(i=t.searchForm)||void 0===i||i.classList.add(jt[a.bucketConfig.overlay_class]);var r=document.createElement("div");r.classList.add(jt.overlay,jt[a.bucketConfig.overlay_class]),document.body.appendChild(r),e.onDestroy((function(){document.body.removeChild(r)})),e.addElementListener(t.searchForm,"focusout",(function(e){if(t.searchForm&&t.searchInput){var n=e.relatedTarget;n&&!t.searchForm.contains(n)&&window.YAHOO.SA&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0]&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0].view.shown&&window.YAHOO.SA.apps[0].view.hide()}}))}}(e,o),Wt(e,o),o.searchGradientBorder){var i=!1;o.searchInput.addEventListener("keydown",(function(e){var t=e.code,n=e.key,a=t.startsWith("Key"),r=t.startsWith("Digit"),s=/^[!@#$%^&*()_+\-=[\]{};':"\\|,./?`~]$/.test(n);(a||r||s)&&!i&&(o.searchGradientBorder.classList.add("".concat(jt["search-border-gradient-hover"])),i=!0)})),e.addElementListener(o.searchForm,"mouseover",(function(){i||o.searchGradientBorder.classList.add("".concat(jt["search-border-gradient-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.searchForm,"mouseout",(function(){i||o.searchGradientBorder.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-border-gradient-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.searchInput,"click",(function(){i=!0})),e.addElementListener(o.searchInput,"blur",(function(){o.searchGradientBorder.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-border-gradient-hover"]))}))}o.searchForm&&(e.addElementListener(o.searchBoxIcon,"mouseover",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.add("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.searchBoxIcon,"mouseout",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.buttonBar,"mouseover",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.add("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.buttonBar,"mouseout",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-hover"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.searchInput,"keyup",(function(e){"Tab"===e.key&&o.searchForm.classList.add("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-focus-visible"])),o.searchInput.classList.toggle("".concat(jt.empty),""===o.searchInput.value)})),e.addElementListener(o.searchInput,"keydown",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-focus-visible"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.searchInput,"focusout",(function(){o.searchForm.classList.remove("".concat(jt["search-input-uh3-focus-visible"]))})),e.addElementListener(o.submitSearchBtn,"click",(function(e){""===o.searchInput.value.trim()&&e.preventDefault()})),e.addElementListener(o.clearSearchBtn,"click",(function(){o.searchInput.classList.add("".concat(jt.empty))}))),o.submitSearchBtn&&"crunch"===n.ytheme&&new Gt(e,o.submitSearchBtn,m(m({},Kt),{label:null!==(t=n.i18n.root.SEARCH_TOOLTIP_WEB)&&void 0!==t?t:"Search the web",containerClass:"".concat(jt.tooltip," ").concat(jt.tooltip__web),tooltipParentElm:o.clearSearchBtn.parentElement}))}));var Jt="_yb_tdk4ba",Vt="_yb_hkd17a",$t="_yb_rtzclf",Xt="_yb_tdbhj6",Zt="_yb_de52ef",Qt="_yb_9hwrey",en="_yb_slc8ta",tn="_yb_bf0svp",nn="_yb_hjic9z";be("ybar-mod-adaptivenav",(function(e){var t=document.querySelector("#ybar-l1-more-menu ul"),n={moreDropDown:document.querySelector(".".concat(Jt)),moreBtn:document.querySelector(".".concat(Vt)),wrap:document.querySelector(".".concat(Xt)),moreSectionTitle:document.querySelectorAll(".".concat(Zt)),editionsCtaBtn:document.querySelector(".".concat(Qt)),editionsMenu:document.querySelector(".".concat(en)),closeBtn:document.querySelector(".".concat(tn)),moreMenuDropDownHeight:t?"".concat(t.offsetHeight+48,"px"):"0"};new 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That may influence which products we write about, but it does not affect what we write about them. Here's an explanation of how we make money and our Advertiser Disclosure.Hal Bundrick, CFP® · Senior Writer, MortgagesUpdated Wed, Jul 30, 2025 9 min readMaybe it feels like a glacial change that is barely noticeable, but believe it or not, the housing market is improving — for buyers. There are more homes for sale, more price discounts, and easing credit conditions.Sure, mortgage rates aren't falling, but they're not moving much higher either.Considering all of the factors that exist in the 2025 housing market — is it a good time to buy a house?This embedded content is not available in your region.Read more: Is the housing market becoming less competitive?In this article:Understanding the current housing marketIs it a good time to buy a house?Your next moveFAQsThere is some good news, and we'll take it when we can. According to the Realtor.com June 2025 Housing Market Trends Report, there are some important signs that the real estate market is "normalizing. "More homes are on the market. The supply of houses for sale has grown to a post-pandemic peak. For the second month in a row, active listings exceeded 1 million in June 2025.In June, more than 20% of listings featured price reductions. That's the highest percentage of price cuts for any June since 2016. It's also the sixth month in a row of growing sale price reductions.The median number of days homes were on the market rose to 53 days in June. That's five days longer than the same time last year. The longer listings remain active, the more choice buyers have. The increased time on the market is likely triggering those seller discounts we mentioned above too.In the most recent report on credit supply, the Mortgage Bankers Association said that mortgage lending standards are loosening.“Credit supply increased to its highest level since August 2022," said Joel Kan, MBA’s Deputy Chief Economist, as lenders offered a greater variety of mortgage loan types to support the spring home-buying season.In the past 12 months, 30-year mortgage rates slipped to a low of 6.08% in late September but haven't met that low-water mark again. According to Freddie Mac, the highest rate over the same period has been 7.04%. While that may not seem like spectacular news, at least interest rates are staying below 7%.The Federal Reserve kept short-term interest rates unchanged at its meeting on July 30 — in spite of President Trump's push for a rate cut and the threat to replace Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.To navigate today's mortgage rates, consider:More than half of home loan borrowers (56%) only get a preapproval from one lender. That reduces your bargaining power and limits the opportunity to find a better interest rate from a more business-hungry lender. Zillow research says that 45% of first-time home buyers who shop multiple mortgage lenders got a better rate.Putting down a larger down payment can earn you a better mortgage rate.Some buyers get below-market mortgage rates by negotiating a buydown or special financing from a seller or builder.Take action: Use a mortgage calculator to determine the monthly payment you can afford. You can then learn the home price, down payment, credit score, type of home loan, and mortgage interest rate to meet your home-buying goal.Read more: How to get the lowest mortgage ratesNew home construction has grown, with 1.63 million homes added to the inventory in 2024. Even so, the U.S. housing shortage is at an all-time high of 4.7 million units, according to Zillow's analysis of Census data."The unfortunate fact is that we still don't have enough housing in this country for people who need it. Construction has helped prevent the housing deficit from ballooning, but it hasn't yet begun to close the gap," Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow, said in a release.Take action: If the area you love is too pricey, consider expanding your search to more affordable areas close to your favorite neighborhood.Dig deeper: How much house can I afford? Use the Yahoo Finance affordability calculator.New home sales fell 6.6% in June, compared to the same period a year ago, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, year-over-year inventory of newly-built homes was up 8.5% in June.Realtor.com expects 1.1 million new homes to be built this year. That's nearly a 14% increase over 2024 — with builders focusing on smaller, more affordable houses.Take action: If you want to buy a house now, consider a new construction home. You may be able to choose some finishes or make an even better deal on a spec home that's been on the market for a while.To answer the question of whether it's a good time to buy a house for you personally, you must look beyond broad market forces. Buying a home is more than considering macroeconomic factors. It's an important life decision based on your personal and financial situation.Have questions about buying, owning, or selling a house? Submit your question to Yahoo's panel of Realtors using this Google form.When you rent, the decision to move is broken down into six months, or a year or two at a time, as your lease renews. But every dollar-related detail makes a home purchase a medium- to long-term investment. Buying a house includes various costs: the down payment, closing costs, and financing fees, moving expenses, property taxes, and perhaps selling the house you're in now.Homeownership requires a long timeline. How you make a living, your friends, family, and even community amenities all come into play.Dive deeper: Should you buy a house? How to know if you're ready.A primary consideration: your job. Will it require a location change anytime soon, or can you live where you please? Is your income steady and all but assured?One of the significant factors that will qualify you for a home loan is your credit score. It's important to know it before applying for a mortgage.For the most common loan, a conventional mortgage not backed by a government agency, you generally need a FICO Score of 620 or better.FHA loans can allow a credit score as low as 580 with 3.5% down. VA loans issued to qualified military service members and veterans don't officially have a minimum credit score, though some lenders will require a FICO Score of 620.Of course, minimum credit scores are the entry-level to qualifying; the higher your score, the better the loan terms you'll be offered. Most importantly, that can mean you'll pay a lower annual percentage rate over the life of the loan. You may also have more room to negotiate on fees.As a benchmark to where you stand, the median credit score on a new mortgage in the second quarter of 2024 was 772, according to the New York Federal Reserve.Learn more: The average mortgage rate by credit scoreA primary financial metric lenders will use to determine your creditworthiness is your debt-to-income ratio.Fannie Mae, a government-sponsored entity that provides liquidity to the home loan market, looks for a maximum total DTI ratio of 36% of "the borrower’s stable monthly income." Exceptions can allow for total DTIs up to 50%, but it's usually best to avoid working on the edges of qualification if you can.You can calculate your DTI by dividing your total recurring monthly debt by your gross (before taxes and other deductions) monthly income.Include debt such as monthly mortgage payments (or rent), real estate taxes, and homeowner's insurance. Also, add any car payments, student loans, and the monthly minimum due on credit cards. Remember any personal loan payments and child support or alimony.Do not include debt such as monthly utilities — like electricity, water, garbage, or gas bills — or car insurance, television streaming subscriptions, or cell phone bills. You can also exclude health insurance costs and miscellaneous expenses such as groceries or entertainment.Having a cash cushion in the form of emergency savings shows lenders that you are prepared for the unexpected. Of course, that savings account should also include …A large chunk of your savings account should be dedicated to the down payment. A minimum of 3% down is required in order to qualify for a conventional loan targeted to first-time home buyers — or ideally, 20% to avoid private mortgage insurance. Yes, zero-down options exist if you are eligible for a VA- or USDA-backed loan.According to Realtor.com, the median down payment in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 14.4%.Buy smart and shop a lot. Relentlessly shop interest rates and mortgage lenders for the best loan offers and justified fees. Get a written preapproval from your lender, then shop for a house you can love and can afford. Your home buying competition is.According to Zillow, when it comes to first-time buyers versus repeat buyers, first-timers are more likely to reach out to at least three lenders and three real estate agents.Learn more: The best mortgage lenders for first-time home buyersThis embedded content is not available in your region.Mortgage rates tend to fall during economic downturns, so a recession would definitely qualify as a time when rates would likely drop. However, lower rates generally increase demand as more buyers enter the market, so house prices would likely rise. Buying a house at a time when both mortgage rates and home prices are favorable is a challenge. You probably shouldn’t try to time the housing market by waiting for a recession. Buy when it makes sense for you personally."Buy now" advocates might say that if you find the right house at the right price — and you're financially set — you should purchase the home now and look to refinance later. But what if mortgage rates don't drop substantially enough to justify a refinance in a few years? Only buy a house when you are comfortable with the terms you can get on closing day.Locking in a mortgage rate is a short-term decision, generally lasting only 30 to 60 days — sometimes up to six months. There's little reason to agonize over it. Be comfortable with the rate on your Loan Estimate and start packing boxes.Homes become more affordable as your income and savings grow. Ask any homeowner: Buying that first house was a stretch. The monthly payment loomed large. As months and years go by, it becomes less of an issue. Then, as home prices continue to rise, you're on the right side of the equation: The growing home equity builds your net worth.Laura Grace Tarpley edited this article.