What to Do 6 Months Before Buying a Home

About six months out? This quick checklist covers credit tune-ups, budgeting with realistic payments, building cash for down payment and closing costs, and getting lender-ready—so you can move fast when the right home appears.

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Option 1: Quick Win Post

Option 2: Long Form | Thought Leadership

Option 3: Interactive Question + Answer

Option 4: Attention-Grabber / Scroll-Stopper

Buying a home in ~6 months? Here’s your quick plan:
• Month 1: Pull all 3 credit reports, dispute errors, set a realistic budget.
• Month 2: Automate savings to a dedicated account; trim non-essentials.
• Month 3: Research neighborhoods, track prices, tour a few open houses.
• Month 4: Get pre-approved; gather tax returns, pay stubs, bank/asset statements.
• Month 5: Avoid big purchases or new credit; reinforce your emergency fund.
• Month 6: Choose your agent, line up an inspector/attorney (if needed), and prep to write offers.

Full guide in the link.

Six months out is the sweet spot to de-risk homebuying:

• Financial readiness: Review all three credit reports, calculate DTI, and budget for down payment, closing costs, and moving.
• Savings engine: Automate transfers, trim recurring spend, consider a side gig for extra cushion.
• Market research: Compare neighborhoods by commute, schools, amenities; monitor list-to-sale dynamics and price trends.
• Lender power: Shop lenders, organize docs (W-2s, pay stubs, bank/asset statements), and secure a pre-approval.
• Risk control: Pause big purchases, avoid opening new credit, keep employment steady, and build a 3–6 month buffer.
• Team up: Hire a local agent; consider a real estate attorney (state-dependent) and line up a thorough inspector.

Preparation now = smoother offers, cleaner underwriting, and fewer surprises at closing.

Question: If you’re ~6 months from buying, what’s your top priority today?

A) Clean up credit & set a budget  
B) Automate savings for down & closing  
C) Research neighborhoods & price trends  
D) Get a real pre-approval and organize docs  

Answer: Pick the lever that shortens your path. Clear credit issues, build cash automatically, study the market, and lock a legit pre-approval so you can act fast when the right home hits.

Scroll-stopper: Six months sounds far away—until the right home lists next week.
Do 3 things now: pull all 3 credit reports, start an auto-transfer to a dedicated savings account, and create a one-folder doc checklist.
Future-you at closing will thank you.

Video Scripts

Buying a home in about 6 months? Here’s your fast-track plan:

Month 1: Pull all 3 credit reports, fix errors, calculate your DTI, and set a realistic savings/budget target.
Month 2: Automate transfers into a dedicated home fund; trim subscriptions and non-essentials.
Month 3: Research neighborhoods—commute, schools, amenities—and track price trends. Tour a few open houses.
Month 4: Get pre-approved. Gather W-2s, pay stubs, tax returns, bank/asset statements, and debt details.
Month 5: Avoid big purchases or new credit, keep job stability, and pad a 3–6 month emergency fund.
Month 6: Choose your agent, line up an inspector (and attorney if required), and get offer-ready.

Full 6-month guide is pinned in the first comment—tap to view.

If your goal is to buy in roughly six months, here’s the step-by-step that de-risks the process:

• Month 1 — Assess Readiness: Pull Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion; dispute inaccuracies. Calculate DTI and set a monthly savings target for down payment, closing costs, and moving.
• Month 2 — Build Savings: Automate transfers into a dedicated account. Trim recurring spend and consider a small side gig to boost your cushion.
• Month 3 — Study the Market: Compare neighborhoods for commute, schools, amenities, safety, and future development. Track list vs. sale dynamics and price trends; visit open houses to refine your must-haves.
• Month 4 — Pre-Approval: Shop lenders and gather documents—W-2s, pay stubs, two years of tax returns, bank/asset statements, and debt info. A strong pre-approval focuses your search and strengthens offers.
• Month 5 — Minimize Risk: Avoid large purchases and new credit lines; maintain job stability; build a 3–6 month emergency fund to handle surprises during underwriting.
• Month 6 — Assemble the Team: Hire a local agent, line up a thorough home inspector, and consider an attorney where required. You’re now ready to write clean, competitive offers.

I’ll pin the full article and checklist in the first comment—use it to move from planning to keys with fewer surprises.

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Written by Scott Gentry

August 28, 2025

Strategies 4 Agents

What to Do 6 Months Before Buying a Home