Buying a home is a big deal − and it can be a daunting, confusing process the first time you do it.

Here are some online tools that can help you along the way.

What home mortgage amount can you afford?

A good starting point is to know how much house you can afford. A monthly mortgage payment weighs heavily on your budget. Factors such as a down payment amount, interest rates and other existing debt, such as credit cards and auto loans, will help set guardrails on what your budget can withstand.

The folks at Fannie Mae have an affordability calculator that you can use to input your information. It'll report back to you a mortgage payment amount that fits with your budget.

What homes are for sale near me?

So you know how much you can afford to pay for a house. The next step is to sta

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