The process to buy a house can vary widely depending on the situation. However, buying a home generally takes between one and two months once the buyer locates the property that he or she wants to buy. Prior to that, there is typically research involved to select a neighborhood and even a few months, at minimum, to improve credit scores and secure a monthly payment.
Timeline for Purchasing a Home
Credit Score
When you are considering steps to buy a house, look at your credit score. Credit scores have ranges: a 580 to 669 score is rated as a fair credit score. Scores in this range will affect your rate and loan terms. Scores in the range of 670 to 739 are considered to be a mid-range to good score. Having a score of 740 is considered to be very strong. A score of 800 or more is considered an excellent credit score.
Budget
Budgeting before hunting can keep your expectations to a reasonable level. Understand your household budget and look to buy a house that is within a comfortable range. Be sure to include in your budget items that come with homeownership like utilities and maintenance. It’s also good to consider long term budget items such as a roof, painting or appliances that may need replacing.
This is a good time to see how much you can afford to place as a down payment on the home. A bigger down payment can help you get lower mortgage payments.
Pre-Qualification
We are here to help you as early in the process as possible at Truliant. Talking with one of our Mortgage Loan Officers is a first critical step to a successful process. Most sellers request that you get pre-qualified for a home loan. This indicates a commitment on your part and shows you have committed to purchasing a home. Truliant understands your financing needs and can offer custom products to provide the best options in the market.
Agent vs. No Agent
Real Estate agents represent either the buyer or seller. The seller normally pays all REALTOR® fees related to the transaction. An agent can help you choose an area that meets your needs, including desired neighborhoods and schools. They may also have access to homes on the market that are coming soon or not yet listed.
Hunt
With your agent’s guidance, it’s time to start hunting for a home. Taking everything previously mentioned into perspective, your REALTOR® will provide you with a list of homes to visit. One by one, take notes on what you like and what you want to change. A new coat of paint is not a big expense, but removing a wall may be. Many homes can be toured virtually, allowing you to pick out which ones you want to go and inspect further.
Inspection
The homeowner should have a recent inspection for you and your agent to review. If not, hire a professional inspector; it’s a few hundred dollars well spent. Pay close attention to things like the crawl space and the roof, as these can be costly to repair.
Make an Offer
Once you have settled on your next dream home, make an offer on the home. Your agent will have data that will provide you with a reasonable number. Don’t overpay, but be realistic. The housing market can be in a sellers’ market or a buyers’ market. Your agent will be very helpful here. There will likely be negotiations during the process, but don’t let that deter you.
Close
Closing is the final step in purchasing a home. Your loan has been approved and now it’s time for you to sign the papers and take possession. At closing, you will sign legal documents and pay the down payment and fees owed prior to getting the keys to your dream home. Both your Real Estate agent and Lender can recommend a closing agent to facilitate the transaction. The legal documents will be recorded at the courthouse. This is the most exciting part of the process. You will now be an official homeowner.
Working with professionals during the course of finding and buying a home is a must. A good agent makes this process far easier for all concerned. And a mortgage officer who puts your needs first is paramount to a stress-free home-buying experience. Contact one of our Mortgage Loan Officers today and we’ll help you every step of the way.
Whether you're in the early or late stages of buying a home, check our rates. Let a mortgage specialist help you find the best mortgage for you.
Provision of the calculator on this page is not an offer of credit. Its use in no way guarantees that credit will be granted. This calculator is solely for informational purposes and provides reasonably accurate estimates; the calculations are not intended to be relied upon as actual loan computations.
Enjoy a full suite of everyday benefits designed to protect your wallet, your time, and your peace of mind — all part of this powerful package.
Unexpected perks — A $90 per month value if purchased separately:
Lifestyle Protection and Savings
Cell phone protection coverage
24/7 roadside assistance
Buyer protection and extended warranties
Telehealth for your family
Save on healthcare (prescription, vision and dental discounts)
Travel and leisure discounts
Shopping perks (receive cash back or use for purchases)
Or call the Benefits Service Center at 866-298-3686, Mon – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET for assistance with registration and activation.
Money Access and Everyday Banking Perks:
Free standard Truliant checks
Free official checks
Free incoming wire transfers
One-time overdraft fee waiver (per calendar year)
Early Pay — Get your paycheck up to 2 days early
Surcharge-free ATMs — Access to 80,000 ATMs worldwide that waive their fees for our members
Free ATM withdrawals, even outside Truliant
Access to more than 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs. A surcharge-free ATM is one you can use without paying an extra fee charged by the ATM owner. Truliant partners with a nationwide network of ATMs that let you withdraw cash, check balances, and more—without those added fees.
Even if the ATM isn’t Truliant-branded, it can still be surcharge-free if it’s part of our network.
Use the ATM locator to find the most convenient locations near you.
Our Balance Backup coverage offers members emergency overdraft protection, allowing important items to clear and helping you avoid returned payment fees from payees.
Truliant will strive to pay the following types of transactions when you do not have funds available.
Checks and other transactions made using your checking account number
Automatic recurring drafts made using your debit card number
We also offer Balance Backup+ for the following types of transactions when insufficient funds exist in your account:
Receive one free overdraft per calendar year by contacting us or visiting a branch. Normal fee of $28 per overdraft applies for all other overdrafts.
We are proud to offer fewer fees at a lower cost compared to many other financial institutions. Below are our current fees for SafeSpend Banking:
General Charges
Fee Type
Fee Amount
Monthly maintenance
$5.00
Waived with any of the following:
1) Monthly Total Deposits ≥ $250, or
2) 23 or younger
Official check, payable to third party
$5.00/check
Wire transfer (incoming)
$10.00 (Domestic / International)
Wire transfer (outgoing)
$25.00 (Domestic) $35.00 (International)
For a comprehensive listing of account-related fees, special service fees, and additional details, log in to online or mobile banking to view our Deposit Account Agreement or Business Deposit Account Agreement.
We are proud to offer fewer fees at a lower cost compared to many other financial institutions. Below are our current fees for Reserve Plus Banking:
General Charges
Fee Type
Fee Amount
Monthly maintenance
$25.00
Waived with any of the following:
1) Average Monthly Deposit Relationship ≥ $25,000, or
2) Average Monthly Truliant Financial Advisors Investment ≥ $50,000
Order checks
Standard Truliant Checks are free
Wire transfer (outgoing)
$25.00 Domestic, $35.00 International (incoming wires are free)
Overdraft Charges
Fee Type
Fee Amount
Balance Backup* and Balance Backup+** overdraft protection
$28.00/transaction (limit of six service charges per day) - 1 fee waiver per calendar year
Deposit account overdraft protection transfer service charge
$3.00 (limit once daily)
Line of credit overdraft protection transfer service charge
$3.00 (limit once daily)
*Balance Backup service charge occurs anytime we cover overdrafts caused by check, recurring transaction, or other transaction made using checking account or debit card number.
**Balance Backup+ service charge occurs anytime we cover overdrafts caused by debit card or ATM transactions.
For a comprehensive listing of account-related fees, special service fees, and additional details, log in to online or mobile banking to view our Deposit Account Agreement or Business Deposit Account Agreement.
We are proud to offer fewer fees at a lower cost compared to many other financial institutions. Below are our current fees for Essentials Plus Banking:
General Charges
Fee Type
Fee Amount
Monthly maintenance
$7.50
Waived with any of the following:
1) Monthly Direct Deposit ≥ $500, or
2) Average Monthly Checking Balance ≥ $1,500, or
3) Average Monthly Deposit Relationship ≥ $5,000
Order checks
Standard Truliant Checks = $10.00
Official check, payable to third party
$5.00/check
Wire transfer (incoming)
$10.00 Domestic or International
Wire transfer (outgoing)
$25.00 Domestic, $35.00 International
Overdraft Charges
Fee Type
Fee Amount
Balance Backup* and Balance Backup+** overdraft protection
$28.00/transaction (limit of six service charges per day) - 1 fee waiver per calendar year
Deposit account overdraft protection transfer service charge
$3.00 (limit once daily)
Line of credit overdraft protection transfer service charge
$3.00 (limit once daily)
*Balance Backup service charge occurs anytime we cover overdrafts caused by check, recurring transaction, or other transaction made using checking account or debit card number.
**Balance Backup+ service charge occurs anytime we cover overdrafts caused by debit card or ATM transactions.
For a comprehensive listing of account-related fees, special service fees, and additional details, log in to online or mobile banking to view our Deposit Account Agreement or Business Deposit Account Agreement.
Enjoy a full suite of everyday benefits designed to protect your wallet, your time, and your peace of mind — all part of this powerful package.
Unexpected perks — A $90 per month value if purchased separately:
Lifestyle Protection and Savings
Cell phone protection coverage
24/7 roadside assistance
Buyer protection and extended warranties
Telehealth for your family
Save on healthcare (prescription, vision and dental discounts)
Travel and leisure discounts
Shopping perks (receive cash back or use for purchases)
All identification must be valid, have a full-face photo, and not be expired.
Additional documents may be requested to verify identity and residency.
Non-Sufficient Funds occur when there isn’t enough money in your account to complete a payment. If this happens, we’ll simply reject the payment — and we won’t charge you a fee.
Truliant's Early Pay program lets you access your money up to two days before your payday on Automated Clearing House (ACH) direct deposits. You don't need to sign up or opt-in: Early Pay is a free and automatic service we provide to our members. See more details here.
