Are you actually ready to buy or sell?

Seven honest prerequisites. Not five questions ending in "you're ready!" Check the ones that are honestly true for you. The unchecked items link straight to the tools that resolve them.

I'm...

Buying a homeSelling a home

Down payment + closing costs separatedYour down payment is one bucket; closing costs are another (~2–4% of the price). Don't drain one for the other on the way to the table.Estimate closing costs ↗
Pre-approved by a Colorado lender (in writing)Not 'spoke to a lender' — a pre-approval letter with a specific dollar cap, after a real credit pull. Sellers ignore offers without one.
Real credit score pulled in the last 60 daysNot the Credit Karma estimate. Conventional needs 660+; FHA accepts 580+; CHFA First-Time programs need 620+.Match CHFA programs ↗
DTI checked against lender capsFront-end ≤ 28% of gross monthly income; back-end ≤ 36% with debts. Run our affordability tool against your actual numbers.Run affordability ↗
Monthly payment fits your real budgetLenders qualify you up to a cap. Living comfortably is usually 10–15% under that cap once Colorado property tax, insurance, and HOA stack up.Run a payment scenario ↗
3–6 months of housing reserves saved (separate from down payment)Cash on hand for a furnace replacement, a surprise property tax bill, or a layoff before your first paycheck cycle in the new house.
Staying long enough that buying beats rentingClosing costs in plus commission out make buying a poor deal under ~5 years. Check the breakeven year for your specific numbers.Compare rent vs. buy ↗

Buyer readiness

0 / 7

Worth doing some groundwork before you talk to anyone. The links below take you to the tools that get you there.

Still to do

Down payment + closing costs separated
Pre-approved by a Colorado lender (in writing)
Real credit score pulled in the last 60 days
DTI checked against lender caps
Monthly payment fits your real budget
3–6 months of housing reserves saved (separate from down payment)
Staying long enough that buying beats renting

Nothing here is saved or sent. Check what's honestly true, skip what isn't — the list is yours to use as a working punch-down.

How to use this list

The thinking behind it.

Honest, not gimmicky

Why this isn't a quiz

Most real-estate readiness quizzes ask three real questions, dress them up as five, and tell almost everyone they're 'ready' so the funnel converts. We don't. The list below is what underwriters, inspectors, and listing agents actually require — check what's true for you, ignore what isn't.

Linked to the tools

Each item that matters has a tool behind it

DTI under cap? Run our affordability calculator. Net proceeds figured out? Run that one. Capital gains? We have a tool. The checklist is the connective tissue between the calculators — work the list, the tools fill in the gaps.

No data leaves

Nothing is saved, nothing is sent

There's no scoring algorithm, no email gate, no progress saved to your account. Refresh the page and your checks are gone. The list is yours to use as a working punch-down — privately, on your own time.

Got most of it checked?

Match with a vetted Colorado agent — they handle the rest.

A vetted local agent calls within five minutes. They'll work the remaining items with you and quarterback the close. No pressure to list or make an offer.