Make a Payment Rates About Careers Contact Locations Videos to help you learn the in's and out's of homebuying.

1. The Joys of Preapproval: Knowing You’re Ready to Buy a Home

What’s the difference between being ready to stop renting and being ready to buy a house? It’s partly a state of mind, but it’s mostly the state of your finances.

My preapproval letter helped me get my offer in before anyone else.

 - Ryan T., Summit member
  • Income and employment history
  • Bank account and loan info
  • Rental history
  • Government-issued ID

2. Home Loans: Crunch the Numbers Like a Boss

A home loan is something you’ll live with for a while. So how do you know which type of loan is right for you? Consider your options.

I was surprised to see which type of loan got our payments where we needed them to be.

 - Shain W., Summit member

3. Budget for Being a Homeowner: Don’t Spend It All on the House

Keep other household and lifestyle expenses in mind as you zero in on an affordable house payment. It’ll help you budget for being a happier homeowner.

Maintaining our home and yard has changed how we spend our money — and our time.

 - April L., Summit member

4. Happy Home Search: Sometimes the House Picks You

We know it’s tempting to skip ahead to “the fun part.” And it can’t hurt to hit a couple open houses on your own. But here’s how to really maximize your house hunting experience.

Being honest about my preferences and price range led me to the right house with fewer wrong turns.

 - Justine R., Summit member

5. Making an Offer: Let the Negotiations Begin

Suddenly, one home just clicks, and you start to envision your life there. Offering to buy that house opens the door to a back-and-forth dance with the seller. And it goes like this.

Some not-so-sexy things, like the age of the roof, help determine whether you’re getting a good deal.

 - Tony D., Summit member

6. Closing Time: It’s Finally Yours!

You’re in the homestretch, and things are getting real! Just breathe. Just be patient. Just try to contain your excitement.

I remember us racing over to the house right after closing to game plan our moving strategy.

 - Nick L., Summit member Want to take your time, explore your options and soak up even more homebuying knowledge? Make Summit’s Mortgage Resource Center your next stop. Featured Products Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Certificates Checking Accounts Home Equity Loans Home Loans Business Banking Financial Education Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts Upcoming Events Programs Tools & Calculators On-demand Webinars Podcasts About Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Equity in Money™ About Summit Careers News Community Giving Help & Support Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Contact Us Member Support Center Schedule an Appointment Find a Branch Please read the following before proceeding to: The website you are about to visit is solely the responsibility of the merchant or other party providing the site. The content of this third-party site, including materials and information, is solely the responsibility of the provider of the site. The Credit Union is not responsible for any such third-party content. Any transactions that you enter into with a vendor, merchant or other party that you access through this third-party site are solely between you and that vendor, merchant or other party. The Credit Union does not endorse the content contained in this third-party site, nor the organization publishing the site, and hereby disclaims any responsibility for such content. The Credit Union Privacy Policy does not apply to this third-party site, and for further information you should consult the privacy disclosures of the third-party site. NCUA Insurance Estimator Privacy, Security & Accessibility Rates, Fees, Terms & Disclosures Routing Number *  The Wisconsin's #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on the number of loans in 2022, gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The results of the data were obtained through the LEI: 254900NTAC4H10MGSU23 **  SBA Lender of the Year Award for Credit Unions as awarded by the Small Business Administration of Wisconsin in 2023. Copyright 2024 © Summit Credit Union. All rights reserved. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call 608-243-5000 for assistance. Insured by NCUA