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The complete written tutorial

A detailed, screenshot-by-screenshot companion to the video walkthrough — every phase of buying a home without a buyer’s agent, from first search to closing day.

Educational guidance only — not legal, financial, or negotiation advice. Consult a licensed real-estate attorney for advice specific to your situation and state. Timelines, documents, and processes vary by state.

  1. 1

    Search and evaluate homes

    Find listings, dig into every detail, run the numbers, and shortlist your favorites — at your own pace, with nothing held back.

    Start with a quick conversation

    CIY opens with a short conversation about you — your timeline, your budget, and where you want to buy. Your answers shape the homes it suggests, the order tasks appear in your timeline, and which resources surface first. You can skip any question and finish later; nothing is locked behind it.

    Start onboarding

    Search every active listing, your way

    Type a city or zip code, set your filters (price, beds, baths, property type), and CIY pulls in every active listing on the map. Draw on the map to constrain the area, and sort to taste. This is the same MLS-sourced data a buyer’s agent would walk you through — no listings held back behind a phone call or a signed agreement.

    Open search

    Get every question answered on one page

    Open any listing for the full picture: photo gallery, an interactive commute map, assigned and nearby schools, and neighborhood detail further down the page. Jot private notes on each listing as you go — they are for your reference only and stay with the home.

    Browse listings

    Run the numbers before you tour

    Open the monthly payment calculator right from the listing. CIY pre-fills the price and a sensible down payment so you see an all-in monthly estimate — principal, interest, taxes, and insurance — before you ever schedule a showing. Adjust the price or down payment to see how the payment moves.

    Try the calculator

    Save and compare your favorites

    Save the homes you like to your Saved Homes page and narrow down on your own schedule — no one nudging you toward a decision. Down to two or three? The Compare page lines them up side by side: price, size, taxes, and every trade-off, so you pursue with eyes wide open.

    Compare saved homes
  2. 2

    Get pre-approved

    Premium

    Optionally run the deal as an investment, then line up a verified lender and a pre-approval letter so sellers take you seriously.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial
  3. 3

    Tour homes and hire an attorney

    Premium

    Book showings yourself straight from the listing agent’s number, and line up a real-estate attorney to protect you at closing.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial
  4. 4

    Make your offer

    Premium

    Track your price, down payment, earnest money, and option period, draft the offer with your attorney, and handle counters.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial
  5. 5

    Under contract: earnest money and key dates

    Premium

    Once accepted, move fast on earnest money and record every key date so CIY can remind you before each deadline.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial
  6. 6

    Inspection and due diligence

    Premium

    The inspection is your safety net during the option period — schedule it, review the report, and decide your next move.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial
  7. 7

    Title, insurance, and closing day

    Premium

    Confirm clean title, lock in insurance, do a final walkthrough, review the closing documents, and sign — keeping the commission in your pocket.

    Premium phase — upgrade to read this part of the tutorial.

    Unlock the full tutorial

Ready to keep the commission?

Unlock the offer, inspection, title, and closing phases — and every tool that gets you to the closing table.