Long Island
Home Buying 101.
From your first lender conversation to your first month at home. Practical guidance to help you ask better questions and make decisions you understand.
Read every lesson online. No registration required.
Your guide, Tom Brady
Suffolk County real estate since 2009. Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker with Vintage American Realty.
Meet TomOne decision at a time.
Follow the lessons in order, or go straight to the stage you are working through. Each lesson ends with a practical worksheet prompt.
- 01
Get your financing ready
Understand preapproval, compare lenders, and organize the documents you need before shopping for a Long Island home.
- 02
Set a budget you can live with
Plan for mortgage payments, Long Island property taxes, insurance, closing costs, maintenance, and reserves before choosing your price range.
- 03
Decide what the home must do for you
Create a practical home search list using must-haves, preferences, location, layout, lot size, and your plans for the next several years.
- 04
Research the address, not just the town
Check Long Island commute options, tax bills, school district boundaries, flood information, and property systems before narrowing your search.
- 05
Choose an agent you can work with
Interview buyer agents about communication, experience, negotiation, fees, and how they handle problems during a Long Island purchase.
- 06
Know what you are signing
Understand New York agency disclosures, buyer representation agreements, compensation terms, and how to keep track of home-buying paperwork.
- 07
Make each showing count
Use a consistent home-tour checklist to compare Long Island properties, look beyond staging, and identify questions for further investigation.
- 08
Make an offer you can stand behind
Compare price, financing, timing, and contingencies when making an offer on a Long Island home, without overlooking your budget or protections.
- 09
Use the inspection to understand the home
Prepare for a Long Island home inspection, understand its limits, prioritize findings, and plan repairs or further evaluation.
- 10
Work through the contract with your attorney
Prepare for attorney review, contract deposits, financing deadlines, title questions, and property records in a Long Island home purchase.
- 11
Keep the purchase moving toward closing
Track loan conditions, appraisal questions, title work, insurance, and closing documents during a Long Island home purchase.
- 12
Check the home before closing
Plan a final walkthrough, check agreed repairs and included items, document changes, and raise unresolved issues before closing.
- 13
Close carefully and settle into ownership
Prepare identification and verified closing funds, review final documents, collect keys, and organize the first month of homeownership.
A few questions before you begin
Do I have to be your client to use the course?
No. The lessons and workbook are free to use. If you want help with a purchase, you can contact me separately.
Is this only for first-time buyers?
It starts with the basics, but returning buyers can use it to organize a purchase and revisit the paperwork, financing, and closing steps.
Does every purchase follow this exact order?
No. The course follows a common Long Island sequence. Some work overlaps, and your contract, loan, property, or occupancy arrangements may change the order. Your own deadlines and professional advice come first.
Can I get a certificate?
Yes. Score at least 12 out of 15 on the buyer quiz to make a personalized certificate of completion. You can print it or save it as a PDF. It recognizes passing this course’s review; it is not a lender-approved homebuyer education or housing-counseling certificate.
Educational guidance by Thomas Brady, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, Vintage American Realty, LLC. Updated September 12, 2026. Your lender, attorney, insurer, and other qualified professionals should confirm the requirements for your purchase.