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An online course for first-time buyers that helps you decide if you're ready, prepare your finances, and confidently navigate every step — from finding a home to closing the deal.
This course is for:
- People who feel intimidated by the process of buying a home and don’t know where to start
- Renters who are wondering if they’re ready, financially or otherwise, to become homeowners
- Those considering home purchasing as a real estate investment
- Anyone who wants a clear, step-by-step guide to confidently navigate the homebuying process
What you'll get:
- Over 100 minutes of instructional video content, broken into bite-sized lessons
- A workbook with detailed summaries and additional exercises
- Instant access to watch and read at your own pace
Through this course, you will:
- Determine whether buying a home is the right step for you right now
- Understand what you can realistically afford — and how to prepare for it
- Make sense of mortgages, down payments, appraisals and other key terms without confusion
- Navigate the process of house hunting, making an offer, and closing the deal
- Learn how to purchase a home with family or friends for affordability
- Create a clear, step-by-step plan to move toward homeownership with confidence
Why choose Smarter by CNBC Make It:
Expert-Led Instruction: Learn from experts with extensive experience in real estate, mortgages, and the housing market.
Actionable Insights: This course will teach you how to confidently navigate the homebuying process, with practical steps and exercises to help you prepare financially, understand your options, and move toward purchasing your first home.
Comprehensive Curriculum: This course will provide a broad overview of everything you need to know about finding, financing, and buying a home. We’ll guide you through this journey step-by-step, with simple, actionable advice you can implement at your own pace.
Your Instructors:
Dana Bull
Dana is a licensed REALTOR® whose passion is guiding people as they navigate the real estate market. Through client representation, consultation, and online courses, she helps people think big about real estate and back it up with meaningful action that drives results, helping clients to develop smart real estate strategies.
James Choudhury
James, a licensed loan officer, specializes in first-time homebuyer programs, refinances, and investment property loans. Passionate about building wealth through real estate, he educates clients and online followers on financial literacy. Starting his mortgage career at 18, he now leads a team of mortgage loan originators, providing them with guidance, training, and support. He graduated cum laude from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business with a finance degree and is pursuing a Doctor of Law degree at Hofstra University.
Dr. Skylar Olsen
A Ph.D. housing economist with over a decade studying U.S. housing markets and consumers, Skylar is passionate about ensuring policymakers, housing professionals, and her colleagues have the data and understanding they need to make better decisions. Skylar has testified before Congress about fair housing issues and regularly shares her housing-market expertise on stage, in print, and on television and radio stations. She also teaches Real Estate Evolution and Disruption at the University of Washington, where she earned her PhD.
Course Curriculum
- Finding Your Future Home (0:29)
- The Role of an Agent (6:10)
- Identifying Types of Properties (5:43)
- Case Study 1: Multi-Family (Justin) (3:50)
- House Hunt Like a Pro (12:13)
- Case Study 2: Fixer Upper (Calvin) (4:39)
- Buying a Home with a Partner (3:07)
- Case Study 3: Buying with Family (Sharon) (5:39)
- Case Study 4: Buying with Friends (Amanda) (5:07)
- Equity: Home As an Investment (4:06)
- Additional Considerations Before Purchasing (3:05)
- Recap (1:25)
Additional Courses:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smarter by CNBC Make It a subscription?
Smarter by CNBC Make it is not a subscription.
This means that you will be charged only once for the course you select, and you will not be charged again on an ongoing basis.
After your initial purchase, the course will be available to you for as long as you need it, and you will be able to re-take the course as often as you want.
How many times can I take a Smarter course?
Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are pre-recorded videos, and you can watch them whenever you want (as many times as you want!) on your own schedule.
Do Smarter courses have subtitles?
All Smarter by CNBC Make It courses have subtitles available.
You can enable them by clicking on the subtitle icon (first on bottom right corner) on your screen.
I am enrolled in a Smarter class and having technical issues!
Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are only supported on Chrome and Firefox browsers.
If you are experiencing log-in issues with your class, please try signing in here: https://smarter.cnbcmakeit.com/sign_in
You can try troubleshooting with the steps from this article:
General technical troubleshooting.
For other issues, please visit Teachable's help page here.
Can I take Smarter classes on a mobile device?
If you have an iPhone, you can download the Teachable iOS app here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teachable-online-courses/id1177062376
For more instructions on how to use the Teachable app to access your Smarter courses please visit:
https://support.teachable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000766167-Use-the-iOS-App-as-a-Student
Please note: Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are only supported on Chrome and Firefox browsers.
Can I take Smarter classes outside of the US?
Yes, you should be able to access Smarter courses outside of the U.S., but let us know if you run into any issues. Course lessons apply to people living in the U.S. and outside the U.S. Please note that course materials are in English.
How do I download the workbook for my Smarter course?
Once you are enrolled in the course, you will have the option to download the course workbook as a PDF.
You will find the download button at the bottom of the Workbook lesson.
Can I purchase a Smarter by CNBC Make It course as a gift?
If you would like to give a Smarter course as a gift, you can select "Send as a gift" at checkout.
When you check "Send as a gift," you will have the option to type in the recipient name, email, and a gift message.
Please note that the purchased course will be sent to the recipient immediately upon purchase.
What is the refund policy for Smarter courses?
All sales for Smarter services are FINAL sale, and no returns, refunds or exchanges will be provided.
You can find the Terms of Service here: https://smarter.cnbcmakeit.com/p/terms.
Have more questions? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll help you out.