Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Buying a House? Credit Karma Finds You the Lowest Rates

Pay Off Your Debt and Build an Emergency Fund - Tips for buying your first home
Getty Images

If you’ve been carefully reading through how to buy a house in recent times then you almost certainly know the importance of getting the right mortgage for you and finding the lowest rates for your situation. It can be a confusing world out there, especially when it comes to financial information, but that’s why Credit Karma is here to help. Besides offering regular, free updates on your credit score, Credit Karma in particular is a great tool to learn all about how much you can afford to pay for a house and what your monthly payment will be. It simplifies the process so you won’t be confused by anything. Read on while we take you through just how effective it is.

What is the Credit Karma Home Buying Power Calculator?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Credit Karma really

couldn’t be simpler to use

. All you need to do is head to the site and enter a few key details about your financial situation. That involves entering your monthly income before taxes, any down payment you can contribute, and any monthly debt payments you’re already dealing with, along with information on the mortgage interest rate you’re interested in.

Recommended Videos

Once you’ve entered those details, Credit Karma figures out the maximum home purchase price you can afford, along with the loan amount involved and what the monthly payments should be, as well as the lowest mortgage rates available to you. From there, you know exactly what to expect from your potential future home. Just keep in mind that you will need to be a Credit Karma user to use this too, but you can sign up for free now.

Why Should I Use Credit Karma?

Credit Karma members get more benefits than simply receiving a free credit score whenever you head over to the website or open the app.As a member, you also get recommendations on the right mortgage offers for you. It’s all based on your credit score, ZIP code, and mortgage amount, so there’s no need to answer lengthy or invasive questionnaires to search for the offers that are most suitable for you. Worried your credit score isn’t up to scratch just yet? Credit Karma can also provide advice on how to improve it and figure out the best methods for you to consolidate any existing debt.

When it comes to homeowners eligible for refinancing deals, Credit Karma lists them all directly on your dashboard so you can select them at any time, instantly learning which lenders are best for you to work with. It’s like having your own helping hand each step of the way.

What Other Features Does Credit Karma Offer?

Credit Karma also has its Home Pulse equity tracker. The feature allows its members to link their home to their Credit Karma account. That way, you can then track the value and amount of equity you have on your home at any time with an optional feature enabling you to enter your current mortgage rate. From there, Credit Karma gives you a heads-up on any good refinancing opportunities based on an actual offer from one of its partners rather than pursuing a one-size-fits-all solution that other trackers might provide.

For instance, if you have a 4.0% rate on your house and Rocket is offering 3.25%, Credit Karma will proactively let you know, just as if it were your very own financial advisor. It’s far more effective than relying on algorithms or more general recommendations.

How Secure is Credit Karma?

When providing any company with lots of personal information, you want to know that such information is being kept safe. That’s certainly the case with anything you offer to Credit Karma. The company prides itself on never selling your information to additional partners or lenders. Instead, only the company that needs to receive your contact information will ever get it.

While many of Credit Karma’s competitors may sell your information to multiple lenders, meaning you get unsolicited calls and emails, Credit Karma never does this. That way, you only get the calls and emails that you want to receive.

How Do I Use Credit Karma?

Head over to the Credit Karma website and enter your details. It takes mere seconds to do and once you’ve got the relevant information, you’re good to go. It’s as simple as that. You won’t regret it and you’re likely to find a better deal than before.

Jen Allen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jen Allen is a technology and lifestyle writer with over 10 years of experience.
9 must-watch shows like Running Point to binge next
These funny shows are just like Netflix's basketball comedy
Brenda Song and Kate Hudson star in Running Point

Netflix never runs out of ways to grab new fans and implement hits at the top of their charts, even during a supposedly slow period in the calendar. Their latest hit is Running Point. This sports comedy is loosely based on the life of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and her journey to the top of the decision-making hierarchy for her father's basketball team. Running Point stars Kate Hudson as a fictional version of Buss who takes over the best franchise in basketball and maneuvers through the personal and professional hurdles that come with being a fish out of water in the sports world. Other actors in the series include Chet Hanks and Brenda Song (shoutout to Disney Channel).

This Netflix comedy combines the charm of sports with the drama of family conflict to make it an engaging but not wholly unique take on several different genres. For those who have already finished Running Point and want to binge something similar, we have shows from all over the streaming world. These are the shows like Running Point to stream next.

Read more
The first trailer for ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ features Jon Hamm as a petty thief
The show has already been renewed for a second season.
Jon Hamm and Amanda Peet in Your Friends & Neighbors

Jon Hamm is back to charming rich people, but this time it's in the present day. Apple TV+'s new series, Your Friends & Neighbors just debuted its first trailer, and it sees Hamm doing a lot of breaking and entering.

The show follows Hamm as a hedge fund manager who loses his job and then decides to start robbing his wealthy neighbors to maintain his lifestyle. As he robs his friends and neighbors (hence the show's title), he also learns more about the lives they keep hidden from those around them. The show has already been renewed for a second season, signaling that Apple has tremendous confidence in the show's potential. In addition to Hamm, it also stars Amanda Peet and Olivia Munn, and was created by Jonathan Tropper.

Read more
A ‘Stranger Things’ star has joined ‘Spider-Man 4’ in a significant role
The movie is set to hit theaters in July of 2026.
Sadie Sink in Stranger Things

Sadie Sink, who rose to prominence thanks to a central role in Stranger Things, is joining Spider-Man 4. According to reporting in Deadline, Sink's role will be "significant," although we don't yet know exactly who she might play yet. They further speculated that Sink might be playing Jean Grey, the famous X-Men character that has already been portrayed in movies by Famke Jansson and Sophie Turner.

Plot details around the new movie have not yet been revealed, but we do know that it's set to hit theaters on July 31, 2026, and that it will be helmed by Destin Daniel Cretton, who also directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for Marvel.

Read more