Buy smarter. Learn faster. Move with confidence.
SimpleStepsHome turns David Van Waldick's full manuscript into a modern, interactive learning experience with chapter quizzes, buyer guidance, and real-world context for first-time homebuyers.
$9.99 premium course
A polished, practical path for curious buyers to learn without overwhelm.
12 guided chapters
Financing, negotiation, escrow, repairs, fair lending, and assistance programs.
Certificate-ready quizzes
Pass each chapter quiz to move toward your SimpleStepsHome certificate.
ICONYCS insights
Get a preview of county-level housing intelligence and fair-lending context.
By David Van Waldick
Home Buying 2026
Interactive lessons, chapter quizzes, progress tracking, partner callouts, and lender education structured for modern buyers.
Back cover
About the book
By David Van Waldick
The corrected back-cover story, cleaned up and easier to read.
This course brings the book's promise into a cleaner digital format: practical homebuying guidance, step-by-step structure, and straight answers for buyers who want to understand the process before they commit.
A practical, chapter-by-chapter guide that guides you from preparation to closing.
Clear explanations of financing options, negotiations, inspections, escrow, and assistance programs.
Built for first-time buyers who want confidence, structure, and fewer surprises.
Written by David Van Waldick, housing educator, industry veteran, and the founder of iconycs.com.
Chapter preview
12 steps from "Maybe" to "I've got the keys"
Introduction — Why This Book Exists and What Changed
I've been in the mortgage business for more than thirty years. I've sat across the desk from thousands of borrowers — firsttime bu...
Why Own a Home in 2026?
Before you spend another hour on Zillow or talk to a single lender, answer this question honestly: Why do you want to own a home?...
Loans: It's All About the Financing
Most firsttime buyers approach the mortgage conversation backwards. They find a house they love, then scramble to figure out if th...
Finding and Negotiating Your Dream Home
I know you have a Pinterest board. I know you've been saving listings on Zillow for six months. That's fine — it's useful to know ...
Escrow and Title
Once your offer is accepted, you're officially "in escrow." This means a neutral third party — the escrow company or escrow office...
Closing, Property Transfer, and Occupancy
Closing is the finish line — but it's not just one moment. It's a sequence of events that culminates in you becoming the legal own...
Repairs, Remodeling, and Maintenance
The day you close, you become responsible for every system, every surface, and every component of that property. The water heater ...
The Homeownership Gap — A Data-Driven Reality Check
I'm going to give you some numbers, and I want you to sit with them for a moment before you move on....
Digital Tools for the Modern Home Buyer
The 2015 edition of this book was written before the full digital transformation of the mortgage industry had taken hold. Online p...
Down Payment Programs and Closing Cost Credits
The single most common reason firsttime buyers don't buy is a belief that they need 20% down. Let me be blunt: you don't. You almo...
SimpleStepsHome Certification
The SimpleStepsHome program is my answer to a problem I've watched play out for thirty years: buyers who don't understand the proc...
About the Author, ICONYCS, and Resources
David Van Waldick has spent more than thirty years in mortgage banking, housing finance, and residential development — accumulatin...