To start, indicate whether you're more than five years away from taking the plunge, plan to make it happen in less than five years, or will be ready to go in the coming year. For those in the first category (who are farther away from such a decision) the guide breaks down what it actually means to buy (and sell) a home; what doing so looks like in the context of other financial goals (for example, "paying down high-interest loans ... with interest rates greater than 6%, such as credit card loans or student loans," and contributing to a 401(k) plan); and what the tradeoffs might be on retiring by a certain age.