First Time Home Buyer
Buying your first home in California feels impossible right down until somebody sits with you and does the numbers. There are more programmes open to you than you have been told.
In plain language
First time buyer is not a single loan. It is a set of programmes and assistance options that can be layered onto a conventional or FHA loan, including down payment assistance and low down payment conventional products.
Most people qualify for more than they expect, and most people are surprised by how small a down payment can be. Three percent is a real number, not a marketing one.
This is probably you if
- You have not owned a home in the last three years, which is what most programmes actually mean by first time
- The down payment is the thing standing in your way
- You have been told no somewhere else and want a second look
Three steps, in order
- We start with a full picture: income, debts, credit and savings. No guessing, no soft pre-qualification that means nothing to a seller.
- We find which programmes you qualify for and what each one costs you monthly, side by side.
- You get a real pre-approval, so your offer is taken seriously, and a plan if you are not quite ready yet.
What people ask me
Less than you think, and more than the down payment alone. Budget for the down payment plus closing costs, and know that gift funds from family are allowed on most programmes. Run the affordability calculator, then let us talk about the real figure.
A mortgage inquiry has a small, short lived effect, and multiple mortgage inquiries inside a shopping window count as one. Not knowing where you stand costs far more than the few points.
Then we build a plan and a timeline. I would much rather spend six months getting you genuinely ready than put you into a payment that makes your life smaller.
Worth a look while you are here
Fixed Rate Mortgage
One payment, one rate, for the whole loan. The default for a reason.
Read moreFHA Home Loan
A lower bar to clear. Built for buyers with a smaller down payment or a shorter credit history.
Read moreVA Home Loan
No down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance. The strongest loan in the country, if you earned it.
Read moreThink First Time Home Buyer might be the one
Let us confirm it against your actual numbers before you fall in love with a house.