first-time buyers

Your first home starts here.

You've never done this before. That's fine — we have, thousands of times. Our job is to explain the math behind the number, not just read you a rate off a screen.

min. down payment

40+

wholesale lenders

21 days

avg. close

advisor, start to finish

the honest part

What makes buying your first home different.

Repeat buyers already know what an escrow account is, why the appraisal matters, and what happens between contract and closing. You don't yet — and nobody should expect you to. More questions is normal. Asking them twice is also normal.

The trouble is that most lenders answer first-time buyers with a rate quote. A rate on its own tells you almost nothing. What matters is the monthly payment, what's inside it, what it costs you to get that rate, and how long you have to stay in the loan for the trade-off to pay off. That's math, and it's our job to show it to you.

So we walk you through the whole number before you ever sign anything: down payment, taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, and the cash you actually need at the table. Then you decide — with all of it in front of you, in plain English.

pick your lane →

Your loan options at a glance.

Four programs cover almost every first-time buyer. We'll tell you which one costs you the least over the years you actually plan to own the home.

Conventional

Down payment: 3% down
Min. credit: 620+

Best fit: Solid credit and steady income. Best pricing, and the mortgage insurance drops off once you hit 20% equity.

Conventional loans

FHA

Down payment: 3.5% down
Min. credit: 580+

Best fit: Credit that's still healing, a higher debt load, or a gifted down payment. Forgiving rules, permanent mortgage insurance.

FHA loans

USDA

Down payment: 0% down
Min. credit: 640+ (typical)

Best fit: Buying in a USDA-eligible rural or semi-rural area with income under the county cap. No down payment at all.

USDA loans

VA

Down payment: 0% down
Min. credit: 580–620 (lender set)

Best fit: Veterans, active duty, and eligible surviving spouses. No down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance.

VA loans

what to expect

Step by step, start to keys.

Say hi → pre-approval in 24 hours → we shop 40+ lenders → you lock the rate → we wrangle the appraisal, docs, and title → you sign and get the keys. Six steps, and we tell you which one you're standing in at all times.

See the full process →

broker vs. bank

Why a broker beats a bank for your first loan.

40+ lenders, one application

A bank has one rate sheet — its own. We put dozens of wholesale lenders in a bake-off and hand you the shortlist.

One advisor, start to finish

You get the same person from the first phone call to the closing table. No call center, no getting re-explained to a new rep.

No product to push

We're not paid to steer you into a specific loan. If FHA costs you more than conventional over five years, we'll say so.

21-day average close

First-time buyers usually have the tightest contracts. Our average close is 21 days from application to keys.

questions we get daily

First-time buyer FAQ.

How much do I need to put down as a first-time buyer?

As little as 3% on conventional, 3.5% on FHA. Down payment assistance programs exist but eligibility varies — ask us what you qualify for.

Will getting pre-approved hurt my credit score?

A mortgage pre-approval creates one hard inquiry, which typically drops your score by fewer than 5 points and recovers within a few months.

What credit score do I need?

620 for most conventional loans, 580 for FHA. Lower scores may still have options — call us before assuming you don't qualify.

How long does the process take?

Our average close is 21 days from application to keys.

Ready to see what you qualify for?

Start the application — it takes about three minutes — or send us a note and we'll call you back with real numbers.

Start your application ↗