Loan Types
FHA Loan in 2026: 3.5% Down, 580 Credit — What It Actually Costs Per Month
A $700,000 house. 3.5% down. 580 credit. What does that actually cost you every month? That’s the question this post answers — with the full
November 8, 2026
Welcome to our First Time Home Buyer website! As real estate agents and lenders who are passionate about working with first-time home buyers, we have created a comprehensive resource to help guide you through the process of homeownership.
We understand that buying a home can be overwhelming and confusing, which is why we designed the site to cover every aspect of buying a home, from basic information like how to save for a down payment to intricate areas such as alternate loan programs for those with unstable income. We also provide valuable information about the various types of loans available, including VA and FHA loans, and cover details about down payment assistance programs offered across the country.
Our website even has useful tips about how to choose the right real estate agent and what to look for in a lender. We are delighted to offer this invaluable tool to anyone who is considering buying a home, or who is currently in the process of doing so.
A $700,000 house. 3.5% down. 580 credit. What does that actually cost you every month? That’s the question this post answers — with the full
You don’t need 20% down to buy a house in California. You might not need 3.5% either. There are programs that hand you the down
You asked me this question more than any other. On Instagram, in my DMs, at open houses. “Dat, how much do I need to make
If you’re waiting for rates to drop before you buy, I get it. The 30-year fixed averaged 7.18% for the week ending November 5, 2026
Seller concessions are credits from the seller toward your closing costs — not your down payment. Here’s what they cover, the limits, and how to
If someone in your family warned you about “mobile homes,” they were talking about a different era. Since the 1976 HUD code, manufactured homes are
A condo is how a lot of first-time buyers actually get in. The house you want is $800,000. The condo down the street is $600,000.
I hear the same three things about condos from first-time buyers, and two of them are wrong. “Condos are a trap.” “Condos never go up
Touring homes this weekend? Don’t be that buyer. I mean the buyer who walks in alone, talks too loud about what’s wrong with the kitchen
The lender will approve you for more than you should spend. That’s not a bug in the system — it’s how the system works. The
This is one of my favorite down payment assistance programs, and I say that with the trade-off right up front: it helps you get in
It’s closed. Don’t apply — there is nowhere to apply. Dream For All is CLOSED. The 2026 window ran February 24–March 16, 2026, and it
The number one issue first-time buyers face is saving for a down payment. That’s not my opinion — that’s what Freddie Mac found in a
Are you looking to purchase a new construction home? If you are, congratulations — and I have a few things to tell you that will
When people talk about the cost of buying a home, they talk about the down payment. That’s the number everyone knows: 3.5% on FHA, $24,500
Here’s the line I hear all the time: “I need perfect credit to buy a home.” Not true. I say it in Episode 6 and
Here’s the problem nobody warns self-employed buyers about: you can make good money and still look broke on paper. You write off expenses. That’s smart
Let’s be straight about it: rates are high. The 30-year fixed averaged 7.18% for the week ending November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market
Everyone asks me if now is a good time to buy. Wrong question. The right question is: are you ready to buy? Because buying a
You’re about to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house. A home inspection costs $400–$700. It’s the cheapest peace of mind in the
Is now a good time to buy a home? I get asked this more than any other question, and I understand why. You don’t want
You don’t need 20% saved to buy a house. You need a plan. And the plan is smaller than you think. I hear the same
A foreclosure listing looks like a deal. It is the only listing on the block where the price makes you stop scrolling — the same
A conventional loan is the plain-vanilla mortgage. No government insurance. Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac rules. It’s the loan most people picture when they picture
A VA loan is the best deal in mortgages — and most veterans never use it. If you served, if your spouse served, if you’re
Your offer got accepted. Now what? Now you’re in escrow — the stretch of time between your accepted offer and getting the keys. It usually
An FHA loan is the loan that gets most first-time buyers in the door. Low down payment, forgiving credit, and a process built for people
A client told me his Credit Karma score was 740. He’d checked it that morning, and he was ready to buy. Then I ran his
You drive into a new community. The sales office is beautiful. The agent at the desk is friendly, knows every floor plan, and offers you
You’re scrolling listings and you find the house. You call your agent, you tour it, you love it. You make an offer. And the seller’s
Your agent is the single most important decision in your home purchase. More important than the lender. More important than the rate. More important than
The question I get more than any other, right after “how much do I need to make,” is this one: where do I even start?
Finding the right lender is the most important decision in the home-buying process — before you pick an agent, before you tour a house, before
Buying your first home feels like 100 things at once. It’s not. I walk my buyers through it as 15 steps. Here’s the whole thing,