First-Time Homebuyer Guide
If this is your first time buying a home, you don’t have to guess what comes next. This guide walks you through the process, what it costs, and which programs can help you buy in North County San Diego, the Inland Empire, or Atlanta.
Step 1: Understand Your Budget
Your first step is to understand how much home you can comfortably afford. Payment is driven by price, down payment, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees if applicable.
Use the How Much Home Can I Afford? page to estimate your range, then we fine-tune it with a full pre-approval.
Step 2: Get Pre-Approved
Pre-approval is more detailed than pre-qualification. We review income, credit, assets, and debts to give you a clear purchase price and payment estimate.
If your credit needs work, the Credit Boost & Pre-Approval Preparation page outlines simple steps to strengthen your profile.
Step 3: Explore Loan & Assistance Options
Many first-time buyers combine traditional loans with assistance programs:
- FHA or Conventional loans with low-down options
- Down payment assistance for eligible buyers
- VA loans with Valor Home Advantage for eligible military and veteran buyers
Step 4: Choose Your Area
We match your budget and lifestyle to local markets:
Step 5: Shop, Offer, and Close
Once you’re pre-approved, we tour homes that fit your plan, review comparable sales, and write offers that strategically use credits and concessions when available.
To understand your closing costs, review the Closing Costs Explained page.
Common First-Time Buyer Questions
- How much money do I really need to buy?
- Can I buy with student loans or other debt?
- What if my credit isn’t perfect?
Find more answers on our Buyer FAQs page.