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First-time home buyer guides, helpful mortgage tips, and easy-to-follow articles to make you a better first-time buyer.

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Under Contract

5 min read

What is Escrow?

Escrow is a financial arrangement where a homeowner pays portions of their real estate tax and homeowners insurance monthly to their lender, who then…

Under Contract

3 min read

Conventional 97 vs FHA: Compare Side by Side

This guide to Conventional 97 vs FHA mortgages compares two popular low-down-payment mortgage loans side-by-side.…

Under Contract

3 min read

Conventional vs VA: Compare Side-by-Side

This guide to Conventional vs VA mortgages compares two popular mortgages among first-time home buyers to help you choose the best mortgage loan for…

Under Contract

2 min read

HomeReady vs Home Possible: Compare Side-by-Side

This guide to HomeReady vs Home Possible compares two popular conventional mortgages made for low- to moderate-income home…

Under Contract

3 min read

Conventional vs FHA: Compare Side-by-Side

This guide to Conventional vs FHA mortgages compares the similarities and differences of two popular first-time home buyer…

Under Contract

5 min read

What are Discount Points?

Discount points are an optional prepayment of mortgage interest, paid at closing, that lowers a home buyer's mortgage…

Under Contract

4 min read

What is a Due on Sale Clause?

Due on sale is a mortgage contract clause that requires the full loan balance to be paid when the property is…

Under Contract

5 min read

What is a Mortgage Rate Lock?

A mortgage rate lock is a mortgage lender's commitment to honor a quoted mortgage through closing to a home…

Under Contract

6 min read

How To Write a Mortgage Gift Letter for Your Down Payment

Buying a first home can be a big financial commitment, and many first-time homebuyers rely on the generosity of friends and family to help cover…

Under Contract

14 min read

Home Maintenance Checklist for First-Time Home Buyers

Your home is an investment that requires regular upkeep to protect its value. Household maintenance is a skill first-time home buyers often learn…

Under Contract

6 min read

15 Good Luck Plants To Bring Positive Energy to Your New Home

Plants offer a variety of benefits and have been appreciated for centuries. Horticulture therapy can help reduce stress and promote a sense of…

Under Contract

4 min read

10 Unique Ways to Make Money With Your New House

Homeownership opens the door to a variety of financial opportunities, from reducing your loan balance with each payment to building home equity over…

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© 2021-2025 All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Novus Home Mortgage, a division of Ixonia Bank, NMLS #423065. The website is not available in Connecticut, New York, Washington, Hawaii, and Alaska. Growella is not licensed or registered to engage in mortgage loan origination activities for mortgage loans on 1-4 family residential properties located in New York. This website is not approved by the state of New York. A self-directed mortgage means the customer provides application information and selects loan terms independently. Guidance from a loan officer is available for informational purposes only. This process is not fully automated and does not increase the likelihood of mortgage approval compared to a typical mortgage application. All applications are subject to standard underwriting and approval criteria. Some content on this website includes links to external sources for informational purposes. By clicking on these links, you acknowledge that this website does not endorse or control the content, policies, or practices of external websites. This website has no affiliation with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Department of Agriculture, or any other government agency. US government agencies have not reviewed this information, and this site is not connected with any government agency.