Learning Center

Find first-time home buyer guides, helpful mortgage tips, and easy-to-follow articles on mortgages, real estate, and how to be a better first-time buyer.

Explore Topics:

What is Flood Insurance?
Buying Soon
3 min read

What is Flood Insurance?

Flood insurance is a specific type of homeowners insurance that covers losses and damage due to overflowing bodies of…

Read More →

What is a Contingency Clause?
Buying Soon
4 min read

What is a Contingency Clause?

A contingency clause is an addition to a real estate contract to let parties back out without penaltyunder certain…

Read More →

What is Listing Price?
Buying Soon
3 min read

What is Listing Price?

Listing price refers to the amount of money a seller sets as the asking price for their property when it is put up for…

Read More →

What is PITI?
Buying Soon
3 min read

What is PITI?

PITI is an acronym in mortgage lending that stands for Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance, the four components of a monthly mortgage…

Read More →

What is Personal Liability Insurance?
Buying Soon
3 min read

What is Personal Liability Insurance?

Personal liability insurance is a component of homeowners insurance that provides coverage for legal responsibility for bodily injury or property…

Read More →

The November 2023 Federal Reserve Meeting & Mortgage Rates
Buying Soon
6 min read

The November 2023 Federal Reserve Meeting & Mortgage Rates

The Federal Reserve voted “no change” on the Fed Funds Rate at its November 2023 FOMC Meeting by unanimous vote. The pause held the…

Read More →

USDA Eligibility Map: Updated for 2024
Buying Soon
4 min read

USDA Eligibility Map: Updated for 2024

The USDA Eligibility Map is a free tool that shows which U.S. homes may qualify for a USDA…

Read More →

FHFA First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Rate Discount: Explained
Buying Soon
8 min read

FHFA First-Time Home Buyer Mortgage Rate Discount: Explained

The first government relief program for first-time home buyers is here.  With mortgage rates at 20-year highs and home affordability worsening,…

Read More →

10 Ways to Get A Lower Mortgage Rate
Buying Soon
7 min read

10 Ways to Get A Lower Mortgage Rate

Is now a good time to buy a house – with mortgage rates at 20-year highs? When mortgage rates elevate, be savvy. Maneuver for better rates.…

Read More →

Good Neighbor Next Door Program: Get a Home for 50% Off
Buying Soon
9 min read

Good Neighbor Next Door Program: Get a Home for 50% Off

The Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) sales program is part of the government’s affordable homeownership directive for revitalizing U.S.…

Read More →

Top 4 Home Loans for Nurses
Buying Soon
8 min read

Top 4 Home Loans for Nurses

Nurses are an essential part of society and make for terrific homeowners. Nurses have high wage incomes and stable employment. Plus, they meet the…

Read More →

Mortgage Broker vs Lender vs Bank: What’s Best For You?
Buying Soon
6 min read

Mortgage Broker vs Lender vs Bank: What’s Best For You?

When you buy a home, you have three options for where to get a mortgage: Choosing the appropriate lender type will save you time and money on your…

Read More →

Buy a House With a 401(k) Retirement Plan
Buying Soon
7 min read

Buy a House With a 401(k) Retirement Plan

First-time home buyers can buy a house with a 401(k) retirement plan but it’s generally a bad idea. Here’s why: 401(k) loans are a relic…

Read More →

How Medical Debt Affects Your Credit Score Now
Buying Soon
6 min read

How Medical Debt Affects Your Credit Score Now

In July 2022, the credit bureaus made a decision to remove medical debt from changing credit scores. In a joint statement, credit-scoring competitors…

Read More →

First-Time Home Buyer Tips From a 20-Year Mortgage Professional
Buying Soon
10 min read

First-Time Home Buyer Tips From a 20-Year Mortgage Professional

This article is a collection of the most important pieces of advice for first-time home buyers I’ve gleaned throughout my career. This is real…

Read More →

How to Fix Your Credit to Buy a Home in 6 Months
Buying Soon
9 min read

How to Fix Your Credit to Buy a Home in 6 Months

It’s simple to improve your credit score. Generally speaking, the most well-known way to fix your score is to pay down your balances and begin…

Read More →

How to Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage in 4 Simple Steps
Buying Soon
8 min read

How to Get Pre-Approved For a Mortgage in 4 Simple Steps

Getting pre-approved for a mortgage is straightforward, simple, and among the most important things you can do when you’re planning to buy a…

Read More →

Breaking a Lease to Buy a House
Buying Soon
7 min read

Breaking a Lease to Buy a House

When your dream home comes on the market, you may feel pressure to make an offer and buy it. But, if you’re renting and have a lease, buying a…

Read More →

Ready to get started?

Finding your dream starts here. Apply in minutes.

Get Pre-approved
© 2021-2023 All rights reserved. Growella Inc d/b/a Homebuyer. Homebuyer.com is powered by Novus Home Mortgage, a division of Ixonia Bank, NMLS 423065. www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org Homebuyer is located at 230 Findlay Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Novus Home Mortgage, a division of Ixonia Bank, is located at 20225 Water Tower Blvd. Suite 400, Brookfield, WI 53045. We have 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. Equal Housing Lender. Applicant subject to credit and underwriting approval. Not all applicants will be approved for financing. The receipt of the application does not represent an approval for financing or interest rate guarantee. Restrictions may apply.
Get Pre-approved »