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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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What Is The Good Neighbor Next Door Program?
Buying Soon
8 min read

What Is The Good Neighbor Next Door Program?

Good Neighbor Next Door is a government-supported housing program that sells homes at a 50%…

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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…

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What is the American Dream Downpayment Act / 529(b) Plan?
Just Starting
4 min read

What is the American Dream Downpayment Act / 529(b) Plan?

Congress introduced a new bill that gives tax breaks to home buyers in the same way it helps people save for college and for retirement. This article…

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What Is Fannie Mae HomePath?
Just Starting
8 min read

What Is Fannie Mae HomePath?

Fannie Mae HomePath is a foreclosure-sale program that lets home buyers purchase foreclosed or distressed homes at significant discounts to fair…

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Buying a House After Bankruptcy Is Possible: Here’s How
Just Starting
8 min read

Buying a House After Bankruptcy Is Possible: Here’s How

Roughly 1% of U.S. households file for bankruptcy each year, and many will be eligible to buy a home within 2 years of their bankruptcy discharge.…

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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…

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What is a First-Time Home Buyer?
Just Starting
4 min read

What is a First-Time Home Buyer?

A first-time home buyer is any person who hasn't owned a home in the last 3…

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

Buy a House With a 401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) loans are a relic from an era when low-down payment mortgages didn't exist. It's usually idea to avoid…

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What Is The HomeReady Mortgage?
Just Starting
9 min read

What Is The HomeReady Mortgage?

HomeReady® is the branded name of Fannie Mae's 3 percent down, low down payment mortgage loan. It's an affordable mortgage program for…

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What is the Home Possible Mortgage?
Just Starting
8 min read

What is the Home Possible Mortgage?

Home Possible® is the branded name of Freddie Mac’s 3 percent down, low down payment mortgage. It’s an affordable mortgage program for…

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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…

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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 real advice I've shared with actual first-time buyers in a 20-plus-year career in mortgage…

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What Is An Adjustable-Rate Mortgage?
Just Starting
7 min read

What Is An Adjustable-Rate Mortgage?

An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a home loan whose interest rate can change over time.…

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The Transforming Student Debt to Home Equity Act
Just Starting
6 min read

The Transforming Student Debt to Home Equity Act

A new bill called The Transforming Student Debt to Home Equity Act gives renters with student loans the ability to buy a…

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Fix Your Credit Score To Buy a Home in 6 Months
Buying Soon
5 min read

Fix Your Credit Score To Buy a Home in 6 Months

When buying your first home, you may need to increase your credit score quickly, so here is how to fix your credit score in six…

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What Is Down Payment Assistance?
Just Starting
7 min read

What Is Down Payment Assistance?

Down payment assistance is any program that gives eligible home buyers cash grants, low-interest rate mortgage loans, or tax incentives to purchase a…

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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…

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LIFT Act: Low-Income First-Time Home Buyers [Explained]
Just Starting
8 min read

LIFT Act: Low-Income First-Time Home Buyers [Explained]

First-time home buyers may soon be eligible for a new low-downpayment mortgage with subsidized mortgage interest rates and no monthly mortgage…

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