First Time Home Buyer Resources

FHA Raises Minimum Down Payment Requirement for First Time Home Buyers

2008-08-02T09:35:00.004-06:00

As part of a a $300 billion expansion of Federal Housing Administration loan guarantee programs, Congress decided to raise the minimum down payment requirement for FHA loans and kill seller funded down payment assistance programs. Previously a home buyer needed at least a 3% down payment to purchase a home using an FHA insured loan. Under the new bill, home buyers will have to come up with 3.5%. Clearly not the kind of help that first time home buyers were expecting, these new changes are sure to take at least 30% of first time home buyers out of the market. Most local boards of Realtors already have more mls listings than can be sold anytime soon, so these changes are sure to make it even more difficult to sell a home.

The seller funded down payment assistance is set to end on October 1st so if you are a first time home buyer who can't purchase a home without the aid, you'll want to get busy as you have less than 60 days left.

Seller Concessions Help First Time Home Buyers

2008-06-17T07:17:00.006-06:00

According to the NAR, National Association of Realtors, 45% of first time home buyers opt for a mortgage with the lowest cash required. When negotiating the price of a home Realtors can ask for a price reduction and/or seller concessions (seller paid closing costs). Most lenders allow up to 3% seller paid closing costs which is generally enough to cover everything. So you and your real estate agent will determine the price you want to pay for the home and add 3% to that number. For instance if the price you want to offer is $200,000, you would add $6,000 or 3% to that number as your offer, making your offer $206,000, and ask the seller to pay 3% in closing costs. Your loan amount and monthly payment would be slightly higher, $36.16 more per month at a 30 year fixed rate of 6.25%, but this will save you from having to come in with $6,000 out-of-pocket, which for many first time home buyers is the difference between being able to buy a home or not.

If you are looking for homes any where in the US and would like free access to all the MLS listings in your area, visit www.mlsmaps.com.

For more information regarding Minnesota FHA loans and Minnesota down payment assistance programs, visit www.firsthomeguide.com

Minnesota Foreclosure Mini-Tours

2008-03-31T10:11:00.005-06:00

A spontaneous video tour of some fine foreclosed homes
in Minneapolis area

If you are interested in buying a fabulous foreclosure, and would like to get in on one of our area tours, please contact me. We are planning several "Foreclosure Power Tours" through our Minnesota Exit Realty affiliates. We will target specific areas of the Twin Cities, and will be accompanied by experts in the real estate industry who can guide you through the houses, and answer your questions about finding and financing foreclosures in Minnesota. It will be fun....and it's FREE.

3BR Townhouse In Plymouth Is a Real Deal

2008-03-12T09:46:00.004-06:00

Our Newest TownHome Listing For Sale In Plymouth Is A Steal! Call Chris at 612-310-1092 to set up a private showing.

MLS Listings added to First Home Guide

2008-02-27T21:10:00.004-06:00

First Time Home Buyers can now access MLS listings in most major metropolitan areas through First Home Guide. This recent addition to our first time home buyer web site provides our first time home buyer visitors with access to over 2 million homes for sale. First Home Guide has partnered with MLS Maps for most of the MLS listings, but we are also letting agents who have posted their property listings on First Home Guide add a link from each of their property listings to their MLS search page.

Stay tuned as First Home Guide is adding new real estate agents and their listings everyday.

Dallas Real Estate added to First Home Guide

2008-02-23T13:55:00.005-06:00

First Home Guide is proud to announce the addition of Dallas Real estate to our home search area. In addition to the featured property listings, Dallas first time home buyers can also access the entire MLS and access information on over 50,000 Dallas homes for sale in the Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Dallas home buyers can also view our online first time home buyers seminar 24hours a day

Minnesota MLS Listings Maps Improve

2008-02-14T09:58:00.004-06:00

To find the newest Minnesota MLS listings, simply type in your search term (ie minneapolis mls, or condos minneapolis).
Click on the search results to get started in your search for Minnesota MLS Listings
Happy Home Hunting!

Chris

User-Friendly Minnesota MLS Listings Search Map Available

2008-01-16T02:08:00.000-06:00

Virtually All Minneapolis Real Estate Listings

Save time and effort searching for properties online using the following tools:

SearchSaverSM allows you to:

* Save your searches and receive email notifications whenever new listings match
* Choose email notifications for only new listings or for new and updated listings
* Save as many searches as you like

Favorites allows you to:

* Save listings to your Favorites folder with one click
* Email your Favorites to your Realtor, a co-buyer, or a friend
* Save as many Favorites as you like

Check out http://www.AllMinneapolisRealEstate.com

First Time Home Buyers Get Free Access to Home Listings

2008-01-13T20:27:00.000-06:00

First time home buyers can now access over 2 million homes for sale at www.firsthomeguide.com. First Home Guide has linked home buyers with real estate agents who display their local MLS listings on web sites in over 150 major metropolitan areas and cities. This is free to first time home buyers and gives them access to thousands of homes for sale in their local markets.

First home Guide will be adding an online First Time Home Buyer Seminar in late January in response to all the inquiries from first time home buyers around the country. Home buyers will be able to access the seminar anytime from anywhere and pause it and return whenever time permits. This is a general first home buyer seminar and First Home Guide will be adding more specific seminars in the near future on topics like FHA Loans, buying foreclosures, credit repair and more.

If you have an idea for a first time home buyer topic that you would like us to cover, please email us at info@firsthomeguide.com or visit us at www.firsthomeguide.com.

Home Shoppers Disappointed by Most Realtor Web Sites

2008-01-07T20:12:00.000-06:00

Imagine doing a Google search for real estate in your city and clicking on the first listing that comes up in Google’s search results because we think it will be relevant, only to find a bunch of regurgitated facts and figures about buying and selling a home and 3 “featured listings”. Well that’s what many home shoppers are finding on the internet today. Thousands of Realtors have web sites that simply do not deliver what savvy internet home buyers are searching for, inventory!!.

The worst part is that many of these Realtor web sites are optimized so that they come up on the first page of the search engines, only to disappoint the web visitor who has come to know and trust the search engines for weeding out the useless web sites.

The good news is that there are some Realtor sites that offer their visitors exactly what they are looking for, most of the homes for sale in their local area. It is called the MLS or Multiple Listing Service and it’s the very same system that Realtors have been using to buy and sell our homes for many years. Surprisingly, while roughly 600,000 plus real estate agents have web sites, very few of those actually offer their visitors access to the “holy grail” and as a result, are disappointing visitors who found them with searches like; “Denver real estate”, Orlando real estate, etc.

The best way for consumers to cut through the waste of Realtor web sites and quickly find sites that show thousands of homes for sale in their area is to search using terms like “Miami mls listings”, “Dallas mls listings”, or “Memphis mls search” etc. When you use the more specific term “mls” in your search phrase, only sites that have the term mls somewhere on the page will come up and most of these will offer you access to the biggest database of homes for sale in your area.

An even quicker way to find these useful local real estate web sites is to visit www.mlsmaps.com. MLS Maps has created a national MLS directory which gives you direct access to the MLS listings in 230 cities in the US as well as school information and links to every city and county web site.

For further explanation on how the MLS can help you search for real estate, read;

How to search for homes when you don’t want to be bothered by a real estate agent, and

How to find a home in exactly the neighborhood where you want to live

New Minnesota MLS Listings Search Online For Minneapolis MN Home Buyers

2007-12-13T14:42:00.000-06:00

"All Minneapolis Real Estate" Find mls listed homes, investment properties, condos, land for sale, foreclosures and more with the new MLS Listings map search. Our goal, as Minneapolis real estate agents, is to provide you with the best new ways to find, buy and sell Minnesota real estate properties.

Easiest way to find Open Houses in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul: Minneapolis Real Estate Minnesota MLS Open House Search.

Minneapolis-Open-Houses.net CLICK HERE

*No sign-ups.
*Fast, free, user friendly.
*Map-based seaching.

*All Minnesota Open Houses
*Inquire about this Listing
*Request a Showing

*Add to Favorites
*View/Manage Favorites
*SearchSaver

*Email Listing to a Friend
*Mortgage Calculator
*Points of Interest

Happy Home Hunting!

10 Questions First Time Home Buyers Should Ask

2007-06-27T12:44:00.000-06:00

As a potential first time home buyer, your first home purchase can be very confusing. Since a home purchase is usually the single largest purchase an individual or family can make, there are a lot of factors to consider before jumping into the home ownership club.I have put together a list of questions that all first time home buyers should ask themselves before they make the commitment to purchase a home.

1. How much will it cost to work with a real estate agent?
As a buyer, you won't pay anything to have me work for you. In a residential real estate transaction, the seller pays the real estate commission. As an added bonus to working with me, I will give you 20% of the commission we receive from the seller. As a full service residential real estate brokerage, our company provides full MLS access to buyers as well as local real estate agents to help you select, negotiate, and purchase the home of your dreams. You can use your rebate to buy down points on your loan, pay for or lower your closing costs, or buy new furniture.

2. What is the difference between a "Buyer's Agent" and a "Seller's Agent"?
Why should I work with a "Buyer's Agent"?A "Buyer's Agent" is a real estate agent that is hired by the buyer to find the right home for the buyer. The main goal for a "Buyer's Agent" is to find the best home for a buyer, while negotiating the best price. A "Seller's Agent" is a real estate agent hired by the seller to market and sell their home. The main goal of a "Seller's Agent" is to sell the seller's home at the highest price possible. As a buyer, it is in your best interest to work with a "Buyer's Agent" because this will ensure that your agent is working for you and your best interests. Often times, when a "Seller's Agent" is acting on behalf of both the seller and buyer (when a buyer does not have his/her own agent), there is a conflict of interest, since a seller wants the highest possible price for the home, while the buyer wants the most reasonable price for the home.

3. Should I rent or buy?
In general, the rent vs. buy question compares the cost of renting to the after-tax cost of owning a home. Some factors to consider are rent increases and home price appreciation in your area. If you have a nice, cheap, rent-controlled apartment, then it may not make sense to buy. If you are planning to stay in the same place for a longer period of time and the property values in your area are getting higher, it may be a good decision to buy.

4. How much house can I afford?
In general, the amount you can afford to spend on a home is a combination of your cash on hand, your salary, and your outstanding debt. Your mortgage lender can review your financial condition and pre-qualify you for a mortgage amount you can afford. This coupled with the down payment you have available will determine the upper limit of homes you can afford.

5. What will my real estate professional do? Not do?
As your agent I will do the following:
work with you through the entire home buying process, from start to finish
search the entire MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
show you all of the homes you are interested in visiting
recommend houses which meet your criteria
negotiate on your behalf with the seller of the home
prepare the offer for the house
prepare all of the contracts associated with the home purchase
work with the title company, the lender, and the seller (or seller's agent) to arrange all necessary inspections
serve as your "point" person during the closing process
answer any questions you may have about any part of the real estate process
As your agent I will NOT do the following:
provide you with legal advice
provide you with financial advisory advice
pressure you to do anything that you don't feel comfortable doing
It is best to get legal advise from a qualified attorney and financial advise from a CPA or financial advisor.

6. When is the best time to get loan approval?
In order to have the best possible chance when submitting a home offer, I recommend that buyers get pre-approved for their home loan. Pre-approval simply means that the buyer has worked with a lender to determine what the maximum loan amount the buyer could qualify for with that lender, prior to selecting a house. Pre-approved buyers have several advantages, including increased negotiating power, since the seller knows that you can complete the transaction. In fact, some sellers will not even entertain offers unless the buyer is pre-approved.

7. What are the tax implications?
When you buy a home mortgage, interest and property taxes are generally deductible from the income taxes you itemize and pay in April. This means while monthly housing costs may be larger when you own than when you rent, what you save in taxes can make up some or all of the difference. For details, speak with a tax professional.

8. Have I seen everything on the market?
Ensure that you have seen all the properties available on the market by asking your agent. Often times, real estate agents have an incentive to only show clients their own featured listings, not all of the available listings on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service). One way to ensure you are shown every available home is to search for yourself. You can do this using my website, www.MikeStankewich.com which allows complete access to the MLS for consumers.

9. How will I know I am not overpaying for the property?
One way to ensure that you are paying a fair price for the property is to look at what other houses of similar size and characteristics have sold for in the past few months. As your real estate agent I can provide you with some comparable home sales in the area.

10. When can I move in?
After the home closes escrow, you can move in.

Mike Stankewich, Realtor, Huntington Beach, Orange County, California
ZipRealty, Inc.
Huntington Beach Real Estate

Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Programs

2007-02-01T22:29:00.000-06:00

If your looking for first time home buyer help in Minnesota, check out the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA). MHFA makes mortgages with below market interest rates available to first time homebuyers* through local lenders. Here are a few links to some of the first time home buyer programs they have available;

MHFA Mortgage Loan Programs
Minnesota Mortgage Program (MMP) - Mortgage Loans available throughout Minnesota

Community Activity Set-Aside (CASA) - Mortgage Loans for Specific Community Needs

Urban Indian Housing Program - Mortgage Loans for Native Americans

If you've always wanted a home of your own, now is the time to start. Even if you think you can't afford it, don't have a down payment or just have no idea where to start, MHFA encourages you to look around their web site and find out if homeownership is right for you.
*For MHFA loan purposes, first time homebuyer is defined as anyone who has not owned a home or had an interest in a home in the past three years.

Fire the Landlord

2007-01-30T19:55:00.000-06:00

Buying vs. Renting

Should you buy or rent a home?

Is home ownership the right path for you? Should you rent instead? If you rent will you be jeopardizing the possibility of home ownership in the future due to rising real estate values? How fast will your family grow and how much space is needed for your family and their activities? How much money do you have to pay for housing? When is the best time to buy a house?
With the rising cost of home ownership in America today, combined with low mortgage rates, many first time buyers face are challenged by the answers to these questions.
Buying and owning your own home is more complicated than just having the money for the down payment and monthly mortgage payments. Owning a home requires a tremendous commitment of funds, time, and attention. For some people, owning is not the best or only way to have a comfortable and safe living environment.
The following topics should help make your decision a little easier.

Advantages and disadvantages of renting a home

For some, renting can be the best option. Considering the high cost of a down payment on a home, financial considerations are of top priority. Renting can be viewed as a temporary solution while you plan your future.
The advantages of renting a home
You are excused from the bulk of home ownership responsibilities such as:
Grounds maintenance
Appliance repairs
Remodeling
Home Improvements
Property taxes
Your rental many include amenities such as:
Pool
Tennis courts
Social/activity rooms
Laundry facilities
Security
Parking
There is no large down payment, only a security deposit.
Many of your monthly expenditures (rent, utilities) are fixed making budgeting easy.
You are not taking any equity risk on the property should there be a downturn in the market
Close proximity of neighbors often create a sense of security.
If you do not like where you live, moving is relatively simple.
It is easier, especially if you travel/commute often.
The disadvantages of renting a home
No special tax deductions.
There are no equity gains in the rising value of property.
Space and storage is usually less than a home.
Changes to accommodate your life or growing family cannot be made or are limited in scope.
Rents can rise with inflation and or supply and demand in the rental market.
You will probably have restrictions on noise level, pet ownership, or children.

Advantages and disadvantages of buying a home

The advantages of buying a home:
The home may increase in value, resulting in a significant gain in net worth.
The emotional high derived from ownership and the sense of status created both at home and in the community.
Homeowner's tend to have better credit ratings.
The longer you live in a home, the more equity you build that can be leveraged using an emergency loan.
Mortgage payments contribute to an investment, particularly if the property is located where it increases in value over a period of years.
If you have a fixed loan, your payment will remain relatively constant for the life of the loan.
The interest paid on your loan and taxes are legitimate income tax deductions.
Ownership may contribute to security, especially in retirement years when income normally decreases.
A homeowner can borrow against his/her equity, as the value of the home increases.
More space may be available for family members and their activities.
As a homeowner you have the freedom to make improvements and changes to the home and surroundings as desired (although a development or association may have restrictions and prohibitions).
Home ownership can contribute to the general well-being and sense of "roots" of the family, especially for children.
Homeowners generally are concerned about community affairs and how they may affect their property.
The disadvantages of buying a home

A substantial down payment is needed.
Owning a home requires a substantial commitment in time, emotions, and money.
Homes may decrease in value if the neighborhood deteriorates, changes quickly, or the real estate market suffers a decline.
Due to the initial expense of buying a home, financial resources may be limited or reduced for other purchases or activities.
Maintenance and repairs are inevitable and could be costly.
Part of home ownership includes procuring enough income to afford insurance of all kinds including loss of the house as a result of a natural disaster.
Budgeting is cumbersome and a must in preparation for maintenance, repairs, home improvements, and/or home ownership/association dues.
Depending on where you live property taxes could increase dramatically.
The cost of buying a home should also include the cost of moving into it and furnishing it.
Shifts in the neighborhood could drastically affect ones lifestyle.
Security is an issue if you are not home often due to travel.
Unexpected loss of income due to job termination or unemployment may limit money available for home ownership costs.

Define Your Values

Decisions, decisions. The very best way to proceed is to list all the factors about your life that are important to you.
What type of living situation would make you feel the best about yourself?
Do you have certain neighborhood preferences that would be limited by either decision?
Which decision would strap you the most financially?
If you have family (married, children) which decision would impact their lives?
Which is more important to you, what type of place you reside in or the furnishings within, or both?
What are your lifestyle requirements? o Do you like to entertain? o Do you own a boat or RV? o Do you need a garage because of your hobbies)? o What is the distance you would have to travel to work, school, church, shopping?
How important is privacy?
How much time and what skill sets do you need to have to devote to maintenance and upkeep?

Are You Ready for Home Ownership

The Neighborhood:
Life can be greater than you thought or it can be a nightmare if you do not consider the neighborhood as part of your decision. Here's a list of things to check and consider.
Local history
Local government
Its proximity to:
Factories
Trains
Airports
Traffic
Highways
Farms
Sanitation
Appearance
Schools
Whether the neighborhood is appreciating or depreciating in value.
Safety and security.
Accessibility
Little things like driving through traffic bottlenecks or through industrial zones to get to shopping, schools or work can be a real issue over time. Consider the convenience of your desired neighborhood in relationship to:
Work
Shopping areas
Schools
Entertainment and lifestyle activities
Places of worship
Condition of the roads
Available public transportation
Community Facilities
Unless you are on the Internet 24 hours a day seven days a week, you will want to use the local resources to enhance your life. Consider looking into the following:
Police
Fire stations
Health facilities
Sanitation services
After school activities
Recreational facilities, such as parks, golf courses, hiking trails, etc.

Other considerations

If you are buying consider what the neighborhood offers for you and your particular lifestyle. Furthermore, this might be a good time to evaluate your particular needs and how they might affect the potential to sell the home in the future. As an example, suppose you choose a home far from schools and children's parks because that is not a concern for you in your life now. What you might want to consider is how distance from these facilities might affect the ability to sell your home one day to buyer who may have a keen interest in those things. Conversely if you are renting, these may or may not have a bearing on your life now or after you move.
The apartment or home itself
Space, arrangement, and condition
Bedrooms and bathrooms (enough space and privacy)
Kitchen and work area (well planned and step saving, adequate work and storage areas)
Dining and living areas (adequate for family entertaining and resting)
Storage (adequate and well placed)
Room sizes, shapes, and wall areas to permit use of furnishings and equipment on hand or planned
Interior and exterior finishes (acceptable types, condition, and ease of maintenance).
Heating and lighting (adequate and efficient systems)
Outdoor space (patio, deck, lawn, garden space, outdoor storage)
How much house can you afford?
Buying a house commits you to a long-term relationship with a mortgage and requires a considerable amount of time and energy that most homeowner will tell you becomes second nature. American consumers spend from 21% to 54% of family income on their housing. How much each family spends on housing depends on many factors.
Three basic considerations that can help a family determine how much home they can afford
The amount of take-home pay the family can reasonably expect.
The family's living costs and other debt payments.
The total amount of housing expenses, including: taxes, insurance, energy, furnishings, maintenance, and mortgage payments.

You can find more in depth information and a real person to answer your questions about new Minnesota First Time Buyer Programs at www.firstHomeGuide.com or find a "first-time buyer's" agent at www.MNagents.com

First Time Home Buyer Process

2007-01-27T09:38:00.001-06:00

Simple 9 Step Home buying process
First Home Guide is constantly working to simplify the home buying process. Our first time home buyer program is a simple 9 step home buying process.

Determine your budget.The first step in any first time home buyer program should be to determine a monthly budget, income minus expenses and savings, to determine how much of a mortgage payment you want to take on. (click here for budget form) In addition to your mortgage payment, which includes principle and interest on your loan, you will also have a monthly tax and home owners insurance payment. Most borrowers roll their taxes and insurance into their loan payment, (principle, interest, taxes, and insurance or "PITI"). If you are purchasing a Condominium or a townhouse, you will have a monthly "association" payment and usually that takes care of your home owners insurance. Either way, an important first step is to determine how much of your total monthly budget you will spend on your housing.
Find out how much you can borrow and determine the best type of mortgage.The next step in a first time home buyer program should be to find out how much of a mortgage payment you qualify for. You can use our mortgage calculators ( how much house can I afford ) to get an idea of how big of a loan you qualify for using your income and expenses. In addition to a traditional 30 year fixed rate mortgage, there are many other types of mortgage available to first time home buyers. Depending upon things like, how long you plan to live in your home, your debt to income ratio, how much of a down payment, if any, you have, and how much of a monthly payment you are comfortable with, you may want to consider another type of mortgage that has a lower fixed rate than a 30 year mortgage. These loans typically have a fixed rate for a shorter period of time such as 1, 3, 5, or 7 years. A mortgage professional can help you sort through all these options and chose the one that best meets your financial needs.
Get pre-approved. In order to get a true loan amount, you will need to speak with a mortgage Loan Officer who is familiar with a first time home buyer program and can factor in things like your credit score, debt to income, and other issues that determine how much of a mortgage we ultimately qualify for. This process can be initially be done over the phone in as little as 10 minutes, but ultimately you will need to meet with your loan officer to sign pre-loan documents and to provide the loan officer with your personal documents like, bank statements, pay stubs, W-2's, etc., to determine exactly how much of a loan amount you can qualify for and get you pre-approved.
Using the Internet, or a realtor, find homes in your chosen areas (city, zip code, etc.) and price range.Using the Internet to identify some homes saves time for both you and your realtor. Generally, most of the homes available for sale in any city are viewable on the Internet. Using a site like http://www.firsthomeguide.com/default.asp you can search for a home based on the city, price range, features, and other things. This allows you to quickly and efficiently narrow down your search to only those homes that meet your criteria. Using the Internet in this manner also helps educate the home buyer as to what is available within their price range. Our first time home buyer program strongly recommends using the internet in your process, especially if you are a first time home buyer.
Contact a Realtor and start visiting homes you are interested in. After you have familiarized yourself with what is available in the marketplace and found a number of homes that look interesting and affordable, you should contact a realtor. If you don't know a realtor, First Home Guide can help you find one with an expertise in the city where you want to buy a home, and who understands our first time home buyer program. A good realtor can make home shopping easier by using different tools available to them to search through even more homes, get you appointments to "walk through" homes you are interested in, and ultimately negotiate the price and write a purchase offer for the home you choose.
Make an offer and sign purchase agreement. In this step of our first time home buyer program, you will be making an offer on home. Generally when you make an offer on a home, if your offer is below the asking or listing price, the seller will respond with a counter offer. This is where it is important to be working with a good realtor as there are many things that can be considered in the negotiations like; who pays closing costs, will things like appliances and washer and dryer be included, day date and time of closing, etc.. This process is even more critical if you are buying your home with no down payment and you have little or no money for closing costs as well. Once the seller agrees to accept your offer, the next step is to have the home inspected and appraised. Generally all offers and purchase agreements are contingent on a satisfactory home inspection and an appraisal that supports the selling price.
Home inspection and appraisal. Your realtor can provide you with the names of some quality home inspection companies or you can use one of the companies listed in First Home Guides resource center. Your Mortgage loan officer will order an appraisal.
Close loan. The closing takes place at a title company and generally takes about 1-2 hours. The attendees include the Sellers and their agent, the buyers and their agent and the mortgage loan officer. The buyers/borrowers must bring a valid drivers license and a cashiers check if they are bringing money to the close.
Move into your new home!! This is the final step in the first time home buyer program. Once your closing is complete, and you are given the keys to your new home and it's off to the moving van! Call First Home Guide toll free @ 877-270-8100 for details about other First time home buyer program
For more information and free resources for First Time Home Buyers, visit http://www.firsthomeguide.com/ Real estate agents can post your listings for free!!

First Time Home Buyers Resource Blog Launches

2007-01-22T16:09:00.000-06:00

Thanks for checking out our blog, dedicated to helping first time home buyers find and finance their first home. As the First Home Guys, we bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the home buying process. We are two guys, one a real estate agent and the other a loan officer who have years of experience helping people buy and finance homes. Having both been first time home buyers, we know how you feel when you begin the process. In the begining, it all may seem very confusing and scary but the good news is when you team up with people who specialize in working with first time home buyers, your dreams can become a reality instead of a nightmare. Not all real estate agents and loan officers are equal and it is important to find professionals who specialize in working with buyers like you, because finding and financing first homes requires a little more patience, a greater ability to explain things and a willingness to take the extra time to make it happen.

We are able to simplify the process and make it a suprisingly easy. We will be posting information from both the real estate and mortgage points of view on a regular basis. Feel free to comment or ask questions anytime. If we don't have the answer, we'll get it for you promptly. You can also see homes for sale in the First Time Homebuyer price range and many other resources at our website like information about first time home buyer seminars in your area and first time home buyer programs at www.firsthomeguide.com. For more information about us you can visit our personal websites at www.thegreatrate.com or www.mnagents.com
Enjoy our blog and happy house hunting!