You don’t want to find your perfect home, and then realize you can’t afford it. Likewise, you don’t want to underestimate what you can afford, and limit yourself to less than your dream. The first step to starting a real estate search is to talk with a lender.
There was a time when a buyer needed 20% down to consider purchasing a home. Today, the market has changed, and the rules for qualifying have too. Buyers are finding they can afford more home than originally expected, or that qualifying is possible, even without a sizable down payment. A variety of options exist to allow buyers to purchase with as little as 3% or possibly even 0% down. Between gifted down payments, reductions in closing costs, or seller-assisted closing costs, there are many
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