First Time Home Buyer

There is so much information about buying a home. Where do I start first? 

- The first step is to be pre-approved by a Mortgage Broker/Lender. This will help us figure out how much home you can buy. 

How much home can I afford? Can we look at houses over budget?

This amount is determined by the pre-approval process through your lender. I do not recommend looking at houses over your budget. If you fall in love with a house that's over your budget, they may not accept a lower offer. You would potentially have to also come up with the difference at closing if you are unable to get approved for the new amount. 

Are there programs for us to help out with the down payment? It's so expensive to put a down payment on a home! 

Yes! There are programs available for you. More information about where to find the programs is available below. 

We found the house we want to buy. It's absolutely gorgeous. We can't live without it. What's our next steps? 

1. Put in an Offer
   1.  Wait for the Seller to accept or counter offer the offer and act accordingly. 
2. Wire your Escrow to the Title Company
   1. This must be done within 3 business days or the days specified on the contract. 
3. Hire a Home Inspector within the Inspection Period. 
   1. The inspection is important because it will allow you to see where there are any weaknesses that need to be addressed. You may then negotiate if the weaknesses of the home need to be addressed for concerns. 
   2. If you feel the home will not work for you and your family due to the inspection report you may break the contract and receive your Escrow money back. 

Here are the links to find more information about Down Payment Assistance Programs: 

Home Loan Down Payment Assistance

Lake County SHIP Program

Orange County DPA 

Sumter County SHIP Program

Seminole County DPA Program 

Volusia County SHIP Program

Osceola County SHIP Program

Marion County Purchase Assistance

Brevard County Downpayment Assistance