Buying your first home is one of life’s biggest milestones, so naturally, it can be an overwhelming process. Between understanding the steps of home buying, preparing yourself financially, and navigating all the tedious paperwork, it’s easy to feel unsure of where to start.

At Family First, we not only guide you through the home buying process, but we also offer first-time homebuyer programs and low-rate mortgage solutions designed to make homeownership more accessible AND affordable.

Here’s a breakdown of what the home-buying process looks like and how we can help at every stage!

1. Get Your Finances Ready

Before you start house hunting, it’s important to get a clear picture of your budget. Review your credit score, savings, and monthly income to see what you can afford. Remember, your home purchase isn’t just about the mortgage payment. Factor in taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs.

How we can help: Our team can walk you through pre-qualification, offer money management tools, and even recommend savings plans to help with your down payment. Not only that, but we can help you determine exactly how much house you can afford and your target monthly payment.

Not sure what your credit score is? Try our new credit monitoring tool, Credit Score, now available in our mobile app and online banking! This free feature gives you easy access to your score, credit report, and personalized credit-building tips.

2. Get Pre-Approved

Pre-approval shows sellers that you’re a serious buyer and gives you a realistic price range for your house search.

How we can help: We offer a simple pre-approval process and competitive rates, so you can shop for your home with confidence. You can now apply for a pre-approval online with our quick and easy application! Click here to apply.

3. Find the Right Home

This is the fun part – exploring neighborhoods, touring homes, and finding the space that feels just right. A trusted real estate agent can make this step smoother by helping you compare options and negotiate on your behalf.

4. Apply for Your Mortgage

Once you’ve found your dream home, that’s when you’ll officially apply for your mortgage. Your lender will ask you to submit documents such as pay stubs, bank statements, and tax returns, which they will then review. Download Mortgage Documentation Checklist.

How we help: Our first-time homebuyer programs are designed to make this step easier, with flexible options, down payment assistance, and low-rate mortgage choices that help keep monthly payments manageable.

5. Close on Your Home!

Closing is the finish line – you’ll review and sign the final documents, pay any closing costs, and finally, get the keys to your new home!

Ready to Take the First Step?

Whether you’re just starting to explore homeownership or you’re ready to apply, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. When you choose Family First for your mortgage, you can take advantage of:

• First-time homebuyer programs that can help with affordability and guidance.
• Local support and expert advice from people who put your goals first.
• Low, competitive mortgage rates to save you money over the life of your loan.
• Countless membership benefits that make banking easier.