Affordable Home Loans
& Helpful Advice

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Top 5 resources for savvy home buyers:

The easiest way to navigate the home buying process without going crazy — all my top resources are below!

Apply for a home loan with our team.

We can help you get pre-qualified for a home loan so you can see all your numbers (payment, costs, etc) up-front. Then, you can start shopping for a home.
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Get a real estate agent referral from me.

I've partnered with the nation's largest network of helpful real estate agents who can help you explore homes in your area.
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START HERE

Explore my free A to Z first time home buyer timeline

The complete step-by-step guide to buying your first home includes everything you need to know! I packed it with resources to get you started quickly.
Explore the timeline →

See today's average interest rates

Rates change multiple times a day! Keep your finger on the pulse of where interest rates are headed so you always know what to expect.
See today's interest rates →

Use my plug-and-play calculators

Don't let the numbers overwhelm you, these calculators help you tailor everything to your situation so you can be confident in your decisions.
Use the calculators →

This is the biggest financial decision you'll make.

You deserve honest, kind help through the process. You don't want to work with someone only interested in their bottom line. We help you make clear decisions based on your best interests.

Sketchy lenders do these things:
Hide closing costs
Ghost you
Fake low rates with extra costs
Show just one loan option
Take forever to close
What we do instead:
Fast loan pre-approvals
Low rates and costs
Kind explanations
Multiple loan options
Honest advice
Dependable closings
Crystal clear quotes
Communicative team

Common questions you should be asking.

With so much questionable guidance, most buyers end up settling for what they hope is right, which sucks. This is probably your biggest financial decision to date—you deserve way better than: "I guess this is what I should do".
Where should I start?

Getting started can feel like the hardest part! That's why I made this A to Z first time home buyer's timeline. It's designed to give you a general overview of the process so you can "dip your toe in the water". It also links out to all the resources you need like helpful videos and calculators that run all the numbers for you.

Should I talk to a real estate agent or loan officer first?

Although it's more fun to search for houses, you really need to talk to a loan officer first! Getting pre-approved first allows you to know exactly what price range you're going to be looking in.

Also, most real estate agents won't show you a home unless you're pre-approved first. They want to make sure you have the money to buy a house!

How much does it actually cost to buy a house?

As with almost everything in real estate, it depends! Not a fun answer... I know. Usually, buying a house includes 2 things. Your down payment and closing costs. Your down payment can vary between 0% and 20% depending on the loan program you're wanting to use. I suggest you watch my loan requirements videos to see what loan works best for you.

Closing costs are all the costs involved in the buying process like a home inspection, appraisal, title search, taxes, home owner's insurance, and lender fees.

To estimate these fees, you can use my calculator here. For ultra-accurate numbers, you'll need to get pre-approved and look at home loan quotes that are tailored to your situation.

How do I know how much house I can afford?

You know your budget best. So, you're the main person who can determine if a house payment is comfortable for you. Some people are comfortable spending a large percentage of their income on a home. Others would rather not.

You can use this calculator to explore different affordability theories on how much house you can afford so you can see what feels right to you.

What questions should I ask my loan officer and real estate agent?

Great loan officers have the "heart of a teacher" meaning that they're willing to explain things patiently to you. I don't think there is a list of questions that's quite as helpful as just asking anything you're curious about!

If there is something that is confusing or complex, ask for clarification. Through asking questions, you'll find if that real estate professional is the right person for you.

Why does it seem so complex to buy a house?

Real estate is complex! It involves confusing real estate law, title complexities, and a lot of requirements in getting the money for a house.

However, you don't have to be an expert to buy a home with confidence and ease. Your team of a loan officer and real estate agent will help guide you through the process!

How do interest rates affect me?

An interest rate is the amount charged by a lender for you to get a loan. The higher the interest rate, the more interest you pay on a loan to borrow that money.

Which loan should I get?

There are several loan options out there and it can be overwhelming to find the "right" one for you. First, your loan officer can help you explore several different loan options.

Also, you can learn about more loan options through my YouTube video and bring those up to your loan officer to see if they could be part of your home buying plan.

How do I shop for a loan?

Lenders often don't like hearing that a buyer is shopping for a mortgage. It means they may not get your loan (which is how we make money, by helping you get a mortgage). But, I absolutely don't believe it's ethical to hide the fact that shopping for a mortgage is in your best interest.

Shopping for a loan.

What kind of down payment should I expect?

Conventional loans only require a 3% down payment for first-time buyers. FHA requires 3.5%. USDA and VA loans allow 0% down. We can also help you explore down payment assistance options.

Should I buy in this market?

Biases are important — asking a loan officer "should I buy a house now" is almost always going to give you an answer with at least some bias.

That being said, I purchased my home in July of 2022 — the height of the housing market craziness. I believe the answer to when you should buy a home is more about if YOU are ready. Not the market.

No one can control the housing market. And no one can predict what will happen. Here are the 3 right conditions I believe you need to have to be ready to buy a house:
1. You plan to stay in the home for at least 5 years
2. You are financially comfortable with the monthly payment and up-front costs
3. You have at least 3 months of reserves in the bank

I'm not ready to buy just yet, what should I do to prepare?

First, it's a good idea to get familiar with your credit score and see if there's any issues you may need to address on your credit report.

You can always reach out to use for help.

What credit score do I need?

The minimum credit score for FHA, VA, and USDA is 500. And for Conventional loans it's 620.

Need a question answered you don't see above?
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You deserve a calm home buying experience. 😌

Getting pre-qualified is fast and easy (only 10 min) — you can get your home loan quote and start shopping for homes asap.

We've helped hundreds of families with their home loans and we'd be happy to help yours, too.

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Win The House You Love LLC, an education company. Win The House You Love LLC is not a lender, does not issue loan qualifications, and does not extend credit of any kind. This website is only for educational usage. All calculations should be verified independently. This website is not an offer to lend and should not directly be used to make decisions on home offers, purchasing decisions, nor loan selections. Not guaranteed to provide accurate results, imply lending terms, qualification amounts, nor real estate advice. Seek counsel from a licensed real estate agent, loan originator, financial planner, accountant, and/or attorney for real estate, legal, and/or financial advice.

Win The House You Love LLC is not affiliated with the VA, FHA or any other government agency. This site has not been approved by any government agency.

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