Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Your First Home

 by: Damon Thomas

The idea of buying a new home for the first time can be overwhelming for most people. It is probably the largest investment they have ever made, and the process itself seems downright intimidating. Here are answers to a few questions about homeownership from www.casanuevahouston.com and www.casanuevasanantonio.com. Much more information is offered online at these websites.

How do I know how much I can afford?

Most people like to think of it in terms of their monthly payment. A good rule-of-thumb is that your total monthly payment will be about 1% of the purchase price. If a new home costs $100,000, the total monthly payment will be about $1,000.

What kind of down payment is needed? How much money is needed for closing costs?

With 100% financing, which is often available, you typically need about 3% out of your own pocket for various closing cost such as taxes and insurance. So, for a $100,000 loan that is 100% financed, you would need about $3,000 total cash. There are also home buyer assistance programs that can provide down payment grants to qualified applicants.

How much income do I need?
  (continued...)

Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Your First Home
  Page 2

About The Author Damon Thomas is a contributor to www.casanuevahouston.com, a Houston-based company providing information for new home buyers.

Additional Resources

category - Home Buying Programs

How to Get a Government Home Loan with Low or Moderate Income
The government provides loans to those individuals who have low to moderate income for permanent residence in rural areas. To qualify for these government loans is not that hard and the restrictions ...

---

Ohio Heroes Program for First Time Home Buyers in the State of Ohio
One of the most popular programs of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency is the Ohio Heroes Program which is exclusively intended for active military men, active reservists, veterans, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and several other individuals with noble professions.

---

State of New York Mortgage Agency
The State of New York Mortgage Agency, otherwise referred to as SONYMA, is an agency established in the year 1970 in an attempt to address the shortages of funds within private banking systems that are specifically intended for residential mortgages within the State of New York.

---

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program
The Connecticut Housing Finance Agency has been administering the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program wherein they intend to offer home loans at reasonable, below-market rates to Section 8 tenants who wish to purchase a home of their own.

---