Housing Market News August 31, 2016

Help for Buying a Home Now

Buying Help  header

Think you can’t afford to buy a house? There are a number of programs that can help make the dream of buying a home a reality.

Are you ready to start looking for a home? A Windermere Real Estate broker can help you find programs that make buying a house more affordable.

  • You don’t need to put 20% down. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have down payment requirements as low as 3%. If you’re a vet or active military, a VA loan requires no down payment.
  • Your family can help with your down payment. Fannie Mae’s HomeReady Mortgage allows a down payment of just 3%, and income from grandparents, parents, relatives, and working children can be used to help qualify for the loan.
  • You don’t need perfect credit. To qualify for an FHA loan, your credit score needs to be just 500 or higher. FHA loans allow a down payment as low as 3.5%, and that payment can come entirely from “gift funds.”
  • BIG PLUS: There are a number of down payment assistance programs in Washington State to help you finance a home and arrange a payment you can afford.