First Time Homebuyer - Articles

31 metro areas saw lower home values in the first quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago. What's happening in your area? See HSH.com's Home Value Tracker.

Preapproval

Mortgage Preapproval Guide

How to Get Approved for a Mortgage: Factors Affecting Approval

In-house mortgage financing: pros and cons

A buyer's home appraisal checklist

9 mistakes to avoid after mortgage preapproval

What documents do I need for mortgage preapproval?

How Long Does It Take To Get A Mortgage?

Qualifying for a mortgage in the gig economy

I got a preapproval letter but was still denied. Why?

Affordability

Down payment assistance programs for all homebuyers

How Much House Can I Afford?
Home Affordability Calculator

Get a Mortgage with No Down Payment or a Low Down Payment

Guide to Down Payment Assistance in All 50 States

Top 10 Markets for Affordable Homes

Getting a mortgage just got easier with new Fannie Mae program

Renting vs. Buying a Home

Do I have to make a down payment?

Crowdfunding creates new opportunities for homebuyers

Why aren’t more young people buying homes?

Do you need to put 20 percent down on a house?

Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCCs) Help First-Time Homebuyers

Home Mortgages: Loan Choices and Options With a Small Down Payment

Can you buy a house if you have student loans?

Survey: What‘s the hardest part of affording a home?

Choosing/ Picking

Essential steps to successful home buying

Should I buy a better house or a better neighborhood?

Conventional vs. FHA financing: Which is cheaper?

How to Shop for a Mortgage Now

Shopping for a Mortgage: What APR Can't Tell You

Digital mortgages: important advantages

How to shop for title insurance

MIP or PMI? The choice grows more difficult

Documents and forms

Documents Required to Get a Mortgage

Will these documents satisfy my lender's ‘gift’ requirements?

What documents do I need for mortgage preapproval?

Using gift money for your down payment

Lenders now demand bank-deposit documentation

CFPB’s new mortgage statement is a big improvement

Why is my lender asking for so much documentation?

What mortgage borrowers need to know about TRID

How does child support affect mortgage qualification?

Mortgage Forms in Spanish Help Latinos Power Housing Recovery

Mortgage Rates

How to Negotiate a Better Mortgage Rate With a Loan Estimate (LE) Form

What Moves Mortgage Rates? (The Basics)

5 golden rules of your interest rate lock

8 ways to battle rising mortgage rates

A credit union could be your best source for a mortgage

Mortgages: What is Risk-Based Pricing?

What is the difference between "rate" and "APR"?

Today's Mortgage Rates: Should You Lock In?

Preparing for closing

How to prepare for a closing on a house

Which closing costs can I negotiate?

How To Avoid Problems At Your Closing

Close quickly and get better mortgage rates

3 ways to pick the best closing date

Prepaid items vs. closing costs--what's the difference?

What stays, what goes when you buy a home?

Reduce Closing Costs on Your Home Loan

How to Close Your Mortgage as Fast as Possible

Mortgage Choices

Which mortgage term is best for you?

What about a 20 year mortgage?

In Praise of 15-Year Mortgages

Increase home equity with the right mortgage choice

Guide to Adjustable Rate Mortgages

In Defense of ARMs They're Neither 'Evil' Nor 'Toxic'

The Hybrid Adjustable Rate Mortgage: Four Key Questions to Ask

Is it smart to pay cash for a house?

Hard money loans: great option when buying a fixer upper

Realtor & Agent Issues

5 signs of a bad real estate agent

5 ways to pick the best real estate agent

Real estate agent: The job can be a killer

Is a 6% real estate commission fair?

A real estate agent's 5 worst practices

Shopping for homes

How to research a neighborhood before you buy a house

Are Homes in Better School Districts Worth the Extra Money?

Like to Walk? Study Shows Walkable Neighborhoods More Affordable

How many times should you view a house?

How to Buy a House at Auction

Buying a new construction home

Is It Better to Buy a New or Used Home?

First-time homebuyer's guide to open houses

Buying a Home in the Fall

8 tips for fall home buying

Horrible history of a home may be hidden from buyers

How to finance a condo

Homebuyers: It's OK to overlook these 8 flaws

Buy a home that's not for sale

8 outside-the-box ways to find a home

Tips for buying distressed properties

Can you get out of a home purchase contract?

Advice

Essential steps to successful home buying

10 tips for buying a home at an auction

5 rookie homebuying mistakes and how to avoid them

Ten Tips for Saving Money on Your Mortgage

Tips to protect yourself from mortgage fraud

HSH's Ten Best Ways to Improve Your Mortgage Experience

5 tips for mastering a homeowner's association

Top 7 tips for millennial homebuyers

Do you need a lawyer to buy a home?

Four steps to hiring the best movers

How to win a bidding war on a home

Are home warranties worth buying?

How to Dispute a Home Appraisal

The best mortgage options for Millennials

Mortgage Concerns

What Moves Mortgage Rates? (The Basics)

5 common mortgage mistakes to avoid

How to be a mortgage lender’s dream client

What’s the difference between a lender and a broker?

Digital mortgages: important advantages

How student loan debt is holding back first-time buyers

HSH.com on the latest move by the Federal Reserve

Putting mortgage rate movements into perspective

Why doesn't my bank finance co-ops?

What to do when mortgage rates are rising

How Long Does It Take To Get A Mortgage?

Mortgages for all ages

Real Estate Issues

Are there drawbacks to buying a 50-year old house?

Home buying in fire zone? Consider: fire mitigation, defensible space

6 things to learn about buying a home in a seller’s market

Buying a house with leased solar panels

How to shop for a home online

Should you buy your parents' home?

Five things you probably didn't know about inheriting a house

Buying with family or friends: Clever or crazy?

Buying New Home Construction: 8 Tips for Getting it Right

Should you buy a green home?

Mortgages for Ugly Houses: When You Buy Distressed or "Unique" Homes

Is Buying a Home a Good Long-Term Investment?

More help for first-timers

A complaint guide for home buyers

PMI: Everything you need to know about Private Mortgage Insurance

10 tips for first-time homebuyers

How to Buy a HUD Home

Should you buy a home through the seller's agent?

100 percent mortgage financing: USDA rural home loans

10 basic home insurance facts

3 Questions Mortgage Lenders Can't Ask

Renting vs. Buying a Home

Home buyer programs by state

How Can Homebuyer Education or Homebuyer Counseling Help You Save Money?

How to Get a Discounted Home -- Compliments of the Federal Government

Ask the Expert

How do I prepare to buy my first home?

Can I lock my mortgage rate for an extended period of time?

Should I consider my home an "asset"?

Can my lender ask me why I'm buying a specific home?

Does PMI give any benefits to someone's credit if they default?

How much do points affect the interest rate?

Preparing to buy

How Much House Can I Afford?
Home Affordability Calculator

Preparing to Buy a Home: Do's and Don'ts for Your Home Purchase

Preparing to buy a home: What does owning a house really cost?

Preparing to buy a home: Saving for down payment

Should we write a backup offer on a house?

Top 10 Markets for Affordable Homes

FHA

Advantages of FHA mortgages in 2025

FHA Basics: What is FHA, and how does it work?

The evolution of FHA mortgage rates

FHA Foreign National Loans

Conventional vs. FHA financing: Which is cheaper?

Does a lower credit score mean a higher FHA mortgage rate?

MIP or PMI? The choice grows more difficult

Credit Concerns

Can rent payments help your credit score?

5 Credit Report Errors That Will Cost You

Prevent Identity Theft When Buying a Home

Rapid rescoring can raise credit scores quickly

Homebuyer education courses: A secret weapon for first-time buyers

8 ways to increase your credit score to get the lowest mortgage rates

What’s the website for obtaining a free credit report?