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?
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Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Your First Home
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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

Department of Housing and Urban Development's Dollar Homes Program
The Dollar Homes Program revolves around the process of selling single family homes for a superbly reasonable price of $1 (plus closing cost) to low-to-moderate income families, granted that these houses have been acquired through foreclosure by the Federal Housing Administration, and have already been actively marketed for at least six months and still remained unsold after that certain period of time.

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Rural Community Development Initiative
The Rural Community Development Initiative can be awarded to legally qualified private, public, and tribal groups or organizations that have the experience and capability of providing training and technical assistance to nonprofit community-based housing and community development organizations, as well as low income rural communities.

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First Time Homebuyer Programs in Arkansas
The Arkansas Development Finance Authority was primarily created to develop safe, decent and affordable housing for low and moderate income Arkansans. The authority's primary goal is to administer funding in the form of tax exempt bonds and other debt instruments through several programs which are divided into three main categories: Economic Development, Homeownership, and Affordable Rental Housing.

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Department of Housing and Urban Development: Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs
The CoC Homeless Assistance programs is designed to reduce the incidence of homelessness in established CoC communities, thereby the need to assist homeless individuals and families during the process of quickly transitioning to self-sufficiency and permanent housing.

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