Category: First-Time Buyers

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The Biggest Credit Hurdle for Renters Who Want To Buy

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 17, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL, Rent vs. Buy.

What’s the biggest payment you make every month? If you’re a renter, it’s probably your rent. But did you know that you can pay your rent on time, every time, for years, and it may never show up in your credit history? It’s pretty frustrating, especially if you’d like to buy a home someday and you’re trying to build your credit.The good thing is that’s changing right now. Here’s what you need to know and why it could open a door you thought was closed.The Problem for Would-Be BuyersYou’re not the only one frustrated. According to Zillow, nearly a third of applicants...

Why Most People Are Still Glad They Bought a Home

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 12, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Mortgage Destin FL, Rent vs. Buy.

With everything going on, it’s understandable if you’re wondering if you’d regret buying right now. Everyday expenses cost more. Mortgage rates are higher than you’d like. And when the economy feels uncertain, taking on a mortgage can feel like a much bigger leap. But here’s some perspective that may help…Most people who already made that leap would do it again.According to a recent survey from NerdWallet, the vast majority of recent buyers (74%) were glad they bought their current home. Only a very small 3% of people regret it:And here’s a big reason why so many people feel it was worth...

Two Moves That Can Get You Into Your First Home Sooner

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 6, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL, Rent vs. Buy.

For a lot of first-time buyers, owning a home can feel perpetually a few years out of reach. Saving for a down payment takes time, and each year you spend renting can make owning feel further off.But buying your first home doesn’t have to happen to feel like a far away goal. Two choices you control can bring your first home years closer, even with affordability as tight as it is right now.How Long Buying Really TakesFirst, one quick definition. “Breaking even” is the point where owning has cost you about the same as renting would have over the same period. And after that...

Hoping for (or Dreading) a Housing Crash? The Experts Just Weighed In.

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on October 3, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, Equity, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Forecasts, Home Prices, Mortgage Destin FL.

Half the buyers out there are scared home prices are about to crash. The other half are hoping they will.A recent survey from Clever found 58% of Gen Z buyers are actually rooting for a crash, just so homeownership feels within reach.So, what do the forecasts actually say?Every quarter, Fannie Mae surveys more than 100 housing experts on where prices are headed. The newest results are in. And spoiler alert: they’re not calling for a crash – not even the pessimists.What the Newest Numbers Actually SayThe panel’s latest forecast has prices climbing every single year through at least...

The Mortgage Rate You See Online Isn’t Necessarily the One You’d Get.

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 29, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL, Mortgage Rates.

You may have seen the headlines saying mortgage rates have climbed to the highest point since January 2025. And if that’s left you reluctant to buy a home, here’s what you need to remember… That’s not necessarily the number you’d get. It’s a common misconception that the rate you see in the headlines is the same one you’d get when you buy. The truth is, mortgage rates shift often, and the rate you actually end up with can vary a lot from what you may see or hear about. What Determines Your Real Rate? Advertised rates and “real rates” aren’t always the...

The Best Time To Buy a Home in 2026 Is Almost Here

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on September 23, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL, Mortgage Rates.

Want to buy a house this year, but not sure if the timing’s right? Seasonally, it may actually be a better time to buy than you expect.Yes, mortgage rates have been ticking up lately – and that’s creating some real challenges with affordability. No one’s arguing that. But there are also predictable trends that happen this time every year that can put some wind back in your sails.According to research coming out of Realtor.com, nationally, the week of September 27 – October 3 will be the best time to buy this year for this very reason:“The week of September 27–October 3 brings together the...

Big Investors Are Backing Off and That’s Your Opening

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on August 10, 2026. Posted in Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL.

For years, a lot of would-be homebuyers have worried about the same thing. How do you compete with big investors who can swoop in, pay cash, and snap up the houses you want?Well, worry a little less. Because right now, those big investors aren’t buying up the market. They’re backing out of it.Investors Are Buying Fewer Homes Than They Have in YearsAccording to Redfin, investor home purchases just fell to their lowest level since 2020 – when the start of the pandemic temporarily caused pretty much all homebuying to pull way back. Before that, you’d have to go all the way...

Priced Out? A Condo or Townhome Could Be Your Way In.

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on July 24, 2026. Posted in Affordability, Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, Downsize, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL.

Today’s home prices have a lot of buyers – especially first-time buyers – wondering if there’s even anything out there that’s in their budget. But owning a home may be more within reach than you think. Sometimes, it just means considering a different type of home.Condos and townhomes can be a great way to buy without stretching every last dollar. And right now, two things make them worth a serious look.There Are More Condos and Townhomes To Choose FromMaybe you feel like there’s just nothing out there for you, and you’ve exhausted all your options. But have you considered condos or...

More Homes, Better Prices: A Buyer’s Summer

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on July 24, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Home Prices, Inventory, Mortgage Destin FL.

If you’ve thought about buying a home in the past few years, you may have run into two frustrations: asking prices that kept climbing and too few homes to choose from.In many places, both sticking points are letting up this summer, with lower asking prices and more homes for sale. Let’s look at the trends, and what they mean for your search.Sellers Are Pricing To Attract BuyersAccording to Realtor.com, the national median asking price was $430,000 in June, nearly $11,000 under what it was the year before (see graph below):That’s the eighth month in a row that the typical asking price has...

Student Loans Are Back in the News. Don’t Let It Put Your Homeownership Plans on Hold.

Written by Destin FL Mortgage Mortgage Syndicated User on July 15, 2026. Posted in Buying Tips, Destin FL Mortgage, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Mortgage Destin FL.

Student loans are back in the spotlight. And whether you’ve been following the headlines closely or just catching bits and pieces here and there, there’s a good chance they’ve been on your mind lately.And if you’re questioning whether you have to hit pause on your plans to buy a home, here’s the thing you have to remember:Having student loans doesn’t automatically mean buying a home has to wait.The Biggest Myth About Student Loans and Buying a HomeOne of the most common misconceptions among first-time buyers is that they have to pay off their student loans...