First-time buyer HQ
Everyone’s first home starts with “I have no idea what I’m doing.”
Good news: that’s the normal starting point, and it’s completely fixable. This page retires the myths, walks the real steps, and shows you the Minnesota programs built specifically for you.
Myth-busting, part one
Six myths, officially retired
Each of these has stopped real buyers from even trying. None of them survive contact with the facts.
You need 20% down to buy a home
The truth: Conventional loans start at 3% down for qualified first-time buyers, FHA at 3.5%, and VA and USDA at $0 down. 20% down only means one thing: no mortgage insurance. It has never been the price of admission.
Your credit has to be perfect
The truth: Conventional programs generally start around a 620 score and FHA can go lower. Better scores get better pricing, but "perfect" has never been the requirement — and Rob can point you toward realistic ways to strengthen your score before you apply.
You should wait for rates to drop
The truth: Nobody can time rates — not Rob, not the news, not the internet. What you can control: buying a home that fits your budget at today's numbers. If rates drop later, refinancing exists. If they rise, you're glad you didn't wait.
Getting pre-approved hurts your credit
The truth: A mortgage pre-approval is a single hard inquiry — typically a few points, temporarily. Credit scoring models also treat multiple mortgage inquiries within a shopping window as one. The insight you gain massively outweighs the ding.
Find the house first, then figure out financing
The truth: Backwards. Sellers take offers with pre-approval letters seriously; without one you're shopping blind and could fall in love with a house outside your real budget. The financing conversation is step one, and it's free.
Student loans mean you can't buy
The truth: Student debt factors into your debt-to-income ratio — it doesn't disqualify you. Millions of buyers with student loans close every year. Rob can show you exactly how your loans are counted and what price range they support.
The actual roadmap
Six steps from “someday” to keys in hand
The conversation
Text or call Rob. Fifteen minutes, plain English, no documents needed yet. You'll leave knowing your realistic starting point.
Pre-approval
Rob verifies income, assets and credit through Fairway's secure system and issues a pre-approval letter — the document that makes sellers take your offer seriously.
Set the real budget
Approved-for and comfortable-with are different numbers. Rob helps you find the monthly payment that fits your actual life.
Shop with confidence
You and your agent tour homes knowing exactly what works. Rob stays on call for payment math on any address you're considering.
Offer & contract
Offer accepted! Rob locks your file into motion — appraisal ordered, documentation gathered, underwriting begins.
Clear to close
Underwriting signs off, you review final numbers days before closing, then sign, get keys, and become a homeowner.
Minnesota-specific help
Down payment assistance is real — and it’s for you
Minnesota Housing, the state’s housing finance agency, offers down payment and closing cost loans to eligible first-time buyers — often structured as deferred loans you don’t repay until you sell or refinance. Income limits, purchase price limits, and a homebuyer education course apply.
Rob works with these programs and can tell you in one conversation whether you qualify and what it would actually change about your numbers.
How MN assistance works →The money questions
What first-time buyers actually ask
How much money do I actually need to buy my first home in Minnesota?
Less than most people think. Between low-down-payment programs (3–3.5% down) and Minnesota Housing down payment assistance, many first-time buyers close with a total cash outlay far below the mythical 20%. Closing costs typically add 2–3% of the loan amount, and some can be negotiated or credited. Rob can map your exact number in one conversation.
What credit score do I need to buy a house?
Conventional loans generally start around 620, FHA can work from 580 (sometimes lower with more down), and VA has no official minimum. Higher scores earn better pricing, so if you're close to a threshold, Rob can suggest specific moves before you apply.
What is down payment assistance and do I qualify?
Minnesota Housing offers down payment and closing cost loans to eligible buyers, often structured as a deferred second loan repaid when you sell or refinance. Qualification depends on income, purchase price, and homebuyer education. Rob works with these programs and can check your eligibility quickly.
How long does buying a first home take?
Pre-approval can happen within a day or two of submitting documents. House hunting is up to you and the market. Once you're under contract, closing typically runs about 30–45 days. From first text to keys, many first-time buyers finish in 2–4 months.
Should I pay off all my debt before buying?
Not necessarily. Lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio, not whether debt exists. Sometimes paying off a specific account helps qualification substantially; other times that cash serves you better as a down payment. This is exactly the kind of math Rob runs for free.
Ready for step one? It’s just a text.
No documents, no commitment, no pressure — just a first conversation about where you stand and what’s possible. Text Rob at 612-230-1395 whenever you’re ready.