Home / Buying Your First Home
Buying Your First Home
Your first home does not require perfect credit, a 20 percent down payment, or a finance degree. It requires a plan, a lender who answers the phone, and an agent who explains every step before it happens. That is the job.
We start by getting you connected with a lender who can walk you through pre-approval, so sellers take your offer seriously and you know your real numbers before we ever tour a house. From there, we tour homes with a checklist you will quickly learn to read yourself. When the right house shows up, we talk through the offer together while I write it up, then you review it and I'm there for any questions before you sign.
How buying goes.
- 01A short first conversation. Coffee, a call, or my office, whatever is easiest. Budget honesty, timing, neighborhoods, dealbreakers, and what home actually needs to be for you. You leave knowing the whole path before any of it starts.
- 02Pre-approval before tours. Sellers take a pre-approved offer seriously, and it tells us your real number. You likely need less down than you think: conventional loans start around 3 percent, FHA at 3.5, and VA at zero for qualifying service members. Twenty percent is only the point where PMI drops off.
- 03Tours with a checklist. We tour together with a checklist you will quickly learn to read yourself. Once you are pre-approved I can usually get you into a home within 24 to 48 hours, and on the off chance I cannot take you, a trusted colleague meets you there. No home gets missed.
- 04An offer you understand. I write the offer with you at the table, so you understand every line before you sign. We come in strong and reasonable, priced off real comparable sales, because lowballing usually just buys you a worse counter.
- 05Under contract to keys. Inspections, appraisal, and every deadline, coordinated. Budget roughly 2 to 3 percent of the purchase price for closing costs on top of your down payment, and I will walk you through every line of that too.
Where that record stands today: 12 homes closed · 4.8M closed volume · 6 closings this past year · 5.0★ reviews on Zillow.
What getting in actually takes
Straight from my First-Time Homebuyer Handbook: the 20 percent down payment is a myth for first-timers. Conventional loans start around 3 percent down (20 is only where PMI drops off), FHA starts at 3.5 with more flexible credit, and VA is zero down for qualifying service members. On top of the down payment, budget roughly 2 to 3 percent of the purchase price for closing costs.
Both sides of the river
I am licensed in Oregon (201258516) and Washington (26009754), so comparing The Dalles against Dallesport or White Salmon is one conversation with one agent, tax differences included.
What homes actually cost right now, by ZIP →
The neighborhood guides →
“Grace was incredible. We got matched up with her via Zillow, and it really ended up feeling like kismet. She was able to relate to our family and our needs so well, and guided us through the process without missing a beat. We felt really lucky and cared for through the process.”
Common questions.
How much do I need for a down payment?
Less than most people think. Some loan programs start at 3 to 5 percent down, and qualified veterans can buy with zero down. We will talk real numbers before you ever tour a house.
What does it cost to work with you?
We go over agency and compensation in plain English at our first meeting, before you commit to anything. No surprises, ever.
How soon can we see a home?
Once you're pre-approved, I can get you in to see any home within 24-48 hours. On the off chance I am unable to take you, I will have a trusted colleague meet you at the home. No home will be missed under my watch!
How fast do you respond?
Usually within minutes during the day. Homes in this market can go in a weekend, responsiveness isn't a nicety, it's strategy.
Can you help me buy in Washington too?
Yes. I'm licensed in both Oregon (201258516) and Washington (26009754), so a search that runs both banks of the river, White Salmon and Bingen included, stays one conversation with one agent.