First-Time Homebuyers
You don’t need to already know how to do this. Here are the questions we hear most, answered plainly.
The questions we hear most
The ones people are a little embarrassed to ask. They shouldn’t be.
Do I really need 20% down?
No. That is the most common reason people decide they cannot buy, and it is usually wrong. There are financing paths with far less down — the right one depends on your credit, your income, and the property type.
How much money do I actually need?
More than the down payment, and probably less than you fear. Down payment, closing costs, earnest money, inspection fees. But closing costs are frequently negotiable, and in this market many sellers contribute.
What happens after I get pre-approved?
Pre-approval tells you what a lender will lend. It does not tell you what you should spend, and it does not hold anything for you. Next is deciding what monthly payment you actually want to live with — usually lower than your maximum.
Agent first, or lender first?
Either, but talk to both early. A lender tells you what is possible. We tell you what is strategic. Most people who come to us frustrated have talked to one and not the other.
What can I negotiate?
More than price. Repairs, closing costs, the rate you actually pay through a seller-funded buydown, the closing timeline, what stays with the house. Getting an offer accepted is not the same as getting a good deal.
What should I never waive?
The inspection is the one we push back hardest on. You can adjust how you handle it — shorten the window, agree to a repair threshold — but going in blind on a house nobody has examined is how people inherit an expensive problem.
Is a condo a good first purchase?
Sometimes. A condo can get you into a neighborhood you could not otherwise afford. But HOA dues change the monthly math, some loan programs treat condos differently, and resale can be slower.
How we think about it
Affordability is not just the price on the listing. It is the monthly payment, the rate, the down payment, seller concessions, closing costs, and what the property will actually cost you over time.
What we won’t do
We will not talk you into a neighborhood or a property you do not actually want just because it feels competitive out there. And we will not let “getting an offer accepted” pass for “getting a good deal.”
A resource worth knowing
If financing education or down payment assistance is part of your picture, Arrive (formerly Portland Housing Center) offers homebuyer counseling and assistance programs. We work alongside resources like this, not around them.
What our clients say
“My fiancé and I are 1st time home buyers and had the privilege to work with the team.”
Forest Park–Linnton, Portland OR · 2022
“We couldn’t have asked for someone more thoughtful in helping us buy our first home in Portland.”
Roseway, Portland OR · 2022
“We are first time home buyers and felt so safe and supported throughout the entire process with the team.”
2025 purchase
It may be your first time. It isn’t ours.
1,600 homes sold. 35 years in the business. There’s very little we haven’t seen.