First Time Home Buyer

More people than you'd think. For most programs, you qualify as a first-time buyer if you haven't owned a home in the last three years — so if you owned a house years ago, or a spouse owned one but you didn't, you may still be eligible for first-time buyer programs.

Almost certainly less than 20%. Conventional programs start at 3% down for qualified buyers, FHA at 3.5%, and VA and USDA offer zero-down options for eligible buyers. Washington also has down payment assistance programs that can help cover part of the upfront cost.

There's no single magic number — FHA guidelines allow lower scores than most people assume, and conventional programs typically look for an established credit history. If your score needs work, I can point out what would move it most; sometimes a few months of preparation opens up much better options.

Talk to a lender. A pre-approval tells you your real budget, uncovers any issues while there is still time to fix them, and makes your offers credible — in competitive Whatcom and Skagit markets, many agents will not schedule showings without one. It costs nothing and does not commit you to anything.