Buying a Home

8 Tax Breaks and Credits for Home Owners & Home Buyers

Do you own a home? Are you thinking of buying a home? Were you one of the many that purchased a home last year? April 15th will be rolling around soon and it’s important for you to know what tax breaks and credits for which you qualify as a home owner.

Here are a few of the tax breaks for which you may qualify:

Mortgage interest paid at settlement. On mortgages of up to $1 million, home owners can deduct the interest paid at settlement if you itemize your deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). This amount should be included in the mortgage interest statement provided by your lender.

Points. If you pay points to obtain your home mortgage, these fees can be deducted as long as they are associated with the purchase of a home. If you refinanced your home, these points are still deductible, but it must be done over the life of the mortgage.

Property taxes. You can deduct your state and local property taxes, as long as they are based on the assessed value of the real property. However, if your money is being held in escrow for the purpose of paying property taxes, you cannot claim this deduction until the money is actually taken out of escrow and paid.

Selling costs. Did you sell a home in the past year? You may be able to deduct the amount of your selling costs, such as repairs, title insurance and broker’s fees. The IRS only allows the deduction of repair costs if the repairs were made within 90 days of the sale. Selling costs are deducted from your gain on the sale.

Home office. If you use a portion of your home exclusively for the purpose of an office for your small business, you may be able to claim a deduction on your taxes for some costs. You may also be able to take advantage of this deduction if part of your home is used for storing items for your business.

Mortgage insurance premiums. You...

Dakota County First Time Homebuyer Information

Dakota County Housing Market Update

I work with many First Time Homebuyers in the Dakota County area and many of them take advantage of the Dakota County bond program that helps with down payment and closing costs assistance for buyers who meet certain qualifications.  For several months, I have noticed that there are not as many homes available for sale as there used to be.  Many of my First Time Homebuyer clients search for single family homes under $150,0000, so I did some research to see what has been going on in Dakota County for the past few months in the under $150,000 price range.

Since Dakota County is pretty large and my clients tend to search within 2 different parts of the County, I separated the County into 2 parts: Western Dakota County (Eagan, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Rosemount & Farmington) and Eastern Dakota County (South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Hastings etc.).

Western Dakota County: 

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Home Buyer Advice: What Home Owners Love (and Loathe) About Their Homes

Every house hunter has a list of "must-haves" when it comes to the house he or she plans to purchase. Which features and amenities stand the test of time?

MSN asked readers what they love most about their current home and what they used to love that "was clearly just a passing fancy."

  1. It's not a mansion. According to respondents, it was the small conveniences that have retained luster – like a laundry room near the bedrooms - but the one thing that appears to maintain the most satisfaction are open floor plans with plenty of space - regardless of the actual square footage.
  2. Let there be light. Large windows with a nice view can also make up for a home's shortcomings. Home owners love large windows that allow cheerful sunlight in at various times and spaces throughout the day. A great view outside those windows is an added bonus.
  3. Comfort-adding features. Home owners love their central air conditioning and modernized heating systems for the comfort and convenient maintenance. Of course, storage is a necessity, so plentiful kitchen cabinets and large closets ranked high as well.
  4. Mistake to avoid? One respondent said the mother-in-law suite she was determined to have has created strife for her family. Friends and family that know about the space think it is okay to stay there for extended periods of time. At the same time, when the space is not in use, it adds unnecessarily to heating and cooling bills.

Buying a home is likely the single biggest purchase decision anyone will make during a lifetime. Knowing what types of features people continue...

5 Mortgage Tips for Spring Real Estate Buyers

The spring real estate selling and buying season is ready to gear up. Many Twin Cities real estate professionals believe that there will be an uptick in home buying activity this year due to the improved economy and reduced unemployment rate. Here are some mortgage tips for people who plan on buying a home this year.

1. Study your credit. Though the economy has improved, good credit is still the key to attaining a mortgage. Get a hold of copies of your credit scores and history from the three credit-reporting bureaus. Study the reports to ensure there are no errors. Most lenders require a minimum credit score of 680.

2. Prepare your documents. Don't wait for your potential lender to request basic documents when you apply for a mortgage – get them ready now. The papers you will need are W-2s, income-tax returns, bank statements, and two of your most recent check stubs. Save these documents and any others in an electronic format.

3. Know how much you can afford. You could end up paying too much if ou rely on a lender to tell you how much mortgage you qualify for - they'll often try to get you to borrow the maximum amount. Plan for a budget range and stick to it. There are several calculators available that can help you determine how much house you can afford.

4. Shop around. Shopping around for a mortgage is more than simply comparing interest rates. Though interest rates are important, would-be borrowers should also consider points, closing costs and different types of loan products. Attain loan estimates from at least three banks and three mortgage brokers before deciding.

5. Be persistent. Not all lenders are the same. Just because one rejects your mortgage application, doesn't mean all of them will. Additionally, many they have their own internal underwriting guidelines, making...

Razing Houses to Improve Housing Stock in the Twin Cities

Quite a bit of Minnesota's housing stock is old and outdated. Though many are in decent condition, not all homes are worth saving and rehabilitating.

South St. Paul's Housing and Redevelopment Authority buys and razes these types of properties as part of a program to clear old lots for new housing. Started in 1996, the Rediscover South St. Paul program logged its 100th new home built on lots cleared of dilapidated houses.

South St. Paul went into the housing renewal business because it could not count on the private housing market to remove dilapidated homes, said Mayor Beth Baumann.

Although renewal is happening on its own in cities like Edina, where developers regularly buy small older houses, raze them and build large new homes at a profit, in South St. Paul, where the lots can be as narrow as 40 to 60 feet, developers cannot build big enough homes to clear a profit if they have to buy, demolish and rebuild the houses on their own, said Branna Lindell, HRA executive director.

Looking for a solution, South St. Paul followed the lead of Richfield. That city began a similar program in 1990 and has by this time built 120 new houses.

The homes purchased by such programs are in really rough shape. The houses that can be saved should be, but this is a last resort for homes that would cost too much to bring up to code for it to be worth it. The HRA hears about homes that qualify for the program through city inspectors, neighbor complaints and Realtors.

For the first time the HRA has an inventory of nine lots for sale. On a 40-foot lot, South St. Paul requires that the purchaser build a split-level, a two-story house or a rambler valued at between $222,000 and $267,000, with finished living area of at least 1,290 square feet. On 60-foot lots, the city requires construction ranging from a $241,000 split level to a $293,000 two-story home. The new houses must be owner-occupied.

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August Twin Cities Real Estate Sales Activity Offers Mixed Results

There have been noteworthy shifts for Twin Cities real estate. Buyer activity is increasing, while sellers are making fewer concessions to sell their homes. Falling supply and improving absorption rates in many communities also suggest that the market is regaining its balance.

Aaccording to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, a few indicators posted improvement over August 2010. New Listings in the Twin Cities region decreased 10.7% to 6,144. Pending sales were up 46.4% to 4,358. Inventory levels shrank 21.4% to 23,502 units. The Median Sales Price decreased by 10.9% to $156,000. Days a property typically spent on the market increased 7.4% to 136 days. Absorption rates improved as supply of inventory was down 18.9% to 7.1 months.

Two other recently released reports show mixed information. Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller composite index of 20 major metro markets dropped 4.5% in June from last year. Meanwhile, the U.S. national index released every three months by Case-Shiller, rose 3.6% in June from May but was down nearly 6% year-over-year.

While no one knows exactly why the Twin Cities market is posting such heavy yearly declines, experts suspect foreclosures are the primary culprit. Minnesota, which don't require home foreclosures to go through the court system, may be getting homes back on the market and resold more quickly than other areas.

However, home prices have been ticking up month-to month in the Twin Cities area recently. Spring buying helped increase home prices up for a third straight month in most major U.S. cities in June. The Twin Cities and Chicago led the month-to-month gains among the top 20 metro areas, both markets up 3.2% from May.

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June is Home Ownership Month

For many citizens, owning a home is the definition of American independence. Because of how important home ownership is to Americans, June has been declared National Home Ownership Month. The theme this year is "Rural Housing/Rural Jobs."

During the kickoff of National Homeownership Month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack drew attention to the important role buying a house plays in creating jobs, maintaining viable communities and contributing to the economy. Since the beginning of the fiscal year, which began in October 2010, USDA Rural Development has financed about 80,000 home loans for rural residents.

"Housing drives rural economies and supports healthy rural communities," Vilsack said. "About 50 million Americans call rural areas home, and safe, sanitary housing is a basic human need in rural America. USDA Rural Development's housing programs do more than provide a place for families to live. They stimulate economic activity through single-family home construction, rental assistance for those who need it, and funding for eligible very-low-income homeowners to enable them to keep their dwellings in good repair."

The economic impact of housing development goes far beyond home sales and construction. According to the National Association of Realtors:

The sale of an existing median-priced home ($173,000 in 2010) generates $58,529 in economic activity. This includes $15,570 in direct real estate industry support (fees for real estate agents, title companies, mortgage brokers); $5,235 in furniture, home furnishings, landscaping, etc.; and $9,987 in stimulated economic activity. New home sales generate even more economic activity, including the costs of construction materials and construction jobs, according to NAR.

Home ownership doesn't just benefit the individuals who live within a house's walls. Home ownership helps communities in a myriad...

Many believe down payments for homes are out of reach

It's a great time to buy a home - if you don't have to first sell a home. And you have good credit. And money for a down payment. Though mortgage experts say that loans requiring less than 20% for a down payment are available, don't expect much if you don't have some money saved. Wait, it's a great time to buy a home, but for whom?

According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling’s (NFCC) May online survey, the dream of home ownership is out of reach for many. The NFCC asked consumers about their ability to meet current down-payment requirements for buying a home in today’s market. Of the more than 2,000 respondents, 49% admitted that they’d never be able to save enough money for a down-payment on a home.

That's nearly half! This is discouraging news for Realtors, lenders, potential home buyers, even existing home owners.

Historically, finding the money for a down-payment was only a problem for first-time home-buyers.  After buying the first home, between the equity growing due to making monthly house payments and the value of the house appreciating, buyers could satisfy the down-payment requirement on the new home from the proceeds of the sale of the former house.  This is often no longer the case.

Due to today’s turbulent housing market, the problem has now spread to those who currently own a home.  Many mortgages are underwater.  Thus, even if the homeowner is able to sell their current house, there may be no profit available to satisfy the down-payment on the next home.  Exacerbating the problem is that as home prices have decreased, many lenders have increased the down-payment amount required to obtain a mortgage loan.

The rest of the survey results show that 20% of the respondents said their mortgage would require a lower down payment, 18% said they would have to borrow the down-payment no matter how much it was,...

Downsizing Into a Smaller Home

Many people want to live at home when they grow older. Often that first means moving into a smaller, more manageable home.

The "Smart House, Livable Community, Your Future" exhibition explores the housing trend of "aging in place" through a display "house of the future" that accommodates the special needs of the elderly. But what about the people who are advancing in age and ready to make a decision about housing now? Downsizing from a family home when people hit their 50s, 60s or 70s doesn't mean they have to relocate to a Twin Cities apartment, townhouse or condominium. A smaller house with only the rooms and key features one really wants can help people remain independent for years to come.

Here are some points to consider when buying a house for downsizing:

Interior. Make a list of the rooms that are really needed or wanted, from their specific purposes to their dimensions and amenities. Think about what rooms might be able to serve a dual purpose, like having an eat-in kitchen instead of having a dining room or a den that can double as a guest room. It might even help to sketch an ideal floor plan.

Exterior. Is a yard necessary? If it is but landscaping and shoveling are issues, consider a housing association that includes them as part of its available services. If not, perhaps an apartment, town home or a condo is truly a good choice.

Remodeling and Repairs. Moving from one home to another, just to put it under construction in order to make it more suitable for habitation sounds like an unappealing hassle. Any home under consideration should be in good condition and require few major changes. To cut down on repairs, buy a new home or at least one not more than five years old.

Health. Considerations for the future should be taken into account....

Today's Home Buyer Trends

As signs that the economy is recovering appear, many homeowners are thinking about remodeling or upgrading to new spaces. But what does the current home buyer want? Real estate agents, builders, architects and interior designers say the answers are casual, comfortable, convenient, budget-friendly and environmentally conscious. What does that mean?

Large Kitchens: A large, open kitchen with an informal dining area is now a mainstay. People are not as inclined to pump extra money into a three- or four-car garage, but in the kitchen, people are willing to splurge. Specialized appliances like espresso machines, built-in steamers and high-end ranges also are in vogue.

Smart Rooms: Custom builders have noticed a 15% decrease in living space of newer homes, but an increase in functionality from rooms. The formal dining room is a dinosaur; today's buyers are more likely to want that space for a media room. Because more people are working from home at least part of the time, home offices are a great asset.

Bathrooms: Luxury baths with free-standing tubs and showers with unique water features are a big draw for home buyers. Couples with shared bathrooms are even leaning towards dual sinks, storage and counter space so they don't have to share. They also want privacy, including a separate toilet if it is within their budget.

Storage: Built-in bookshelves are out, giant master closets are in. Garage and pantry storage also are important.

Energy Efficiency: Some of the new homes being built now are 50% more efficient than those built five years ago. That could save up to $1,200 annually on utility bills. Window orientation and shading don't cost more money during building but bring huge savings. Features such as upgraded insulation cost more initially, but reduce energy costs long-term.

Outdoor Rooms: Many home buyers are trading indoor space for large outdoor living area. The slow economy has contributed...

Dakota County First Time Home Buyer Program

Missed out on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first time home buyers? The Dakota County Community Development Agency's First-Time Homebuyer Program is available to qualified people seeking to purchase a home within the county.

The program offers up to $10,000 in down payment assistance and low-interest, fixed-rate loans to people who qualify and decide to buy within Dakota County. The amount of down payment assistance varies by income and comes in the form of a no-interest loan. For example, a two-person household could qualify for down payment assistance if their combined income is $84,000 or less and the house they are buying does not cost more than $276,683.

All participants attend classes to learn about budgeting, credit scores, mortgages and the real estate process. The ceiling on eligible purchases also prevents people from buying more house than they can afford. The loan does not have to be paid back until the homeowner sells or refinances.

The CDA's First-Time Homebuyer Program has helped more than 5,500 people since the 1980s. In 2010, 205 buyers took advantage of it.

Read about other First Time Home Buyer Programs in Minnesota and the Twin Cities.

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Walkability Score a High Priority for More Home Buyers

According to Realtors, more and more prospective home buyers are making neighborhood walkability a priority in their search for a residence.

Along with bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage, the "walkability" of a home's neighborhood is a hot topic among many house hunters. Real estate agents say the walkability factor has become more prominent for a variety of reasons, including increased gas prices, concern for the environment, even the convenience of having a choice to take a leisurely stroll for a gallon of milk instead of succumbing to the stress of fighting traffic and hunting for a parking spot.

Now a new free online tool called Walk Score rates a neighborhood's walkability and helps prospective home buyers determine what listings at which they should look. Simply type in a home's address on the website, and Walk Score will calculate its distance to amenities such as grocery stores, libraries, public transit, and restaurants. The website offers a score from 0 to 100, with the lowest being the most "Car Dependent" while the highest are considered to be a  "Walker's Paradise."

In June, Jacobs-Spaulding and Dana Cudo bought a 2-bedroom home in the Minneapolis Armatage neighborhood that scored a 55. It offered nearly everything they wanted, all within an easily-walked mile.

It's good news for some sellers who are trying to unload homes. A recent study by CEOs for Cities showed that homes in walking-friendly neighborhoods sell at higher prices. In 2009, the non-profit group compiled data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 U.S. markets (not including the Twin Cities). For every one-point increase in a community's Walk Score, the home values went up by as much as $3,000.

Some communities are at a disadvantage in regards to walkability....

Home Selling / Buying Season May be Unpredictable in the Twin Cities

The real estate news in the Twin Cities is a mixed bag.

The final month of the home buyer tax credits and fewer foreclosure homes available for purchase raised home prices in April. The median sales price of a home sold in the Twin Cities metro area rose to $169,800. That is an 11% increase from April 2009. It was the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year price increases. It was also the fourth straight month of month-over-month increases, with prices up more than 8% since January.

This good news for home sellers may be short lived, though.

The $8,000 federal first time home buyer tax credit has expired, and so apparently has demand for resitential real estate. Pending home sales in the Twin Cities for the week ending May 15 were one-third lower they were for the same week last year. Buyers who would have purchased a home in May or June decided to speed up the process and take advantage of the tax credit that expired April 30. Less demand may cause a decrease in Twin Cities real estate prices.

Additionally, officials are closely watching the slowly rising foreclosure rates in Minnesota. More foreclosure homes and short-sales could further depress real estate prices for traditional home sales in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Which is good news for home buyers. There's even more good news for home buyers, though. Interest rates for mortgages are incredibly low. The average rate on a 30-year loan was at 4.87% on Monday.

There's a flip-side to that, too. There is concern among analysts...

2010 Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour This Weekend

The Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour happens April 24-25, 2010. The tour showcases real homes, real people, and real ideas for remodeling, redecorating, and restoring.

On the Minneapolis & Saint Paul Home Tour, residents of 53 amazing homes, 35 in Minneapolis and 18 in Saint Paul, will open their doors to show creative and practical ideas for home additions, kitchens, bathrooms and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to talk directly with the homeowners and find out what it’s like to live there. At many homes, their contractors, architects, and other trades people will also be on hand to answer questions.

Homes on the free, self-guided 2010 tour will be open Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, April 25, 1-5 p.m. This event will happen, rain or shine.

The tour starts where you like. Discover what homes can be visited at the “Homes” page on this website, wwww.MSPHomeTour.com. Printed guides are available in early April at libraries in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and suburban Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

Additionally, there is something new on the Minneapolis & St. Paul Home Tour. This year, one hour before the tour starts, several workshops will be offered. The workshops are as follows, see the site for details and locations:
  • Is a Green Certification Right for Your Remodel Project? on Saturday, April 24, from 9 to -10:30 a.m.
  • How to Select and Work with a Professional Remodeler on Saturday, April 24, from 9 to 10 a.m.
  • The Art & Science of the Open Plan on Sunday, April 25, from Noon to 1 p.m.
  • Historic Homes for Everyday Families on Sunday, April 25, from Noon to 1 p.m.
The Minneapolis & St. Paul Home Tour is coordinated by Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program...

Saint Paul and Minneapolis CityLiving Program Revived

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak have jointly announced $41 million in new funding for the CityLiving Program. CityLiving helps first time homebuyers purchase homes in either city.

The CityLiving Program offers below-market interest rates on mortgages as well as down payment and closing-cost assistance. In order to quality for the funding, homebuyers’ household income cannot exceed $92,290 and the purchase price for a single-family home can’t be greater than $276,870.

"We have an opportunity for people to invest, to get a good deal on an interest rate, get some assistance with a down payment, and get back into the cities," said Coleman. "It's a win-win for the potential homeowner, first-time homebuyer, and it's certainly a great thing for our neighborhoods to stabilize them."

In addition, each city has $500,000 available for assistance with down payments and closing costs.

The CityLiving program is funded through bonds sold by the cities. Though the CityLiving initiative has been around for 30 years, it was not available last year because the credit crunch prevented the cities from selling the necessary bonds.

Read more about the CityLiving Program in Saint Paul and the CityLiving Program in Minneapolis.

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Never Too Old to be a First Time Home Buyer

Fewer than 1% of first time home buyers in 2009 were more than 75 years old, according to the National Association of Realtors. But as the population ages and life expectancy gets longer, the number of older home buyers will increase.

Hank and Verna Schmiess are not your typical first time home buyers. He was 89 and she was 84 when they bought their first home last year - a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo in New Brighton. After thoroughly going over their finances and determining it was cheaper for them to buy than rent, they carefully laid their plans to finally make the plunge into home ownership.

Though they hadn't had many reasons to buy before, they were priced out of the market when they did finally want to buy. Originally from North Dakota, they moved to the Golden Pond senior apartments in New Brighton to be closer to family. But they couldn't paint their walls, they couldn't have pets, and the laundry room was too far away. Additionally, the rents were increasing. They now pay slightly less per month for their home than they did when renting.

They aren't your typical first time home buyer, though. The 2009 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows the median age of first-time buyers was 30 and the median income was $61,600. First-timers tend to be young couples, workers early in their careers or people who were once priced out of the market but who can afford to buy after the real estate pricing bubble burst. The typical first-time buyer purchased a home costing $156,000, and plans to stay in that home for 10 years.

Hank and Verna were just two of many buyers who purchased their first home in 2009. The number of people who were first-time home buyers last year rose to 47% of all home sales. Many of them were enticed by an $8,000 first-time home...

First Time Home Buyer $8,000 Federal Tax Credit Extended & Expanded

A $24 billion package that seeks both to stir the sluggish economy and help out millions who have found themselves unemployed is being sent to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The measure extends the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers and even expands it with a $6,500 credit for some prospective home buyers who already own homes. Set to expire at the end of the month, the credits will apply to house contracts entered into before April 30, 2010, and closed by June 30.

Additionally, the nearly 2 million people who have lost or are in danger of exhausting unemployment benefits before the end of the year will receive up to 20 weeks in additional benefits.

President Obama is expected to sign the measure quickly....

First Time Home Buyer Dos and Don'ts

There are many first time home buyers out there, thanks to the $8,000 federal tax credit. The deadline to buy is November 30, so hopefully if you're trying to qualify for it you've already well on you're way to buying your first home.

Before and during the home buying process, there are some things that can be done to increase the chances your loan is approved and at a reasonable interest rate, to boot. Read this earlier post to find out some “to do’s” for people considering buying their first home (or even their next home!).

As there are many things you should do to increase your chances of becoming a first time home owner, there are also things you should not.  Please take a look at one of our earlier posts that lists some of the "don’ts" for people considering purchasing a home.

Following some of these do's and don'ts are generally a good idea when buying a home. Additionally, taking heed of them could be particularly important right now, given the extra scrutiny on mortgages these days.

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More Accurate Appraisals of a Trend

When it comes to setting a price for selling a home that’s correct for the current market, many aspects are taken into account. One that is seeing a great amount of emphasis right now are “comps”: the comparable sales of other properties in your areas.  Used as standards in home real estate appraisals, buyers and sellers haven’t needed to be concerned about “comps” as long as real estate values were on the upswing.

In this slumping market, mortgage lenders have recently been placing a great deal of importance on these benchmarks. Because of the swift decline in home prices, instead of accepting comparable property sales statistics from homes that closed six to 12 months ago, lenders and mortgage investors now insist that appraisers include the most recent comparable home sales. They now prefer that the stats from closings occurring during the last 90 days to support their evaluations.

Lenders and investors are also pressing for more all-inclusive data on local listings, pending sales and listing-price to selling-price ratios before agreeing to fund a mortgage for any amount.  As a result, more and more home sales are being complex or delayed as buyers demand that sellers reduce their prices to mirror the lower loan amounts their lenders are willing to give.  Prices are even being renegotiated after names have already been signed to contracts.  In some ways it can help the buyer because they get to pay a lower price, but if the sellers don’t like the new terms talks of a sale can end abruptly. When lenders and sellers won’t compromise, sure sales have fallen through.

Some supporters say the standards are producing appraisals that are much more sensitive to short-term changes in local price shifts.  Challengers of the new practice say that the requirements have contributed...

New First Time Home Buyer Resource for Minnesota

As real estate prices tumble and the amount of programs to help out homeowners, many Minnesotans are considering buying their first home soon.  However, there are a lot of low-quality websites out there that don’t provide a lot of useful information for the potential first time home buyer.  It can make researching the process of buying your first home a longer process than it has to be.

Because of the lack of real, comprehensive information for first time home buyers considering buying a home in the Twin Cities area, we have launched the Minnesota First Time Home Buyer Website.  At this site, readers will find information about federal first time home buyer programs, Minnesota state first time home buyer programs, and Minnesota county first time home buyer programs.  In addition, there is information regarding first time home buyer programs for Minneapolis and Saint Paul and neighborhood programs. 

At this first time home buyer website, you can learn about mortgage terms and use a mortgage calculator to roughly estimate how much you could hypothetically spend on a home.  You can register for a home buying seminar to learn an abundance of information about the home buying process.  Though not every part of the site is fully operational,...

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