Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time Home Buyers

16:30

54. Where to Start to Buy a House: Step 3 - How to...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/10/07

Once you've had your planning meeting and found your realtor, the next step is getting pre-approved. But there's a real difference between pre-qualified and pre-approved, and most first-time buyers don't know it until it costs them the house. I'm walking through how to choose a trustworthy lender, exactly what documents they'll ask for, and the difference between a quick pre-qualification and a full pre-approval, so you're ready the moment the right home hits the market. Ready to take the first step

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14:43

53. Where to Start to Buy a House: Step 2 - How to...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/09/30

Once you've had your planning meeting, the next step is finding the right realtor, but not just any realtor will do. I'm breaking down the FAME framework I use to vet realtors for first-time buyers: first-time homebuyer friendly, available, market knowledge, and experience. You'll learn exactly when to reach out, what questions to ask, and how realtor compensation actually works so nothing catches you off guard. ➞ Ready to take the first step of finding your first home? Connect with a FAME agent in

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18:48

52. The Getting Started Series: Have a Planning...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/09/23

Where do you actually start when you want to buy a house? Before you talk to a realtor or a lender, there's one conversation you need to have first, and skipping it is why so many buyers panic or overspend the moment the right house hits the market. This is the first episode in a new series walking through exactly where to start, and today it's your planning meeting: your finances, your location, and your must-haves, so you can move fast and with confidence when the time comes. Ready to take the

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12:37

51. Are You Ready to Buy a House? The 4 Things You...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/09/16

Wondering if you're actually ready to buy a house, or just going through the motions because that's what you're "supposed" to do? There are four specific things you need in place before you're ready: knowing your why, a plan to stay put for at least five years, enough saved, and a monthly payment you can comfortably afford. I'm walking through all four so you know exactly where you stand, and exactly what to work on if you're not there yet. Ready to take the first step of finding your first home

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11:35

50. The Tax Benefits of Buying a House in 2026: What...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/09/09

If you've heard that owning a home comes with big tax write-offs, the real answer is more nuanced than that. I'm breaking down exactly what's tax deductible when you own a home (mortgage interest, discount points, and property taxes) plus the 2026 SALT cap change that just raised how much homeowners can deduct. I'll also walk through the difference between itemizing and taking the standard deduction, and why I don't think you should buy a house for the tax benefits alone. Quick disclaimer: I'm not a

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11:06

49. How Much Should You Have Saved Before You Start...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/09/02

Most first-time buyers think the minimum down payment is all they need saved before they start touring homes… but that's only half the number. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly how much you need for your down payment, your closing costs, and the buffer you'll want after closing, using real dollar examples so you know your actual savings target before you start house hunting. Ready to take the first step of finding your first home? Connect with a FAME agent in your area (it's free!) WHAT

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18:54

48. Buying a House in the Next 6-12 Months? Here's...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/08/26

If your goal is to buy a house in the next six to twelve months, you've probably wondered whether you're supposed to get pre-approved first or start touring homes first... and most people freeze right there. I'm walking through exactly what to do at 12 months out, 6 months out, and 3 to 4 months out, from researching neighborhoods and setting your search criteria to connecting with a realtor and lender. By the end, you'll know exactly where you are in the process and what to do next. Ready to take

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22:29

47. Home Inspection Red Flags Every First-Time Home...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/08/19

When you're touring homes for the first time, it's easy to get caught up in the staging and the kitchen and start mentally moving in before you've even left. But there are things you should be paying attention to that most first-time buyers completely miss. In this episode, I sit down with home inspector James Lee of GBG Inspection to talk about the red flags you can spot during a tour, why mold is his biggest deal-breaker, what most people get wrong about new construction, and how to find an

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11:44

46. Can You Buy a House With Student Loans? What...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/08/12

Student loan debt is one of the biggest reasons first-time buyers assume they can't qualify for a mortgage… but the data says otherwise. One-third of first-time homebuyers in 2025 had student loan debt when they closed (and I'm one of them). In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly how lenders calculate your student loan payment for approval, whether you should pay off your loans before buying, and how to run the debt-to-income numbers yourself before you ever talk to a lender. Ready to take the

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15:22

45. How to Shop for a Mortgage Lender (And Save...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/08/05

Most first-time homebuyers only talk to one lender, and it's one of the most expensive mistakes you can make. Research shows that shopping around for mortgage lenders can save you over $60,000 across a 30-year loan, and the process is a lot simpler than most people think. In this episode, I share my insider perspective as a former mortgage loan officer and break down exactly how to compare lenders, what to look for beyond the interest rate, and how to use competing quotes to negotiate a better deal,

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13:46

44. How to Sell Your First Home and Buy Your Next One...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/07/29

What happens when you outgrow your first home and you're ready for the next one? Even if you've been through the buying process before, selling and buying at the same time brings a whole new set of decisions, and the order you do things in matters more than most people realize. In this episode, I walk through the three main strategies for making the move: buying first then selling, selling first then buying, and doing both at the same time. I also break down the one financial question that

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11:18

43. What Are the Requirements to Buy a House in 2026?...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/07/22

If you've been wondering whether you're actually in a position to buy a house, this episode will make it clear. There are four main things lenders look at when you apply for a mortgage (your savings, your income, your debt-to-income ratio, and your credit score) and most first-time homebuyers overestimate how much they need for each one. Stacie walks through the real numbers for a conventional loan, including where your down payment and closing costs can come from, what lenders consider "consistent

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12:19

42. Should You Talk to a Realtor or a Lender First?...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/07/15

One of the most common questions first-time homebuyers have is where to actually begin. Do you call a lender first to find out what you can afford, or do you find a realtor first to start looking at homes? The order matters more than most people realize, and getting it wrong can cost you time, money, and a lot of unnecessary stress. In this episode, Stacie breaks down the exact roles of your realtor and your lender, explains why finding the right agent first unlocks the rest of the process, and

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12:40

41. Market Update: Are Home Prices and Mortgage Rates...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/07/08

If you've been watching the housing market and wondering whether you should hold off on buying, you're not alone. Home prices just hit an all-time high, mortgage rates are hovering above 6.5%, and the headlines make it feel like the worst possible time to buy your first home. In this episode, I break down exactly what's happening with home prices and mortgage rates right now, what the data is actually telling us about where things are headed, and why waiting for the "perfect time" could mean waiting

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14:10

40. Buying a House Solo vs With a Partner: What...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/07/01

If you're buying your first home, one of the earliest decisions you'll face is whether you're doing it alone or with a partner. And if you're buying together, whether being married actually changes anything. It does, more than most people expect. Stacie breaks down how lenders evaluate your income and credit differently depending on whether you apply solo or jointly, the financial risks of buying a house with someone you're not married to, and the legal protections (or lack thereof) that you need to

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13:37

39. 7 Signs You Should Wait to Buy a House (And What...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/06/24

Not every first-time homebuyer who wants to buy should buy right now, and knowing the difference between "not yet" and "let's go" can save you from a really expensive mistake. Stacie walks through seven signs that you should pump the brakes on buying a house, from financial red flags like credit card debt and unstable income to less obvious ones like not knowing your neighborhood well enough or not having a strong reason to own in the first place. And if none of these apply to you? She tells you

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13:36

38. 3 Ways to Negotiate a Lower Interest Rate: How do...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/06/17

Interest rates have been above 6% for most of 2026, and if you're a first-time homebuyer, that number can feel like a dealbreaker. But here's what most people don't realize: almost half of recent buyers locked in rates well below what the market was offering. In this episode, I show you three proven strategies to negotiate a lower mortgage interest rate, including how to shop lenders the right way, what permanent and temporary buy downs actually cost you, and when each one makes sense based on your

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20:56

37. How Much Do You Really Need For a Down Payment As...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/06/10

You've probably heard that you need 20% down to buy a house. And if you've done the math on what that actually looks like in 2026, it might feel impossible. The truth is, the 20% rule comes from a time when home prices were a fraction of what they are today — and most first-time homebuyers are putting down far less. In this episode, I break down the real pros and cons of a larger versus smaller down payment, explain how mortgage insurance actually works (and what it costs), and walk you through how

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16:40

36. When to Start Looking for a House: The...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/06/03

How far in advance should you actually start the home buying process? If you're someone who likes to have a plan before making a big decision, this episode maps out the full timeline: what to do more than a year out, when to connect with an agent, when to talk to a lender, and exactly when to start seriously touring homes. I also explain why jumping straight to scheduling tours on Zillow can actually set you back, and how the way mortgage payments are structured gives you more flexibility than you

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17:45

35. How to Save Money Buying a House in 2026: 3...

Your First Home: How To Buy a House For First-Time... ·

2026/05/27

Buying a home is expensive, but it doesn't have to be as expensive as you think. In this episode, I'm breaking down three proven strategies to save money while buying a house, from being flexible on what you're looking at, to timing your search in the off season, to negotiating your mortgage rate and fees. I've used all three of these strategies myself across three home purchases, including an investment property where every dollar counted. If you're a first-time homebuyer trying to stretch your

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