Want to buy a home? There’s a program for that
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Want to buy a home? There’s a program for that

Want to buy a home? There’s a program for that

Sea Turtle Real Estate is doing its part to help people who want to buy a home. Through first-time homebuyer workshops, the real estate agents team up with area lending specialists to make sure you know what is available. The public may already be aware of products like FHA and VA loans, but bi-monthly workshops at our downtown Melbourne location make sure you know about all the diverse options out there.

And even if you’ve owned a home in the past, you could be considered a first-time buyer again.

“These workshops are relaxed and focus on informing our local community of paths to homeownership,” said Sea Turtle Real Estate Broker/Owner Bobbie Holt. “Our lending partners can help you understand what options are available to you.”

Some of the biggest misconceptions about the homebuying process are related to down payments. We as Realtors can help debunk the top three.

  1. You need a 10- to 20-percent down payment.

False! In fact, roughly 60 percent of homebuyers finance their purchase using a 6 percent (or less) down payment.

    2. It’s difficult to qualify for down-payment assistance.

Programs are available for homebuyers with all levels of income, current renters or owners, and buyers with a range of credit scores.  

    3. You can’t use gifts, grants or loans for your down payment.

This depends on your lender, but many allow buyers to use money that has been gifted to them (whether through family or grant programs) to pay for some, if not all, of the down payment.

Excellent options for a home loan exist in Brevard County. Our public school system and the healthcare industry are two of the largest employers in the county. HFA Community Solutions, a special loan product developed by Fannie Mae, offers more lenient underwriting guidelines, flexible credit criteria, and a lower out-of-pocket down payment requirement for individuals working as:

  • Teachers and other full-time education employees
  • Sworn public service members, including law enforcement officers and firefighters
  • Healthcare workers within Florida

Florida HHF Down Payment Assistance (HHF-DPA) is designed to provide qualified Brevard County first-time homebuyers up to $15,000 toward a down payment and assistance with closing costs.  

Workshops hosted by Sea Turtle Real Estate help our clients examine which of these lesser-known products could help. So how can someone who’s previously owned a home be considered a first-time homebuyer again? You may qualify if you have not owned property in Florida for three years, or in some cases, you qualify even if you have owned property but don’t use it as a primary residence.

Workshops

For more information about Sea Turtle Real Estate workshops, email info@seaturtlere.com, call 321-209-1733 or visit  822 E. New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, FL 32901.

Sea Turtle Real Estate, based in Vero Beach and Melbourne, is a full-service residential real estate company offering expertise with home purchases, sales, seasonal rentals and property management, corporate relocations, military relocations and referral services. Sea Turtle agents represent over 200 years of experience in the real estate industry and have sold over $50 million in property in the past calendar year.

Learn more about Sea Turtle Real Estate

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