First Time Home Buyer In Massachusetts (MA) – 5 Step Guide [2021]

Buying your first home is a big deal.  As a first time home buyer in MA, there is much you need to know. 

You don’t have to buy your first home alone.  There are some great real estate professionals to help you get the job done. Your real estate team will include a REALTOR representing you, a mortgage broker, a home inspector and a real estate attorney.  All of the professionals have the experience to guide you effortlessly through the process.  They are immersed in real estate daily.

We are going to talk about the 5 vital first steps you should take before ever looking at a home as a first time home buyer in MA.

These first steps will help lay a great foundation for your home buying experience.  Leaving you with a great house you can afford for many years to come.

The 5 First Steps for A Massachusetts First Time Home Buyer

Many FTHB’s will start by looking at homes first, which is putting the cart before the horse. 

When you do that you will stumble through the process and deal with various aspects of the process and hurdles unprepared while in a panic as they arise.

Take the time to be fully prepared to buy your new home in Massachusetts.  This means spending some time preparing before looking at homes

Hire a Massachusetts Buyer’s Agent

A Massachusetts Buyer’s Agent can wrap their arms around the whole process for you.  From helping you to make the decision to buy, getting financed, evaluating homes, making an offer and bringing you to a smooth closing as well as make sure you are settled into your new home,  Your buyer’s agent experience will be an invaluable tool when buying a Massachusetts home.

An agent working with you in Massachusetts can work with you in several capacities.  But, a buyer’s agent is the only agent that represents your best interest.  One huge first time home buyer mistake is working directly with the listing agent to buy a home.

The listing agent does not work for you, they work for the seller.  Their job is to get the best terms and price for the seller’s home, even if it is at your expense.

Finding the right REALTOR to work with you as a buyer’s agent can save you time, money and aggravation.  I always tell buyers they don’t know what they don’t know, but a good buyer’s agent does. 

Get Preapproved

Getting a good mortgage pre-approval letter will have many benefits.  Your buyer’s agent can help line up a few mortgage lenders for you to speak with. 

A mortgage pre-approval will help you understand the money involved for the purchase as well as your monthly financial obligation that comes with buying your first home.

When it comes time to make an offer on a home, no seller will take you seriously without providing them a solid mortgage pre-approval letter.

There are other benefits to getting pre-approved early.  You will have time to fix any credit issues and raise your credit score.  Every 20 points your credit score goes up there could be a benefit for you.

You also have started your application and you won’t be scrambling around at the last minute pulling together your financing on your new home.

MA First Time Home Buyers Need To Understand the Money Involved

There is a lot of money at stake.  Buying a home is probably one of the largest transactions you will make have in a lifetime.

Make sure you understand the money that is involved, so there are no surprises at closing.  Not only do you have your down payment, you will also need money for closing costs, escrows and pre-paids.

By getting a proper pre-approval you will also be able to have real conversations with your mortgage broker and real estate agent about your monthly payment, getting the best interest rate and mortgage program. 

But past getting your first mortgage and getting to the closing, think about your immediate needs.  Here in New England, you might need a lawnmower a snowblower and some other basic items around the house.  You need to budget for these items so you aren’t caught short.

Your buyer’s agent will work with you to understand the financial aspect of buying a home.

Take The Time To Understand The Process As A FTHB In MA

Make the home buying process work for you as a Massachusetts FTHB. 

There are many moving parts to the home buying process and having a basic understanding of the process will certainly make your first purchase go much smoother.

Remember, hiring a Buyer’s Agent in Massachusetts before doing anything else will head you down the right path. 

Every transaction is different and hiccups can happen along the way.  Here is a quick overview of the basic process.

• Hire an agent
• Get Preapproved
• Understand the financials in buying and owning a home
• Understand the home buying process
• Understand market conditions
• Identify homes you would like to see
• Schedule showings
• Find and analyze a home that best suits your needs
• Write an offer
• Negotiate an offer
• Offer accepted
• Start the mortgage process
• Find the right first time home buyer loan
• Do your due diligence on a home
• Inspect the home
  • Test for Radon
  • Pest Inspection
• Have an attorney review contracts
• Manage the transaction to a smooth closing
• Final walkthrough
• Close on a new home
• Move into your home

Understand The Market Conditions Your Are Entering As A MA First Time Home Buyer

The final step before looking at homes is to have an understanding of the current real estate market conditions.

Market conditions dictate the pace you need to work at, the amount of competition you will have from other buyers, how you view homes and how you structure and negotiate an offer.

Take the greater Boston area in 2020

It is a strong sellers market. Inventory is very low, prices are appreciating and there are more buyers than there are homes for sale.  You need to get into good homes fast and present your best offer immediately.

The sellers are in the driver’s seat.

Contrast that to 2009.  Inventory was high, prices were depreciating and houses were lingering on the market there were more houses for sale than there were buyers.

Buyers were in the driver’s seat and could work at a much more leisurely pace.

Not understanding market conditions can be like pushing a two-ton boulder up a hill.  Especially if you are in a seller’s market.  By understanding current conditions you will work the home buying process to your benefit.

These critical 5 steps to buying your first home in Massachusetts will ultimately save you time, money and aggravation.  It will allow you to make good decisions and find a house that you can enjoy for many years to come.

How Much Of A Deposit Do I Need To Buy My First Home?

One big question I get from people exploring their options to buy as a first time home buyer in Massachusetts, is how much of a home deposit do I need to put on a house.

For most buyers buying their first home a minimum deposit or sown payment will be in the 3-5 percent range of the purchase price.  There are a handful of programs that may allow you to put less down but are limited and hard to find.

Can A Massachusetts First Time Home Buyer With Bad Credit Buy a Home?

If you have are a first time homebuyer with bad credit, it is still be possible to buy a house.  It is easier than you think to purchase a home with bad credit.  While you may have some challenges along the way and you may end up paying a little more for your mortgage, don’t give up on owning a home because of less than stellar credit.

As I discuss below the FHA government backed program is a perfect loan program for the borrowers with not-so great credit.

First Time Home Buyer MA Loan Programs

If we are talking about first time home buyers in MA, you should be aware of loan programs that may be ideal for the first time home buyer when you start talking to a mortgage broker.  It will also serve you best if you talk to a mortgage broker vs a bank.  A mortgage broker will have more options than a bank.

Not all, but many Massachusetts FTHB’s are needing a low money down program.  Many Massachusetts loan programs can have a down payment as low as 3% of the purchase price.  Some of the loan programs available to a MA  first time home buyer are:

FannieMae Conventional 97

This mortgage program does not require you to be a first time home buyer like the Home Ready or Home Possible loan programs.  It allows you to put as little as 3-5% down.

FannieMae Home Ready Loan Program

  The Home Ready Mortgage provides flexibility for the low money down borrower.  Borrowers can but as little as 3% down. It can be a great loan product for a Massachusetts home buyer.  One advantage of the Home Ready mortgage is the ability to use non-traditional income sources and flexibility with non-occupant co-borrowers.

FreddieMac Home Possible Loan Program

The Home Possible Mortgage is similar to the Home Ready program with allowing as little as 3% down.  One advantage of the Home Ready Program is homes in a certain census tract may be eligible for a lower interest rate.

FHA Loan 

The FHA loan is a 3.5% down payment program.  While it has higher upfront costs it offers a great interest rate and greater flexibility on lower credit scores and debt to income ratios.

MassHousing Loan

 A MassHousing Loan is another great option for first time home buyers in Massachusetts.  It provides the unique benefit of helping you pay your mortgage for 6 months in case of a job loss.

VA Loans

 A VA mortgage is definitely a great Massachusetts first time home buyer loan program if you currently serve or have served in the armed forces.  One benefit is that it is a 0% down loan program.

USDA Loans

The USDA loan program isn’t great for the greater boston area, but as you stretch out past route 495 it could be an option.  One of the great aspects of a USDA loan is the ability to have no downpayment.

If you are a MA first time home buyer don’t be afraid to discuss these mortgage options and find the right Massachusetts First Time Home Buyer loan program for you.

First Time Home Buyer Class in MA

Some of the loan programs like the MassHousing, Home Ready and Home Possible will require you to take a first time home buyer class.

Outside of it being required by a loan program, taking a first time home buyer class could be beneficial.   The classes can sometimes be taken online or in person.  The FTHB classes will cover much of the same information that is discussed in this article.

Find a first time home buyer class in Massachusetts.

First Time Home Buyer Grants in MA

There are many cities that offer down payment assistance and grants to first time home buyers in MA.  For example, Haverhill MA has first time home buyer downpayment assistance in certain census tracts in the city.

The grants and programs are often tied into your income and require you to use specific lenders.  You will see many communities offering $10,000 as a soft second to help fund your down payment and closing costs.

A soft second is usually a subordinate mortgage, often interest-free, that has deferred payments until you sell your home.  In some cases, the loan may be forgiven if you live in your house for a certain period of time.

Make sure you check with your city to see if there are any first time home buyer grants or down payment assistance available to you.

Search For A Massachusetts Home As A MA First Time Home Buyer

It’s easy to search for a home in Massachusetts. 

You can use sites like Zillow, Trulia or Realtor.com that provide a national database of homes for sale.

Or, use any agents website that provides direct access to the Multiple Listing Service in Massachusetts.

The key point to remember is that all the sites pull the data from the same sources. Find a site you like and learn how to use it.  At the end of the day, all the sites have the same homes for sale.

Summary

If you are starting your journey as a first time home buyer in Massachusetts these steps will start you on the right path.

The amount of effort you put into the buying process will reflect in your ability to find a great home and have the process work well for you. 

You will also be fully prepared and there should be little or no surprises along the way.

Other First Time Home Buyer Resources:

• Dual Agency is a type of agency where an agent represents both buyer and seller.  Bill Gassett explains why a first time home buyer should never use a dual agent.
• Luke Skar offers 18 FTHB tips.  One great tip that Luke offers is never skipping the home inspection.  The home inspection is important to buying a safe and sound home.
• When you are looking for a home, you may find a property go under agreement and come back on the market.  Paul Sian explains the most common reasons a home may come back on the market.
• Getting preapproved is an important first step in buying a home.  Petra Norris gives us 5 reasons to get pre-approved.

Kevin Vitali a Massachusetts Buyer’s agent has provided the article, First Time Home Buyer In Massachusetts (MA) – 5 Step Guide [2021].  If you are looking to buy your first home call Kevin at 978-360-0422.