A person who has yet to own a primary house within the past three years. The two of you can buy a home as first-time buyers if one has owned a home before and the other has not. A parent who is now raising their child as a singleton but has only ever owned a property with an ex-spouse.

Someone who has only ever had a home with her spouse is now on the verge of being homeless because of her husband's job loss. A person who, following the law, has never owned a primary residence built on a permanent foundation.

A person who has only ever owned property that did not meet state, local, or model building codes would require more money to bring up to code than it would cost to build a new, permanent structure. Such a broad definition of "first-time buyer" may make it simpler for you to meet the requirements for first-time buyer status and receive the perks that come with it.

Before You Make That Purchase, Ask Yourself These 6 Questions

You first need to think about the big picture and how buying a property fits in with your plans. Your goal may be to convert your "wasted" rent money into a mortgage that will build home equity. Or the prospect of being your landlord appeals to your sense of autonomy, making homeownership a desirable goal. Buying a property can also be a wise financial move. First-time home buyer programs Mississippi Defining your long-term home purchase plans will help you get started in the correct direction. Listed below are six questions to ponder:

First, how are your economic circumstances?

Thoroughly examine your finances before flipping through internet listings or falling in love with the perfect house. The initial investment and the monthly maintenance costs of a home must be accounted for. You'll know after this evaluation if you're ready to make this leap or if further work is required. So, here's what you do:

You may accomplish the same goals by investing in a diversified fixed-income portfolio or short-term bonds, which will provide you with stable income and growth while shielding you from the volatility of the stock market.

Take a good look at your current spending habits. You must track your monthly expenditures and know precisely where your money is going. Using this method, you may determine how much money is available for a monthly mortgage payment. Remember to include your usual expenses, such as rent or mortgage, groceries, gas and car repairs, tuition and fees, childcare, entertainment, savings, retirement, and other miscellaneous funds.

What Kind of House Do You Think You'll Like the Most?

A house can get you a single-family dwelling, a duplex, a townhouse, a condominium, a co-op, or a multi-family structure with two to four apartments. You need to select which sort of property will help you achieve your goals as a homeowner, as each has advantages and disadvantages. Choose a fixer-upper to save money on the purchase price in any area, but be prepared to put in more time, sweat equity, and money than you expected to convert it into your ideal house.

What three amenities would you like in your new house?

There should be some room for manoeuvre on this list. Still, considering the magnitude of your life's single most significant purchase, you deserve to have it meet your requirements and desires as precisely as possible. Size, location, and school district should top the list but remember the finer features, like a functional kitchen and a comfortable bathroom. You can get a feel for the market value and availability of homes with the amenities you care about most by browsing real estate websites.

Before offering a home, it's a good idea to get pre-approved for a loan. In many transactions, the seller would only consider Mississippi first-time home buyer programs an offer with proof of financing. This is accomplished by submitting a mortgage application and all supporting documentation. Shopping around for a lender and comparing interest rates and costs using a tool like our mortgage calculator or Google searches is advantageous.

How to Figure Out Your Regular Payment

Your mortgage payment is calculated by adding the following items: interest rate, loan duration, property tax, homeowners insurance, and the amount you put down on the home (which is highly dependent on your credit score). Put in some numbers and obtain a ballpark estimate of your mortgage payment.