The hard part is not the house. It is the cash.
You have a job. You pay rent on time every month.And the down payment still feels out of reach.
Takes about 2 minutes. No credit check to start.
- 3% down on a conventional loan
- 3.5% down on an FHA loan
- Zero down on VA and USDA
- Grants that you never pay back
- The whole down payment can be a family gift
A first time home buyer using gift funds and a grant can close having brought under $1,000.
Licensed mortgage broker · NMLS 179997
Office in Vienna, Virginia
Two things keep you in a rental.
- A first-time homebuyer does not need 20% down
- Conventional loans can start at 3% down, while FHA loans start at 3.5%. VA and USDA loans can offer 0% down for eligible buyers, and for buyers exploring home loans without a down payment, these two programs are usually the fastest path.
- Down payment assistance programs can help cover upfront costs, but many buyers never hear about them.
- A conventional loan can also drop mortgage insurance once you reach 20% equity.
- You are not behind; first-time buyers made up just 21% of the market in 2025, the lowest share since 1981.
Which one of these is you?
Almost every first-time home buyer who calls is in one of these six spots. Most people think their case is unusual. It almost never is.
You saved something, just not twenty percent
On a $400,000 home, 3% is $12,000. Down payment assistance covers most of that, and a seller credit covers your closing costs. A normal first-time homebuyer file, not an exception.
Your family wants to help
On an FHA loan, the whole down payment can be gift funds. We need a letter saying the gift funds are not a loan, plus a clear trail from their account to yours. Cash cannot be traced.
Your credit is thin, not bad
You never missed a payment; you just have not borrowed much. An FHA loan starts at a 580 credit score and a conventional file at 620, close to the minimum credit score for home loan approval most first-time buyers ask about. Pricing improves at each credit score step.
Student loans are eating your budget
That debt is often counted higher than you actually pay, whatever your credit score says. Maryland Smart Buy was built for exactly this.
You are shopping across a state line
Each state runs its own income limits and price caps, and those income limits change by county. We are licensed in all three, so crossing a line does not mean starting again.
You keep losing houses
A pre-approval makes an offer real to a seller. It takes 24 to 48 hours, costs nothing, and every first-time home buyer should hold a pre-approval before shopping.
The help is real. Nobody mentions it.
These sit on top of your loan. Most are built for a first-time home buyer, and each carries income limits that change by county.
Virginia Housing grant
Virginia Housing gives a share of the price that you never repay. The closest thing to free money a buyer will find.
Virginia Housing second loan
Virginia Housing lends the down payment through a Plus Second Mortgage. It stacks with other down payment assistance.
Closing cost grant
A separate Virginia Housing grant put toward closing costs at settlement, on top of the other help.
Maryland Mortgage Program
Down payment assistance for Maryland, including Smart Buy for buyers carrying student debt.
DC Home Purchase Assistance
One of the largest down payment assistance programs anywhere, for purchases in the District. Virginia Housing has no equivalent for DC.
Then the bill nobody warns you about. Closing costs run about 2% to 4% of the price on top of your down payment. On a $400,000 hom,e that is $8,000 to $16,000.
Two things shrink it. Sellers often pay toward your closing costs, and a Virginia Housing grant covers the rest.
A bank has one answer. We have several.
We are a broker, licensed in all three places, and we work in eight languages. We check every program before we quote you anything, whether you are comparing us against other best loan mortgage company options or a private home loan lender’s referral from a friend.
We check the assistance first
Every program in Virginia, Maryland, and DC, with the income limits run for your household. Not just the state you are standing in.
We price two loans side by side
You see the cash you would bring on each, side by side, before you pick one, whether that comparison is against a VA or FHA program on our VA loans page, or a standard conventional loan path.
We start without a credit pull
The first talk is about income, savings,s and your credit score. Nothing is run until you say so.
We write a pre approval that wins
A pre approval an underwriter has looked at carries weight that a guess does not.
SAI Mortgage, Inc.
Is committed to helping you find the right mortgage product for your needs, whether you’re exploring a home mortgage loan, considering a home mortgage loan in Virginia, or comparing other financing options. We understand that every borrower is different, and we are often named among the best home mortgage companies in our service area precisely because we offer a variety of products to meet your individual requirements, ensuring you receive guidance that fits your unique financial goals. This is also why so many buyers use us as their find-a-mortgage-broker starting point rather than calling a single bank.
Three steps. That is it.
Most people are pre-approved within two days.
Tell us how you get paid
Have a short discussion with our team in your preferred language. Please rest assured that there will be no formal credit check conducted at this very early stage.
We shop it for you
We check many lenders and send you what you qualify for, in writing, comparing it against the best mortgage loan companies on our panel so you see real numbers, not a single quote.
You get the keys
Relax while our experienced professionals handle all remaining coordination and paperwork behind the scenes. We ensure everything is fully completed so you successfully close right on schedule.
Licensed in Virginia, DC and Maryland.
From our office in Vienna, we serve buyers across the Commonwealth, and your file follows you if you move across state lines.
Northern Virginia
I-95 Corridor
Hampton Roads
Central & Western Virginia
What people ask us first.
The questions that come up on almost every call.
Am I still a first time buyer if I owned before?
Usually yes. Most programs count a first-time home buyer as anyone who has not owned a main home in three years. Gift funds, grants, and pre-approval all work the same for you.
How much do I actually need?
On most files, the real number is closer to 1 to 3% of the price once down payment assistance and a seller credit are applied, rather than the full 3 to 3.5% down payment alone. This is one of the biggest reasons buyers researching best home financing options are surprised by how little cash they actually need to bring.
What are the income limits?
Income limits vary by program, county, and household size, and they are one of the least understood parts of down payment assistance. Virginia Housing, the Maryland Mortgage Program, and DC Home Purchase Assistance each set their own limits, so we run your specific household against all three before recommending a program.
Do I need a homebuyer class?
Most down payment assistance programs, including Virginia Housing and the Maryland Mortgage Program, require a homebuyer education course before closing. It is usually a short online class and a normal part of the first-time home-buying steps rather than an extra hurdle, and it pairs well with a general home-buying process checklist so nothing gets missed along the way.
Pre qualified or pre approved?
A prequalification is a quick estimate based on what you tell us. A pre-approval means an underwriter has actually reviewed your income, assets, and credit, which is why sellers take it far more seriously. Every serious first-time home-buying tips list recommends getting the full pre-approval before you start touring homes.
What is the difference between a HELOC and a home equity loan, and could I use one down the road?
A HELOC or home equity loan decision usually comes down to whether you want a lump sum or ongoing access to funds. Once you have built equity, a home equity line of credit near me search, or a home equity line of credit on a second home you purchase later, both work the same way structurally. Understanding whether a second mortgage or a home equity loan, and confirming that it is a home equity loan and not a second mortgage in the first place, helps first-time buyers plan ahead rather than getting confused by the terminology years later. A credit union home equity loan and a bad credit home equity loan lenders panel are both worth comparing once that time comes, and knowing when to refinance your home or the best time to take equity out of your home rounds out that longer-term plan. Veterans should also know that home equity loans for veterans are broadly available on the same terms as any other borrower, since this is separate from the VA purchase loan program covered on our VA loans page.
Do you offer options if I have less than perfect credit, or need investment property financing later?
Yes. Buyers with a thinner file are usually still well served by FHA or a program like Maryland Smart Buy, and once you are ready to grow beyond your first home, our connections with real estate investment lenders and options through a home loan rates credit union comparison can support that next step, alongside our FHA loan programs for buyers who want a lower credit bar today.
Call six months before you are ready.
Almost everything that causes a decline can be fixed with a few months’ notice.
Most of our first-time homebuyer files come from Prince William County, Manassas, and Prince George’s County, and every one starts the same way.
If you have been looking for a mortgage lender near me who will explain this without rushing you, that is what the first call is for. Start on our homepage to see every program at once, or head straight to our refinance page if you already own and are exploring a zero-down home loan replacement or a rate and term refinance instead.