Buying a home here: straight answers.

Less than most people think. Conventional loans start at 3% down, FHA at 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can be 0% down for buyers who qualify. On a $400,000 home, 3% is $12,000. Down payment help through the Maryland Mortgage Program can cover some or all of it.

Budget for closing costs on top of the down payment. They're covered below.

Yes. The Maryland Mortgage Program offers down payment and closing cost help for first-time buyers. Anne Arundel County buyers can also look at the county's mortgage assistance program through Arundel Community Development Services. First-time buyers also get a break on Maryland's state transfer tax at closing.

"First-time" usually means you haven't owned a home in the last three years. Income and price limits apply, and your lender has to be approved for the program. We'll connect you with lenders who close these loans every month.

Plan on roughly 3% to 5% of the price. Maryland's transfer and recordation taxes are the biggest piece, and they're usually split between buyer and seller. The rest is lender fees, title insurance, settlement fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. You can ask the seller to cover part of it in your offer.

Yes. A pre-approval tells you your real budget and tells sellers you can close. Most listing agents won't take an offer seriously without one. It takes a day or two with most lenders, and we can introduce you to local lenders who pick up the phone on weekends.

Yes. Since August 2024, buyers sign a written agreement with their agent before touring homes together. It spells out what we do for you, for how long, and how we're paid. We walk through every line with you before you sign, and you should never sign one you don't understand.

It's negotiable, and it's agreed in writing before we tour. Sometimes the seller offers to pay it, sometimes we ask for it in the offer, and sometimes the buyer pays part or all of it. Before you write an offer, we show you how each option changes your cash to close.

Usually 1% to 3% of the price around Annapolis and Baltimore. It's held in escrow, not paid to the seller, and it counts toward your down payment and closing costs at settlement. If you back out under a contingency in the contract, like the inspection, you generally get it back.

Almost never. We'd rather shorten the inspection window than skip it. A 7-day inspection period keeps you competitive and still lets you find a roof, furnace, or foundation problem before you own it. Some buyers keep the inspection but only ask for major items, which sellers like.

You have options. With an appraisal contingency you can ask the seller to lower the price, cover part of the gap yourself, or walk away with your deposit. Without one, you cover the gap in cash. We decide how much appraisal protection to keep before the offer goes in, based on how hot the house is.

About 30 to 45 days from an accepted offer with a mortgage. Cash can close in two weeks. The contract sets the timeline, and the loan, the inspection window, and title work drive it. You get every deadline in writing the day the contract is ratified.

Yes. VA offers win all the time when they're written well. Chase is an Air Force veteran and knows how to position one: a strong lender, short timelines, and a clear plan for the appraisal. VA loans need no down payment and no PMI, and the funding fee is waived for veterans with a service-connected disability rating.

Often, yes. The common routes are an offer contingent on your sale, a bridge loan or HELOC that frees up your equity, or selling first and renting back. Each one trades offer strength for safety. We run your numbers on all three before you list or write an offer.

Yes. The builder's sales rep works for the builder. Your agent negotiates upgrades, closing help, and lot premiums, and reads the contract, which is the builder's own form. Register us at your first visit or bring us along. Many builders won't let you add an agent later.

We find out what the seller cares about before we write. Price matters, but so do the settlement date, rent-back time, inspection terms, and how solid your financing looks. We pull recent sales so you know where the value really is, then decide together whether an escalation clause makes sense.