First-time buyer education
Dr. Rob McNeill, a licensed Texas mortgage loan originator (NMLS 844916), helps first-time buyers in Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, and Fort Bend County find out which down payment assistance programs they qualify for and get ready to apply before they shop.
What assistance covers
Down payment assistance programs in the Houston area typically provide a grant or a second lien of several thousand dollars toward the down payment and closing costs on a primary residence. They come from the State of Texas, counties, and cities, and each has its own income limits, price limits, credit requirements, homebuyer education rules, and list of approved lenders. Programs open, close, and change terms during the year.
Dr. Rob checks which programs are currently open and whether your income, location, and credit fit before you fall in love with a house that doesn't.
Programs buyers ask about
Listed for education. Availability, amounts, eligibility, and lender participation change. Dr. Rob verifies current terms for each buyer.
The four questions
Common questions
Amounts vary by program and change during the year, commonly in the range of a few thousand to ten thousand dollars or more, sometimes as a percentage of the loan. Dr. Rob confirms the current amount and terms for the programs you qualify for.
Many programs define first-time as not having owned a home in the last three years, and some have no first-time requirement at all. Veterans often get an exception.
Often yes. FHA with assistance is one of the most common structures for Houston-area first-time buyers. Conventional options with assistance also exist. The comparison depends on your credit score and the total monthly payment.
Most assistance programs require around 620 or higher, and some lenders set their own minimums. If you are below that, Dr. Rob's credit readiness review shows what to work on first.
Yes. Limits depend on the program, the county, and household size. Some programs are for moderate incomes only; others allow higher incomes in targeted areas.
No. The readiness report and the first conversation are free. Dr. Rob is paid through the mortgage transaction like any loan originator, and all costs are disclosed in writing on the Loan Estimate.
Houston, Katy, Cypress, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Fulshear, Pearland, and across Fort Bend and Harris County, by phone, video, or in person.
Your next step
The free readiness report takes a few minutes, with no hard credit inquiry and no sensitive documents. It does not determine approval.
