[countryabc60]

Hi Everyone. I have a lot of questions, all related to home-buying in Vegas, I moved to Vegas about 11 months ago from Boston and these forums have been a lifesaver during that transition, I hope it is okay that I ask questions here about home-buying in vegas because this is a truly stressful process. ugh..

I am 27 y.o looking to buy my first house.. i don't know much about the process or anything.. and reaching out to homebuyer education classes here in vegas have done nothing for me. before i register for a class, theyll ask me about my income, then when my income is over their limits theyll tell me they cant help me because i do not qualify for any of their programs.... okay ? but can i still get educated on how to buy a home? I only found online classes and i prefer an in-person educational class.

anyone have any advice for me? My income isn't even a lot ($49k/yr) but i do have sports betting income at $100,000 over the past 1.5yrs so that worries me about finding down payment assistance. also my fico/credit fluctuates between 720-740 so it is really good, but my boyfriend of 12 years his credit is in the 500s. So should I go in with him or not on the house? Will his lack of credit only hurt me?

I just dont even know how to even start the process. do i meet with a lender? realtor? etc. I know where i want to buy a house if that helps and even have my eye on a specific house (but obv since I haven't started the process would it be unrealistic to say im gonna buy THAT specific house?)

oh man i want to rip my hair out and we didnt even start the process yet.. haha

Thank you so much for all your help everyone.

[countryabc60]

i didnt mean to double post this- i dont know how to delete it.

[Mia775]

Reach out to your bank or credit union, they likely will have classes that are open to everyone and don't have the strict income restrictions.

The online classes aren't too bad either but since you prefer an in-person one, just keep checking on who is offering it. Even real estate places has them but I would caution you not to approach them until you already did your homework. Otherwise, they can probably sell you a bridge...

Where do you start? Yourself.
Why do you want a house?
What are your current housing expenses?
What other expenses do you have?
What is your current debt to income ratio?

From those questions, determine what kind of house you want. Don't just settle. Know your preferences.
BUT be realistic with your price range.
Ideally, you shouldn't spend more than 30% of your steady income on housing expense.

There are a couple of downpayment assistance available in Nevada. Your boyfriend's credit score will likely not make the cut as most program require a mid600s score.

Some realtors won't talk to you with a lender pre-qualification or pre-approval. Attend open houses to get a feel for the area.

Reach out to Home At Last if you haven't already. They are very responsive and can direct you to resources: https://www.facebook.com/HomeAtLastInNevada/

[LVAllen]

Absolutely agree with what Mia775 said. You start out with your current budget, and determine what you can afford. Only then should you consider looking for a particular house.

I'd advise you to take a look at the NV Housing Division's website: First-Time Home Homebuyer Program It will give you resources, especially if you're looking for a HUD-approved Homebuyer Education course. Most of the courses are going to be similar, so if you want a course that will give you the basic steps you'll be taking, look at the Nevada Rural Housing Authority's online course. It's quite good, and it's free.

Unless your boyfriend is bringing a ton of cash to the table, I'd leave him out. Nevada's down-payment assistance programs require a 3-score average of around 640.