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First Time Home Buyer Oklahoma
First time home buyer Oklahoma information and resources that will help you with buying your first home in Oklahoma.
Home prices in Oklahoma are rising, indicating a strong degree of interest in homeownership in the state, which is recognized for its gorgeous mountain ranges, flat fertile plains, and bustling metros.
If you’re a first-time home buyer looking to get into the Oklahoma real estate market, there are services available to assist you.
The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency, the state’s public housing agency, provides low-cost mortgages and down payment assistance to homeowners in all 77 counties.
First-Time Homebuyer Lending Programs in Oklahoma
OHFA mortgage programs
The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) may connect first-time and repeat homeowners with conventional or government-backed 30-year fixed-rate mortgages.
With these loans, borrowers in certain professions, such as teachers, first responders, and state employees, have access to down payment help and competitive interest rates.
There are two primary initiatives:
➣ OHFA GOLD program – The OHFA GOLD loan program provides financing only to first-time homebuyers, defined as buyers who have not owned a house within the prior three years.
The GOLD program offers two types of loans: the GOLD Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional loan and the GOLD government loan, which may be an FHA, VA, USDA, or Section 184 loan.
➣ OHFA DREAM program – The OHFA DREAM loan program offers financing to first-time and repeat buyers through two loan types:
The DREAM Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional loan.
The DREAM government loan, which can be an FHA, VA, or USDA loan, or a DREAM ZERO loan with a low interest rate and other benefits.
There are also three mortgage rate reduction programs for teachers and other state employees:
➣ OHFA 4Teachers program – According to the OHFA website, certified public and private school teachers in Oklahoma can acquire a “special rate” on a house loan through the OHFA 4Teachers program.
➣ OHFA Shield program – The OHFA Shield program offers mortgages with discounted interest rates to police, firefighters, and emergency medical professionals.
This comprises EMTs, paramedics, and municipal and volunteer firefighters, as well as law enforcement personnel and police officers.
➣ State Employee program of Oklahoma – State government employees may also qualify for a mortgage with a reduced interest rate through OHFA. To be eligible, you must be an employee of a state agency.
All of these schemes have general borrower and property restrictions, including:
➣ a minimum credit score of 640 (depending on debt-to-income ratio and loan type)
➣ 45 to 50 percent maximum debt-to-income ratio (depending on loan type)
➣ Must satisfy OHFA income requirements, which vary by loan program.
➣ Must be located in Oklahoma
➣ Must be the primary abode
➣ Must satisfy OHFA purchase price restrictions, which vary by loan program
Assistance for Oklahoma down Payment
OHFA Down Payment Support
In addition to 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, OHFA offers down payment and closing cost assistance of up to 3.5%. The support is a gift for which no repayment is required.
There are income and purchase price restrictions depending on whether you’re borrowing through the GOLD or DREAM program and the type of financing you’re getting.
REI Home100
The REI Home100 program, offered by the non-profit REI Oklahoma, provides qualifying borrowers with a 30-year, fixed-rate conventional or government loan and down payment assistance.
If eligible, you will get the down payment funds in the form of a gift or a forgivable seven-year second mortgage for up to 5 percent of your loan, depending on the type of loan your first mortgage is.
You are not required to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify, but you must complete a homebuyer education course if you are a first-time buyer and seeking an HFA Advantage or HFA Preferred loan. Other conditions include:
➣ 640 credit score minimal
➣ 45 percent maximum debt-to-income ratio
➣ Income limitations for REI Oklahoma loans vary by loan type.
➣ Must use an authorized mortgage lender
Additional Lending Programs for First-time Homebuyers
First-time homebuyers may find homeownership more achievable through government loans such as FHA, VA, and USDA mortgages, which provide more flexible terms and interest rates.
In addition to OHFA and other state and local organizations, your mortgage lender can help you navigate these and other assistance programs for which you may be eligible.
First Time Home Buyer Oklahoma Conclusion
When you are ready to begin the home loan application process, an Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA)-participating mortgage lender can assist you in determining your options.
While OHFA does not offer mortgages directly, it collaborates with more than 50 lending institutions throughout the state.
The terms and interest rates of mortgages might vary significantly from one lender to the next; therefore, you should compare mortgage rates and offers to discover the best fit.
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