Diana Kim RealtyDiana KimREALTOR® · eXp Realty · Boston

Series

First-Home Q&A

One real question from a first-time buyer per episode, answered the way I answer it in a consultation. The series began as weekly posts on Boston Korea; it now lives here, and each new episode is published on this site first.

  1. 01First-Home Q&A #1: Why Pre-Approval Has to Start NowA program with a deadline — like MassHousing's interest-free down payment assistance — is only reachable if you count back the 30 to 45 days from pre-approval to closing. What the summer 2026 round (up to $25,000, July 31 cutoff) taught.July 17, 2026
  2. 02First-Home Q&A #2: What to Count Before You Renew the LeaseBoston leases cluster on September 1, so every summer renters decide between renewing and buying. For anyone about to sign because 'buying takes too long', the timeline counted back from pre-approval.July 18, 2026
  3. 03First-Home Q&A #3: Top School Town vs. BudgetThe question families moving before the September school start ask most. The reality of the top-tier school towns, the towns that fit a budget, why to look at elementary attendance zones rather than town rankings, and the property tax variable.July 19, 2026
  4. 04First-Home Q&A #4: Gift Funds From Your Parents, Done RightWhen parents help with the down payment, undocumented gift funds stall a closing. Why you cannot simply deposit the money, the three documents lenders require — gift letter, source of funds, transfer trail — and when to arrange it.July 20, 2026
  5. 05First-Home Q&A #5: Do Good School Towns Mean High Property Tax?The property tax arithmetic buyers miss when they look only at the offer price. Why to compare PITI rather than price, the Massachusetts formula (assessed value × rate ÷ 1,000), and how a rate difference flips the monthly payment.July 21, 2026
  6. 06First-Home Q&A #6: How Many Offers a Good School Town DrawsHow many offers a single listing draws in a strong school district, and what a first-time buyer is really up against. Why these towns are so competitive, why an offer's structure matters more than the count, and why to set your appraisal-gap cash in advance.July 23, 2026
  7. 07First-Home Q&A #7: 5% Down vs. 20%, Even With PMIThe trap in 'save 20% first'. First-time buyer programs run on 3 to 5 percent down, and some — like ONE Mortgage — waive PMI entirely. The three items to compare by total cost instead of down payment percentage.July 26, 2026
  8. 08First-Home Q&A #8: Can I Buy Without a Green Card?Immigration status does not stop a purchase by itself. The mortgage path on an H-1B or E-2 work visa, the ITIN path without a Social Security number, and the credit and income documents lenders look at before status.July 28, 2026
  9. 09First-Home Q&A #9: Buy Now, or Wait for the Fall Listings?'More listings in the fall' is half true. The buyers who waited come back at the same time, and the 30 to 45 days from pre-approval to closing and closing costs of 2 to 5 percent do not change with the season. The deciding factor is preparation, not the calendar.July 29, 2026
  10. 10First-Home Q&A #10: Why Credit Has to Be Prepared NowFirst-time buyer programs generally look for a credit score of roughly 640 or above. It is not a number you can raise the week before applying, so the next round has to be prepared for now. The four mistakes that lower a score, and what to do today.July 30, 2026
  11. 11First-Home Q&A #11: What an Escrow Account IsWhy your monthly mortgage payment includes property tax and insurance, why the lender collects them for you, the escrow cushion you fund at closing, and why the payment changes each year.August 6, 2026
  12. 12First-Home Q&A #12: Condo or House? The Monthly Cost Inside the FeeWhich makes the better first home, a condo or a single-family? Why comparing sale prices misleads, what a condo fee actually contains, the underfunded reserve hiding behind a low fee, and the documents to read before you offer.August 7, 2026
  13. 13First-Home Q&A #13: Why to Open the Heater at the InspectionWhat to check before a New England winter: the heating system's age, service history and fuel, the oil tank's location and condition if the house burns oil, attic insulation and windows, and how to turn the findings into negotiation.August 26, 2026
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Publishing note: episodes appear here first. Summaries with a link to the original run on Boston Korea afterward, so that the version search engines and AI assistants cite is this one.

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