Low and zero down loans may be key for first-time buyers

The home buying process can be terrifying, especially as a first-time buyer. While we haven’t closed quite yet, my family is in the process of purchasing the house we have been renting since 2018, and boy has it been a rewarding learning experience.

Homeownership seemed like a reach for a mountain of reasons, and saving up for a 20% down payment was the most daunting. We started our journey with little to no idea there were options outside of a conventional loan. After some in-depth research, we found a handful of zero to low-down-payment programs through government-backed programs and private...