Nevada First-Time Homebuyer Guide · Cornerstone First Mortgage · NMLS #173855 Call Mike Certo · (480) 296-6513
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Practical first-time home buyer guides for Nevada.

In-depth answers to the questions Nevada first-time buyers actually ask. We'll publish new posts here regularly. In the meantime, the pillar pages cover the essentials.

Start with the pillar guides

Pillar

The Nevada Mortgage Process

The full 7-step arc from pre-approval to closing, what you do, what we do, and how long each step takes.

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High-search

Pre-Approval vs Pre-Qualification

Which letter Nevada realtors and sellers actually take seriously, and how to get a real one.

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Numbers

Down Payments — what you really need

0% down with VA/USDA, 3% conventional, 3.5% FHA. Plus NV DPA pairing and gift fund rules.

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Numbers

Credit Scores & FICO

What score gets what rate. Why mortgage FICO ≠ Credit Karma. How to lift 20–40 points fast.

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Negotiable

Closing Costs in Nevada

What's actually in your closing costs, and 4 levers to negotiate them down.

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Process

Home Inspections in Nevada

What inspectors actually look for in NV homes (HVAC, pool, termite, stucco), and how to use the report.

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Honest

10 Myths Debunked

The 20% myth, the perfect-credit myth, the "wait for rates" myth, plus 7 more.

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Local

Cities We Serve in Nevada

City-by-city loan-program fit for Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Churchill, and 15+ other NV markets.

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Loan program deep-dives

Loan program

FHA Loans Nevada

3.5% down, 580 FICO floor, the most flexible first-time buyer option. Mortgage insurance math, NV examples.

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Loan program

VA Loans Nevada

0% down, no PMI, the best deal in mortgage if you've earned it. Funding fee math, NV military communities.

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Loan program

USDA Loans Nevada

0% down for USDA-eligible and smaller NV communities. Where it works (Pahrump, Mesquite, Churchill, Lyon, and other rural counties — Las Vegas city limits excluded).

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Loan program

Conventional Loans Nevada

3% down for first-time buyers. PMI that drops off. When conventional beats FHA long-term.

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Coming soon — blog posts in development

Topics we're working on:

  • "Can I buy a home in Nevada with a 580 credit score?": the real path through FHA + DPA
  • "How long does it really take to buy a home in Las Vegas?": week-by-week timeline
  • "FHA + Home Is Possible walkthrough, a real Las Vegas scenario": start to keys, with real numbers
  • "What surprised me at my Nevada home inspection": common NV flags first-time buyers don't expect
  • "How much house can I afford in Las Vegas on a $75K income?": DTI, taxes, insurance, real math
  • "The $0-down rural-Nevada playbook": USDA + DPA combos for first-time buyers priced out of central Las Vegas
  • "Las Vegas vs Reno vs Carson City: which NV market fits which kind of first-time buyer"
  • "Renting vs buying in Las Vegas, when each one wins"

Want to suggest a topic? Send us a note with what you wish someone had explained to you when you started this process.

Still not sure where you stand?

That's normal. Tell us your rough credit score, savings ballpark, target city, and timeline. We'll point you toward the guides and loan options that realistically fit your situation.