How much money do I need to buy a home?

It depends on the loan type. FHA loans require as little as 3.5%* down, VA and USDA can be 0%* down for qualifying buyers, and conventional loans typically run 5–20%*. Plus 2–5%* in closing costs. Move the affordability slider above for a personalized number.

How long does the homebuying process take?

From starting your search to closing typically runs 2–4 months*. Once you're under contract, closing usually takes 30–45 days*. Pre-approval shaves weeks off.

What credit score do I need?

Most conventional lenders want 620+*, FHA can go down to 580*, and VA loans often work with even lower scores. Talk to a lender. They can frequently work with situations buyers assume disqualify them.

Do I need to pay a buyer's agent?

Buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated as part of the transaction. I'll walk you through exactly how it works and what your options are before we even step inside a house.

What should I avoid doing before closing?

Don't make major purchases (car, furniture), open new credit cards, change jobs, or move large amounts of money between accounts. Lenders re-verify everything in the final days before closing.

How are property taxes in Upstate NY?

They vary widely by county and school district. Saratoga County is among the lowest in the region (~1.3%* effective), while Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady run higher (2.4–2.6%*). The property-tax estimator on the Financial Guide can give you a county-specific number.

Ready to buy · Capital Region NY

Get Pre-Approved

Tell Sharon you're ready. She'll personally connect you with a trusted Capital Region lender within 24 hours so your pre-approval doesn't hold up your offer when the right home shows up.

Why pre-approval first

The single most useful 20 minutes of your home search

Pre-approval is a lender's written confirmation of the loan amount you can borrow. It's based on real numbers (income, debts, credit, and assets), not the back-of-envelope estimate of a pre-qualification.

Sellers in Capital Region NY take pre-approved offers seriously. In a competitive house, a clean pre-approval letter is often the difference between your offer getting accepted and the seller picking the buyer next to you in line.

Sharon works with a small group of trusted local lenders. She'll match you to the right one for your situation (first-time buyer, conventional, VA, jumbo all specialize differently) instead of routing everyone to the same place.

Have these ready

What your lender will ask for

You don't need any of this to fill out the form below. Sharon's lender will collect it. But gather these now and the actual approval turnaround drops from days to hours.

Last 2 years of W-2s or tax returns

Lender verifies income stability over time.

Recent pay stubs

The last 30 days is usually enough.

Government-issued ID

Driver's license or passport.

Bank + asset statements

Last 2 months. Shows down payment readiness.

Let Sharon know you're ready

Three quick fields. She'll call you back within 24 hours with the lender intro.

What happens next

Three small steps

1. Sharon calls within 24 hours

She gets a quick read on your situation: price range, neighborhoods, timeline.

2. She introduces you to a lender

Direct hand-off to whichever of her trusted lenders fits your loan type.

3. Pre-approval letter, usually within days

Once you submit the docs, most lenders turn it around quickly. Now you can shop with confidence.

Still just looking?

If you're not quite at the lender step yet, the Buyer Resources page walks through the rest of the home-buying process: first-time-buyer tips, common pitfalls, and what the Capital Region market actually looks like right now.

Buyer Resources

The single most useful 20 minutes of your home search