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There is no single age when a first home is supposed to happen. For Steven and Miranda, it is happening at 62. And the feeling they bring to it is pure excitement.
They have wanted to buy a home for a long time. Life kept giving them other things to handle first. Now, as they buy their first home in Lincoln, California, their attention is on what comes next: making this place their own.
A home that fits their life
The search took time. They needed a home that worked for their day-to-day needs, and they wanted a place they could fall in love with. Both mattered. A house could look right on paper and still not feel right for them.
Their real estate agent, Laurie Otten of Realty ONE Group Complete (new tab), helped them find that combination. The home they chose is a simple three-bedroom, two-bath home in Lincoln. What makes it special is how it fits the people who will live there.
They cannot wait to make it their own. That is the part of this work that stays with us: the moment a long-held idea becomes a place someone can picture as home.
A payment plan for the home they chose
Steven and Miranda chose a conventional fixed-rate loan with 10% down. Their loan includes private mortgage insurance because their down payment is below 20%.
That mortgage insurance may be eligible for cancellation in the future, subject to the loan and servicer requirements. It is something to review as they pay down the loan and build equity, not a savings promise to build today’s budget around. The CFPB explains PMI cancellation requirements (new tab).
A fixed interest rate gives their principal-and-interest payment consistency. Taxes, homeowners insurance and other housing costs can still change. We focused on understanding the payment they were taking on, including those costs.
Their timing mattered most
Rates were part of the conversation. They were not the whole conversation. This was about finding the right home and a payment plan for their life, in the market available to them.
We did not need to predict where rates would go to understand why this step mattered. They were ready. Laurie helped them find the home. Our role was to help them work through the financing with clear answers along the way.
They did the hard work
Steven and Miranda kept looking, weighed the choices and decided what was right for them. They did the hard work. Laurie helped guide the search. We helped facilitate the loan.
We are grateful to have the chance to be part of their first-home story. Not because of the age at which it happened, but because of how much they have to look forward to.
Your first home has its own timeline
You do not have to be at a particular age or have every answer before starting a conversation. If you are wondering what buying could look like for you, we can help you connect the home, the payment and the next step.
Get the first-home field guide or tell us what you are thinking about.
A client story shared by Nick Cunningham. Names changed for privacy; some personal details omitted. This describes their homebuying journey and selected financing, not a guarantee of closing, loan eligibility or future mortgage insurance cancellation. Every household and loan is different.
