Two Helpful Resources for Buying a Fox Cities Home Now

A recent study from Realtor.com found that 20% of Americans believe owning a home is not possible (Jones, 2025). You might feel the same. Due to rising costs from inflation, it's harder to save enough money to buy your first home. But here's the point. With the right support and tools, you can achieve your goals.

There are ways to help you buy a home today, even if you don't have a lot of savings or your credit isn't great. Let's look at two options that can help you buy your first home, regardless of the current market conditions.

1. FHA Loans in Wisconsin

If you don’t have enough savings for a down payment or a good credit score, an FHA loan might help you buy a home. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Bankrate (n.d.) say that the main benefits of an FHA home loan are:

Lower Down Payments:

These loans usually need a smaller down payment than regular loans, sometimes just 3.5% of the home’s price. Keep in mind that we also have the WHEDA programs in Wisconsin, and that may get you up to 100% financing (Available Programs | WHEDA, n.d.)!

Lower Credit Score Requirements:

These are meant to assist buyers who have credit scores that may not be accepted for traditional loans. This means that if you can't get a regular loan, you might still qualify for an FHA loan.
The first step is to find a lender who can help you look at your choices and see if you qualify.

2. Down Payment Assistance When Buying a Home

If you need a more affordable down payment, you have other options. Did you know that Down Payment Resource (2025) reported that there are more than 2,000 programs in the U.S. that help people buy homes? Over 75% of these programs aim to assist buyers with their down payment (Down Payment Resource, 2023). Here's some extra information on why these could be very helpful for you:

Financial Help:

Buyers who get down payment help usually receive an average of $17,000 (Edgerton and Edgerton, 2024). That's a big number.

Stackable Benefits:

In some cases, you might apply for more than one program at the same time, which can make your down payment even larger (The 2025 Homebuying Guide, 2025).

Rob Chrane, the CEO of Down Payment Resource, explains a lesser-known fact:

“Some of these programs can be layered. And so, in other words, you may not be limited to just one program (The 2025 Homebuying Guide, 2025).”

If you want to know more or see what you can get, make sure to ask the experts for help. A reliable real estate agent and a lender can help you with getting a home. They can explain the available assistance and connect you to useful resources.

In Conclusion

If you’re ready to stop thinking if buying a home is possible and start exploring solutions, let’s connect.

References:

Available programs | WHEDA. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wheda.com/homeownership-and-renters/home-buyers/available-programs

Down Payment Resource. (2023, July 10). Down payment Assistance | Down payment Resource. Retrieved from https://downpaymentresource.com/

Edgerton, K., & Edgerton, K. (2024, October 22). Down payment assistance programs continue to grow, with an average benefit of $17K. HousingWire. Retrieved from https://www.housingwire.com/articles/down-payment-resource-first-time-homebuyers-17k-average-benefit/

Jones, H. (2025, January 14). Three-Quarters of Americans view homeownership as part of the American dream - Realtor.com economic research. Realtor.com Economic Research. Retrieved from https://www.realtor.com/research/2025-jan-american-dream-survey/

Loans | HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.hud.gov/buying/loans

The 2025 Homebuying Guide. (2025, January 10). https://www.nar.realtor/real-estate-today/the-2025-homebuying-guide