Zero Down: Buy A Home With

She had gone with the USDA option. The process had been a mountain of paperwork, tax returns, and waiting for government approvals. There were moments she thought the deal would fall through. But Marcus had guided her through every hurdle.

"The catch is paperwork and patience," Marcus admitted. "You have to take a homebuyer education course, and your debt-to-income ratio has to fit their grid. But Clara, you have a solid income and zero credit card debt. You are the exact person these programs were made for." buy a home with zero down

A shadow fell over her table. It was Marcus, an old friend from high school who had recently gone into real estate. He slid into the opposite booth, carrying two cups of black coffee. She had gone with the USDA option

At the closing table yesterday, Clara had written a check for just $1,200 to cover the remaining prorated property taxes. The down payment had been exactly zero. But Marcus had guided her through every hurdle

Clara laughed, a bitter sound. "I've seen those late-night infomercials, Marcus. I'm not looking to get scammed or take on some predatory loan."