40
You're not late. The typical U.S. first-time buyer is now 40 years old, a record high.
NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Free guide · 2026 edition · Northwest Arkansas
Buying your first home in NWA?
Start here.
What a first home really costs here, the state programs most renters never hear about, and every step from pre-approval to keys. From a Bentonville REALTOR® and former teacher, not a lender or a listings site.
Free instant download · 11 pages · Updated November 2026
02 · The fear, named
Most renters in Northwest Arkansas assume they need far more money than they do.
Then they find out about the down payment help, and that's not the end of the surprises. Closing costs, insurance, a written buyer agreement before the first tour, and a deposit paid straight to the seller all show up before the keys do.
What it costs to guess
Shopping before you talk to a lender means falling for a home you can't buy, or missing a program you qualified for. Budgeting for the down payment alone means a surprise bill at closing.
There's a better way.
Learn what it really costs and what help exists before you tour a single house. That's what this guide is for.
03 · The guide
What you'll get
- Am I ready? Renting vs. owning in NWA with this month's numbers, and a plain checklist for whether to start.
- A $350,000 home worked out line by line. Payment, taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, and the cash you actually need to close.
- The help most renters never hear about. ADFA StartSmart, Move-Up, down payment assistance and ADDI, with the 2026 limits, and which one is a loan.
- Four loans and where ADFA fits. FHA, conventional, VA and USDA on one table.
- The whole process on one page. Eight steps from "could I?" to keys.
- Four Arkansas details that catch first-time buyers off guard, including the non-refundable deposit and the timing that protects you.
- Today's market, the mistakes I see most, and a getting-ready checklist.
Why it's worth more than free
Most first-time buyer guides are written by lenders to get you to apply. This one tells you what the programs cost, when owning doesn't beat renting, and what the Arkansas contract says, so you decide with the facts.
04 · About Gregory
Hi, I'm Gregory.
Before real estate, I spent 14 years in education, eight as a special educator and six as an assistant principal and principal. I still explain things the way a teacher does: one step at a time, no pressure, no talking down. For a first-time buyer, that means you understand the numbers, the programs and the contract before you're asked to decide anything.
I'm a buyer's agent with Keller Williams Market Pro Realty in Bentonville, and I also own First Homeschool Bookstore in Springdale, so I know this region as a business owner and as the person helping families buy here.
We talk first.
Your budget, your timeline, what matters to you. No agreement needed to talk.
We get you pre-approved.
An introduction to ADFA-approved lenders so you can compare, and a budget you trust.
We make the offer make sense.
The contract explained line by line, closing costs and the deposit handled, and coordination through closing.
05 · The numbers
Three facts first-time buyers here should know
$1,000–$15,000
ADFA down payment assistance for buyers with a StartSmart or Move-Up mortgage. It's a loan, not a grant, and the guide shows the monthly cost.
adfa.arkansas.gov, Sept 2026
Buyer's market
The University of Arkansas's CBER director called NWA "more of a buyer's market than a seller's market" for the first time in many years.
Skyline Report, Talk Business & Politics, Aug 2026
Free instant download
06 · Follow along
Free NWA help, every week
I post a weekly YouTube video and short videos on Northwest Arkansas: buying your first home, moving here, family life and the local market.
YouTube: youtube.com/@Myozarkheritage · Instagram, TikTok and Facebook: @myozarkheritage
07 · The opt-in
Get "Buying Your First Home in Northwest Arkansas? Start Here."
- A $350,000 home worked out line by line, and the cash you really need to close
- Every ADFA program with 2026 limits, and which ones you pay back
- The eight-step path to keys, plus the four Arkansas details that surprise first-time buyers
Free instant download
Is this a sales pitch?
No. It's the guide. If you ever want help, you'll know where to find me.
Will I get spammed?
No. It's an instant download, and you can tell me to stop anytime.
I'm not sure I can buy yet.
Then this is the thing to read before you decide. Most renters need less than they think. The guide shows you how to find out.
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