Karl Hess
Keller Williams Shore Properties

Ocean County Home Buyer Programs  

Some of the programs mentioned below are limited to "First Time Buyers," some are for all buyers. Please contact me with any questions.

Buying a home can be a daunting task but we help educate and guide first time home buyers through every step of the process. Our goal is to make buying a home a simple, fun, exciting, and hassle-free experience. (Did you know that if you haven’t owned a home in N.J within the last 3 years, you’re considered a “first time home-buyer?’)

As a potential Ocean County first time home buyer, you know the sacrifices made to save sufficient money to make a down payment on a home can seem overwhelming. For some, it seems impossible to even begin to save enough cash without some form of down payment help, much less saving that money in the time necessary to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates.

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Unfortunately, many individuals simply have no idea where to turn to get accurate and reliable down payment assistance information. That’s why I’ve outlined some specific programs that you may want to take advantage of including ZERO money down plans:

New Jersey First Time Home Buyer Mortgage Program: A below-market, fixed interest rate is offered to first-time home-buyers and urban area buyers. Down payments of as little as 3.5% are required and must come from the borrower’s own assets. Loans are 30-year fixed rate. Certain closing costs can be gifted by family members, non-profit organizations or government agencies.

New Jersey Smart Start Program: Offers families purchasing homes a second mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs in conjunction with the HMFA Home Buyer Mortgage Program

Police & Firemen’s Mortgage Loan Program: Funding is available for NJ First Time Home Buyers and trade-up buyers. Extraordinary low rates with a small fee.

USDA Guaranteed Housing Loan Program: Funds can be used to build, repair, renovate or relocate a home, or to purchase and prepare sites. Applicants for loans may have an income of up to 115% of the median income for the area. Area income limits for this program are here. Families must be able to afford the mortgage payments, including taxes and insurance. In addition, applicants must have reasonable credit histories.

NJ Live Where You Work Program: If you’re planning to buy a home in the town where you’re employed and you’re a first time home buyer, Live Where You Work (LWYW) may be the right program for you. LWYW provides low-interest mortgage loans to home-buyers purchasing homes in the municipalities in which they work.The goal of LWYW is to build stronger communities by promoting home-ownership and encouraging people to live closer to their jobs. By working closer to home, we reduce the dependence on (and expense of!) cars, and increase the use of alternate transportation such as walking, biking and public transit. The Live Where You Work Program is now effective across the entire State of New Jersey.

Ocean County First Time Home Buyers Program: The County of Ocean Consortium receives HOME Investment Partnership Program block grant funding annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to create affordable housing for low and moderate income households. Ocean County has allocated funding from the HOME Program to initiate the First-time Home-buyer Program for income eligible households.

Feel free to contact me, Karl Hess, if you have any questions. I work with a variety of mortgage providers that will also contribute expert assistance to you every step of the way. We’re here to help you realize the dream of home ownership in Ocean County.

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