First-time buyers · St. Paul
From Mac-Groveland and Highland Park to the East Side, Como, Frogtown and the West Side, St. Paul is where a lot of Twin Cities first-time buyers find a house they can actually afford. Here is how buying works in St. Paul, what help exists, and what to do first.
Where buyers are looking in St. Paul
Licensed statewide in Minnesota — these are just the areas that come up most. Any address in St. Paul works.
Down payment help in St. Paul
Minnesota Housing's Start Up program is built for first-time buyers (anyone who has not owned a home in the last three years). It pairs a Minnesota Housing first mortgage — conventional, FHA, VA or USDA — with down payment and closing cost loans: a Deferred Payment Loan with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell or refinance, or a Monthly Payment Loan with a small payment alongside the mortgage. Income and purchase-price limits apply by county, and a homebuyer education course is part of the deal.
Taylor · Loan OfficerBuying in St. Paul, specifically
Like Minneapolis, St. Paul requires a Truth-in-Sale of Housing disclosure report before a home is listed. It is a free early read on the condition of the house and any required repairs. Taylor and your agent review it before you write — then you still get your own inspection.
Much of St. Paul's housing stock is a century old, which is exactly its charm — and exactly why knob-and-tube wiring, old boilers and sewer lines come up. Some loan programs care about condition; Taylor tells you early which ones fit the house you love, and whether a renovation loan makes sense.
Plenty of buyers tour on both sides of the river in the same weekend. Your pre-approval, your rate and your process are identical whether the right house is in St. Paul or Minneapolis — Taylor just re-runs the taxes for the address.
Loan programs for St. Paul first-time buyers
The workhorse of home financing — flexible terms, competitive costs, and down payments as low as 3% for first-time buyers.
Learn more →The first-time buyer favorite — 3.5% down, friendlier credit requirements, and forgiving guidelines for real-life finances.
Learn more →For those who served — $0 down, no monthly mortgage insurance, and some of the strongest terms in all of lending.
Learn more →$0 down for homes in eligible smaller communities across Minnesota — far more towns qualify than buyers expect.
Learn more →Minnesota all have real down payment help — Minnesota Housing programs can put thousands toward your down payment and closing costs.
Learn more →Six myths busted and the six-step path from first text to keys — the page to read before anything else.
Start here →How it works from Eden Prairie
Text, phone, video, secure document upload, and a closing at a title company near you. Your real estate agent and Taylor talk directly at every milestone — offer-day numbers in minutes and a call to every listing agent included.
Timing varies by file and depends on receiving complete documentation. Turnaround figures are typical, not guaranteed. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement; not all customers will qualify. Rates, programs and terms are subject to change. All loans subject to credit and property approval.
St. Paul first-time buyer questions
St. Paul buyers can use conventional loans with 3% down, FHA with 3.5% down, VA with $0 down for eligible buyers, and Minnesota Housing's Start Up program for down payment and closing cost assistance. Taylor checks whether city or nonprofit programs also apply to your file.
Yes. St. Paul requires sellers to obtain a Truth-in-Sale of Housing disclosure report before listing. Buyers should still order their own inspection; the report is an early look, not a substitute.
Usually, yes. FHA has minimum property standards, so some items flagged in an inspection may need to be addressed before closing or handled with a renovation loan. Taylor reviews the inspection early so there are no surprises.
Yes. Taylor Kranz is licensed in Minnesota (NMLS #2093249), which covers St. Paul and all of Ramsey County, and works from Fairway Home Mortgage's Eden Prairie branch.
St. Paul buyers
After that it's just a conversation. Text Taylor what you're wondering about buying in St. Paul — tonight is fine.
Applications happen on Fairway's secure site — never here.
