Buying your first Home in Mission Viejo will most likely be a stressful event if your like most people. How much can you afford? Where is the best neighborhood to Buy in? How much do I need for a down payment? A monthly mortgage obligation for the next 30 years... Yikes!!! But having bought and sold many homes of mine own, and helping hundreds and hundreds of home owners purchase their first home, I can attest to you that is well worth the initial stress.

Mission Viejo has a wide range of housing designed for the first time home owner. There are currently 82 attached Condos and Townhomes for sale in Mission Viejo ranging in price from $319,900 for a 1 bedroom, 1bath on up to $679K for an attached Townhome with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, 2,200 SqFt of living area, and a nice sized back yard.

If one prefers detached homes, there are 111 homes for sale in Mission Viejo ranging in price from $519,900 to $1,899,000. The lowest priced detached home is a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with a two car garage, and the highest priced estate comes with 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and 3,800 SqFt of living area.

There are many loan programs available today in Mission Viejo that are designed for first time home buyers that did not exist just 7 years ago. There are loan programs offering no down payment of very low down payment of 3% to 5%. There are other loan programs geared for the self-employed in which you do not have to verify your income (so called stated income) if you have sufficiently good credit. In other situations it can be negotiated to have the home seller pay for your closing costs. While other loans exist offering adjustable rate mortgages, interest only mortgages and now a new 40 year amortized mortgage... all developed to help keep the monthly payments down.

If your like most people in this state, the home that you own and live in will be your best and most valuable investment in your life. Coastal Orange County real estate has enjoyed great price appreciation for many decades now, and estimates are that will continue for decades to come. Plus the tax advantages for owning real estate are unbeatable. You can deduct your interest payments on your residence, or save capital gains tax using a 1031 exchange for rental property, plus the tax free treatment of up to $500K of equity when you sell your residence, makes real estate ownership a fantastic investment and great tax shelter.

There are also new computer technologies available today that greatly assist the new home buyer in searching for and identifying the perfect home. These new home finding technologies bring peace of mind and convenience to today's busy home seeker. Plus acquiring the services of an professional Realtor who has lots of experience in working with first time home buyers will help greatly in making this an enjoyable process, rather then a frustrating one.

Mr. Bindi is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Orange County CA. He