The Treasure Valley guide that names every number — plus six tools you'll actually use. Free, complete, no catch.
Buying your first home in the Treasure Valley comes with five separate checks nobody explains up front — earnest money, inspection, appraisal, down payment, and closing costs — each due at a different moment. This kit names every one of them, with real local ranges and the dates they come due, so nothing about your purchase is a surprise.
Every cost with its typical range and when it's due, illustrated on a real $400,000 example. What "cash to close" and your true monthly payment actually include. The 90-day plan in three phases, from first conversation to keys.
Idaho's down payment assistance through IHFA is a second mortgage — a loan you repay — not a grant or free money. It's a useful tool for the right buyer. We'll show you the real math so you can decide with clear eyes.
It is free and there is no second half. The complete kit and the guide arrive in one email. If you want to talk afterwards you can, and if you do not, the kit still works.
You get the kit and a short note from Mark. If you asked a question in the form, you get an answer to it. Nobody is going to work through a call list on you, and you can unsubscribe from the occasional resources at any time.
It is most useful then. The savings worksheet and the credit checklist are the parts that need lead time; the house-hunting parts can wait a year and will still be here.
No. It is written to be used on your own, including with another agent. The cost tables and the lender question list work the same either way.
Everything above, delivered to your inbox. No commitment — the kit is yours either way.
To the address you gave, usually within a minute or two. The guide comes with it.
From Mark, not a sequence — and it answers whatever you told us in the form.
Twenty minutes on your numbers, or nothing at all. Both are fine, and the kit is yours either way.
Two-hour response SLA — you hear back within two hours during business hours.
| Cost | When it's due | Typical range | On a $400,000 home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earnest money deposit | With your accepted offer | Often ~1% of price | ~$4,000 (credited back at closing) |
| Home inspection | During due diligence (first ~10 days under contract) | $350–$600 | ~$450 |
| Appraisal | Ordered by your lender after inspection | $600–$900 | ~$700 |
| Down payment | At closing | 3%–5% common for first-time programs; 0% for VA-eligible | $12,000–$20,000 (3%–5%) |
| Closing costs (lender, title, escrow, prepaids) | At closing | Typically 2%–5% (smaller homes trend higher; discount points add) | ~$8,000–$20,000 |
| First year extras to plan for | After you move in | Varies | Moving, locks, blinds, mower — budget a cushion |
Cash to close — Down payment plus closing costs, minus your earnest money (which you already paid) and any seller credits. It's the check you actually write. On the $400,000 example with 3% down: roughly $16,000–$28,000 before any assistance or credits — the range is wide because closing costs run 2%–5% depending on price point and whether you buy discount points.
Idaho Housing and Finance Association down payment assistance is frequently described online as free money. It is not: IHFA's down payment/closing cost assistance is structured as a second mortgage that you repay, alongside your first mortgage. For some buyers it's the right tool; for others, waiting one more savings season costs less. Verify current terms directly with IHFA, and ask us to walk your specific numbers.
More first-home answers →Questions before you download anything? Call or text (208) 214-5595 — we respond within two hours on all program sites. Or ask Mark directly: MEchevarria@myhomeconnection.com.
Every MHC agent completes structured professional training in client advisory before leading buyers.