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Call (916) 436-3776First-Time Buyer California
How Do I Buy My First Home in California in 2026?
To buy your first home in California in 2026, get pre-approved with a participating lender, confirm which down payment assistance programs fit your income and county, and target a market where those dollars stretch. Assistance can cover most or all of a 3.5% FHA down payment for eligible first-time buyers.
Buying your first home in California means navigating high prices, competitive markets, and a maze of down payment assistance programs that differ by county and city. The good news: help exists almost everywhere, and the right program can shrink your out-of-pocket cost dramatically. Serve First Realty is a licensed California brokerage (not a lender) that helps first-time buyers find the home and match it to the right local programs. Pick your area below for a guide built for your market.
One family. Two ways we help.
The loan and the home, handled together
Buying your first home usually means two jobs at once: getting the financing right and finding the home. Serve First Realty handles the real estate side, and our affiliated company Ashlar Lending Inc. (NMLS #2699657) is a mortgage brokerage that can help you get pre-approved, compare loan options, and structure down payment assistance so your programs actually stack. It’s one coordinated team from pre-approval to keys, the financing and the search moving together. (Serve First Realty is a real estate brokerage, not a lender; loan terms and eligibility are determined by the lender.)
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Home Affordability Calculator
Estimate your price range, including down-payment assistance.
See what you can afford