First-Time Home Buyer in Pennsylvania

The straight-talk guide to buying your first home in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, the Poconos and anywhere in PA — from the Old Forge brokerage families have trusted since 1982.

Get Pre-Qualified — Free

Get a call within 24 hours — no SSN needed!

The short version

Buying your first home in Pennsylvania takes three things:

A real pre-approval — free, usually within 24 hours.
A budget that includes PA’s extras — transfer tax, school-district taxes, older-home repairs.
The right program — FHA, conventional, VA, USDA zero-down, or down-payment assistance.

In Northeastern PA, anything outside the valley can qualify for USDA zero-down, and most sellers contribute to closing costs. We shop many lenders with no processing fee.

Start my free pre-qual

Get a call within 24 hours — no SSN needed!

Whitehall Mortgage sign, Old Forge, Pennsylvania

Am I a “first-time buyer”? Most people are.

As long as you don’t own a primary residence today, you qualify — even if you owned a home years ago or the house went to your ex. We confirm it in one call.

The programs we use for Pennsylvania first-time buyers

FHA

Flexible credit, low down payment, gifts allowed. Great for NEPA’s older homes and for 2–4 unit houses: live in one, rent the rest.

Conventional

Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac first-time options with a low down payment and mortgage insurance that eventually goes away.

VA

Thank you for your service. For veterans and active duty: no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. You earned this benefit — let us help you use it.

USDA zero-down

Pennsylvania’s best-kept secret: zero down. Anything outside the valley — the countryside and small towns beyond Scranton and Wilkes-Barre — can qualify. We check your address in 30 seconds.

Down payment assistance

Whitehall offers its own down-payment assistance programs and works with any state or county grant you qualify for. You don’t have to find the program — we match you.

Seller assist

In Pennsylvania it’s normal for the seller to contribute toward your closing costs. Your realtor negotiates it; we structure the loan so it’s used.

Program specifics change and carry income, price and credit requirements. We confirm what’s available the day you apply.

Doug Pinnell on the phone at the Old Forge office

Pennsylvania costs and quirks

Transfer tax — a state tax plus a local one; who pays is negotiable and usually split. It’s in your estimate from day one.
Older homes — knob-and-tube, oil tanks, roofs, foundations. Inspections matter; we match the program to the house.
School-district taxes — the same price in Scranton, Abington Heights or Dallas can differ by thousands a year. We price the exact house.
Rural appraisals — a “rural” label can trip a lender’s rule. That’s where a broker earns it (story below).
Winter buying — November to March means less competition and sellers who negotiate.

From offer to keys in six steps

1. Get pre-approved

Free, usually within 24 hours, good for 120 days. Real underwriting, not an online guess.

2. Know the whole payment

Principal, interest, taxes, insurance — you see the number before you shop.

3. Shop with a local realtor

We work with agents across Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe and beyond and can introduce you.

4. Offer with seller assist

Your realtor negotiates; we structure the loan around it. Then inspection.

5. Appraisal

If anything comes back odd — “rural,” a repair — we handle it.

6. Clear to close → keys

About 30 days is typical. We’ve done faster.

Family-owned since

Hours to a typical pre-approval

Days your pre-approval is good for

Processing fee — ever

Dallas Pinnell signing at the Old Forge office

Why a broker: a recent NEPA closing

Everything was signed off and we were two weeks from closing. Then the appraisal came back and labeled the home “rural.” That one word triggered a rule at the lender: rural meant a much bigger down payment, and my buyer wasn’t in a position for that. We pushed back. They wouldn’t budge. So we did what a broker can do and a bank can’t — moved the file to a lender without that rule, worked with both agents on a short extension, and closed. One lender’s “no” is not the final answer.— Dallas Pinnell, Mortgage Broker · NMLS #1580860

Mistakes we see every month

Opening new credit before closing
Changing jobs mid-process
Writing offers before pre-approval
Assuming you need 20% down
Waiting for spring when winter buyers get better deals
Taking the first bank’s “no” as the answer

Why buyers use Whitehall: family-owned in Old Forge since 1982 · we shop many lenders · no processing fee · Dallas and Doug answer the phone at (570) 562-7505.

Dallas and Doug Pinnell, Whitehall Mortgage

Questions we hear from Pennsylvania first-time buyers

Do I need 20% down to buy a house in Pennsylvania?

No. Several first-time programs need very little down, USDA needs none in eligible areas, and gifts and seller assist can cover much of the rest.

Is my address USDA-eligible?

Anything outside the valley can be. Text us the address and we’ll check it in 30 seconds.

Is there down payment assistance in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Whitehall has its own down-payment assistance programs and works with state and county grants. Tell us where you’re buying and we’ll tell you what you fit.

Can the seller pay my closing costs in PA?

Usually, yes. Seller assist is standard in Pennsylvania — your realtor negotiates it and we structure the loan so it’s used.

How long does a pre-approval take?

Usually within 24 hours. It’s free and good for 120 days.

Can I buy a duplex as my first home?

Yes. Live in one unit and rent the other — FHA allows 2–4 unit homes, and the rent can help you qualify.

Do you help buyers outside Scranton and Wilkes-Barre?

Yes — we lend statewide in Pennsylvania from our Old Forge office.

Start with a free pre-approval.

Or call (570) 562-7505.

Get Pre-Qualified

Get a call within 24 hours — no SSN needed!

Borrower Portal · Realtor Portal

Dallas Pinnell, NMLS #1580860 · Whitehall Mortgage Financial LTD, Company NMLS #102617 · NMLS Consumer Access · Equal Housing Opportunity