Beginner to Buyer Chase

Whether you are a new homeowner or just beginning to think about how you will buy your first home, you’ve probably realized you have a lot to learn. From saving for a down payment, to taking advantage of special lending programs for first-time buyers, it’s important to have expert advice and insights from experienced professionals.

In Season 1 of Beginner to Buyer, we walked you through the basics of planning for and buying your first home. With Season 2 we’ll continue to guide you through the home-buying journey. In this first episode podcast host Nadeska Alexis sits down with new and prospective homeowners as well as Chase Home Lending expert Sean Grzebin to give a refresher on the home buying process, and how to navigate what is often one of the biggest and most meaningful purchases in a person’s life.

Nadeska speaks with prospective homebuyer Cheyenne Davis to address some common questions people have as they begin to think about how they can afford to buy a home. They discuss the significance of homeownership for multiple generations of women in Cheyenne’s family and address the realities of student loan debt and saving for a down payment. With this pragmatic perspective they talk about how to enlist the guidance of a home lending expert to determine your budget, as well as how to think about your home priorities from location to amenities. As Nadeska and Cheyenne compare notes and questions, they break down the process of home buying into clear and manageable steps.

To dig into how to take the next steps, Nadeska is joined by Chase Home Lending expert Sean Grzebin, who breaks down the basics of the real estate market, finding out whether you’re dealing with a buyer or seller’s market, and how to know if you’re ready to buy a house. With that understanding, Sean explains how to work with a home lending advisor to figure out how much house you can afford as you begin your search. Sean has great advice and perspective on potential tradeoffs to consider in buying a first home, why your commute matters, and additional costs beyond your down payment- from homeowners insurance to property taxes.

If you’re ready to get serious about your home-buying journey, hearing from Cheyenne, Nadeska, and Sean will help you get a sense of where you are now and what you need to do to take the next steps.

You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website

How do you know if it’s a good time to buy a home? Are you ready personally? How does the housing market with its changing interest rates affect the decisions you make?

In this episode of Beginner to Buyer host Nadeska Alexis begins by interviewing Jason Roberts, a California renter who recently experienced some of the ups and downs of the home buying process. They discuss Jason’s experience with a hot housing market and the decisions and tradeoffs he had to make at different stages and create some context to help you understand how to evaluate what you need to have in place to have success in each housing market. Through Jason’s experience listeners will get a sense of the challenges of home buying, while also gaining confidence that even when things don’t go as expected, the process itself provides lessons that can help you eventually find the right home at the right time.

Nadeska is then joined by Chase expert Andy Tisler for a primer on how the real estate market changes, what interest rates mean and how to understand your buying power. Andy also explains the benefits and drawbacks of different mortgage options, how to think about refinancing and the value of working with a Home Lending Advisor to evaluate the best options for your individual needs.

While the complexities of interest rates and the market overall can be daunting, Andy and Nadeska break down the basics to help you understand the right questions to ask and strategies to consider as you weigh your home buying options. They also discuss tools available on chase.com such as the mortgage calculator that can empower your search with information based on your situation and the current market and interest rates.

You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website

If you’re like many people these days, your home-buying journey likely started online, browsing listings on platforms like Redfin and Zillow. Offering an easy way to view huge numbers of listings in any zip code, these platforms have surged in popularity— especially during the pandemic-influenced real estate bubble of the last several years. While online browsing can be a great way to start your search, there’s really no substitute for a trusted IRL (in real life) network— from friends or family members familiar with a given neighborhood to your realtor and mortgage lending agent, the people you surround yourself are key to the success of your journey.

In this episode, host Nadeska Alexis talks with new homeowner Joe Karlsson about how he found his house in St. Paul, Minnesota. From initial online browsing, to making lists of needs, to family recommendations for what to look for in a realtor, Joe explains how he relied on his network to help him navigate his search. Joe also tells Nadeska some of the tips his realtor offered, what he learned visiting fifteen to twenty houses before making an offer, and what it was like to meet his eventual home’s previous owners.

Later, Nadeska is joined by real estate broker and television star Ryan Serhant for a closer look at the rapidly changing real estate market and how online tools have changed how people interact with it. Ryan breaks down how the super-hot market of 2020 has affected home prices as well as people’s buying behaviors. With solid perspective on interest rates and how refinancing can eventually mitigate higher home prices now, Ryan offers pragmatic insights into how to think about buying a home today, when to act fast and when to exercise caution.

Beyond the current market perspective, Ryan emphasizes the value of a good relationship with your real estate agent and the benefits of maintaining that relationship over time. From the financial benefits of working with someone who really knows a given market and how to make the best offer possible, to the long-term possibilities of having a professional to return to as your needs and the market change, Ryan offers insider insights into what makes a good agent and how to find one.

You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. How do you know if you’re finally ready to make the leap? How much do you need to have for a down payment? What other expenses should you be prepared for as a new homeowner? Are there programs available that could help you as a first-time homebuyer?

In this episode, host Nadeska Alexis looks at all these questions for a deep dive into how to make sure you’re financially prepared for your first home. Nadeska speaks with new homeowner Dani Malloy about how she and her family started their house search when they realized they were quickly outgrowing their Chicago apartment. Dani shares how they decided between a larger city condo and a detached home and how HOAs affected their choice. She also describes why it was important to her to save for a traditional 20% down payment and how she and her husband were able to do that. She then offers her experience with learning to be picky while viewing houses and how that worked to their advantage when they eventually made an offer on an older home. Now settled into their new home, Dani has some concerns about the ongoing maintenance and yard work required and has questions about refinancing.

To address those concerns and questions, Nadeska is joined by Arielle Figueroa, a financial planner and Money Educator with a background as a loan officer. Arielle addresses one of the biggest concerns potential home buyers have— can I buy a home with existing debt? — and explains how your credit report is viewed by lenders. Arielle also explains different strategies for reducing your debt and saving for large expenses over time as well as how to create a budget that works for you and your goals. Lastly, Arielle breaks down the financial benefits of owning a home, explaining why it’s worth it to create a financial roadmap to achieve your goal.

You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website

Do you really need 20% of a home’s cost for a down payment? Can you buy a home if you have student loans? Is it better to be pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage? Is your home guaranteed to increase in value? There are many misconceptions about the details of home ownership so if you’re starting the process of looking for a home this episode of Beginner to Buyer will get you up to speed on the reality behind common myths and misunderstandings.

To start, host Nadeska Alexis talks with new homeowner Dave Brown about how he and his fiancé found their first home and managed to save for it as well as an upcoming wedding. Dave and his partner are both planners which shaped how they approached their search for a home as they were determined to do the research to avoid common myths around the process. Initially based in Washington, DC, they wound up looking in Minneapolis, Minnesota to be closer to family and find lower cost of living and housing prices. Dave is open about the frustrations of the process and how he and his fiancé communicated and created organizational tools to break down their priorities and evaluate how different houses fit them. Their focus eventually paid off and Dave shares perspective about what was challenging and ultimately rewarding. Nadeska is then joined by Cerita Battles, Managing Director, head of Community & Affordable Lending at Chase for a deep dive into common myths and misconceptions about the home buying process. Cerita explains different down payment options, how your debt affects your ability to buy a home and breaks down the expenses associated with home buying beyond the down payment. She also explains how home equity works, why your home is not always guaranteed to increase in value, and the realities of renovations in terms of home value.

Whether you’re new to the home buying process or settling into home ownership, Nadeska and Cerita’s conversation is filled with important insights and detailed breakdowns of how to avoid common mistakes and misconceptions.



You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website

Does home ownership make you happier? The research is mixed, but most people agree that the security and stability of owning your own home offers a significant benefit and one that represents a level of achievement many strive for.

In this episode of Beginner to Buyer, host Nadeska Alexis speaks with new homeowner Holly Sprinkle about what home ownership means to her. Holly shares her experience as a single mom of two boys and the difficulties of finding rental properties that worked for her family and their large dog. Buying a home meant security and freedom for Holly and she describes how she navigated the process of going from financial insecurity to being prepared to buy the home she wanted. She also explains how it took time to find an agent who she felt was a real advocate for her needs, and details how being well understood by your agent can make a real difference in your search.

Holly worked hard to be able to buy her home and is realistic about the challenges she faced while also being clear on the benefits to her and her family. As you navigate your own process of home buying, you will likely face ups and downs as well. Being prepared for the emotional and psychological effects of what can be a stressful process and staying focused on the benefits can help you get through the hard parts with less anxiety.

To talk more about the benefits of home ownership and managing the worries that may come up, Nadeska is joined by Felton Ellington, Community Lending Manager at Chase. Felton and Nadeska express the pride and sense of achievement that come with homeownership, and how these fewer tangible benefits make the financial commitment worthwhile. Felton’s experience offers a pragmatic perspective alongside discussions of home ownership as the American Dream. As he describes the positive impact of ownership on communities and individuals, he is also clear on the necessity of preparing for ongoing expenses and the sometimes-stressful realities of owning your home.



You can read the full transcript on the Chase Website