Answers by Valentino Sanchez

Absolutely—this is actually a great position to be in, especially as a first-time buyer with access to a property before it hits the market. The first step is to get properly structured on the financing side. Even though the home isn’t listed yet, you can still move forward with securing a loan. What you’ll want to obtain is a full mortgage pre-approval, not just a pre-qualification. A pre-approval is based on verified financials and gives you a clear understanding of your purchasing power and loan options. From there, we can explore the best loan programs based on your financial profile. As a first-time buyer, you typically have several strong options: FHA loans – allow as little as 3.5% down and are more flexible with credit Conventional loans – as low as 3% down with competitive rates if your credit is strong USDA or other programs – in certain areas, may allow little to no down payment Since this is an off-market opportunity, timing becomes very important. Getting pre-approved now allows you to: Move quickly before the property is listed publicly Negotiate from a position of strength Potentially secure more favorable terms with the seller There are also creative options worth exploring, depending on the situation, such as: Negotiating directly with the seller (private sale structure) Exploring assumable mortgages if the seller has a favorable rate Structuring favorable closing timelines since there’s no public competition The key is aligning the right loan structure with your long-term financial goals, not just getting approved. If you’d like, I can walk you through what your numbers would look like and connect you with lenders who specialize in structuring first-time buyer scenarios like this—especially for off-market opportunities, which require a bit more strategy than a typical purchase.

Leased solar panels are important to review before moving forward. In most cases, the solar lease is transferred to the new buyer at closing, meaning they take over the monthly payment. However, some buyers may push back on this, so it can impact resale and negotiations. As for financing, yes—the solar lease payment is typically counted as a monthly debt when you apply for a mortgage. This can affect your debt-to-income ratio and overall buying power. Before proceeding, I always recommend reviewing the lease terms, transfer requirements, and payoff options so there are no surprises on either side of the transaction.

In most cases, a mortgage pre-approval is valid for 60 to 90 days. After that timeframe, lenders typically require an update to ensure your financial profile (income, credit, assets, and debt) still supports the approval.