New this weekRaleigh, Cary, Garner and Wake Forest
Your first home, without the guesswork.
I help first-time buyers go from the first budget question to keys in hand. 142 first-time buyers since 2018, most of them under $450,000.
5.0 from 118 client reviews
142first homes
Dana explained every number twice. We closed in 34 days, $6,000 under our budget.
How buying works with me
Five steps, in plain English. You always know what happens next and what it costs. Accepted offer to keys averages 34 days.
A free 20-minute call
We talk budget, timing and must-haves. No paperwork, no pressure.
Get pre-approved
I introduce three local lenders. You compare their quotes side by side.
Sign a buyer agreement
Required before tours since August 2024. I explain it line by line, including how I'm paid.
Tour and make an offer
We tour on your schedule. I write an offer that competes without overpaying.
Inspect, appraise and close
I track every deadline and tell you what each repair costs before you decide.
What would my monthly payment be?
Slide to a price and pick a down payment. The estimate includes taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance.
Down payment
Estimated monthly payment
$2,878/mo
$19,250 down, 6.5% example rate, taxes and insurance included.
See the full breakdownStarter homes I like this month
Each one comes with an estimated monthly payment, so you compare homes by what you would pay.
New this week
Under $350K
TownhomeWhere first-time buyers look
Four areas with starter homes in reach, and what you get for the money in each.
Downtown
Condos from $280K
Walk to restaurants, parks and work. Most starter options are condos and townhomes.
Five Points
Cottages from $400K
1920s to 1940s bungalows on shaded streets, ten minutes from downtown.
Cary
Townhomes from $380K
Two-story homes and townhomes, big parks, and a 20-minute drive to downtown.
Selling your first home to buy the next one?
Start with what it is worth. I send a written value range with the three sales I used, within 48 hours.
What first-time buyers say
5.0 average from 118 reviews. Three recent ones:
We lost two offers before we met Dana. She showed us why, fixed our approach, and our third offer won without going over asking.
I texted Dana questions at 10 PM and had answers before breakfast. She talked me out of a house with a $14,000 roof problem.
Dana got the seller to cover $5,200 of our closing costs. That was the difference between buying this year and waiting.
Hi, I'm Dana.
I bought my first home at 29, a 1,400-square-foot ranch in Garner. I overpaid, skimmed the inspection report, and promised myself every buyer I helped would know what I did not.
- Replies within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM
- Every fee and form explained in plain English
- Three lenders to compare, never one
Ready when you are.
Start with a free 20-minute call. Bring every question, even the ones that feel basic.