First-Time Buyers · Las Vegas, NV

Buying your first home inLas Vegas.

Which loan. How much down. What help exists.

A plain-English roadmap to your first Las Vegas home — pick the right loan, stack Nevada down-payment help, see what you can afford, and follow the steps. One local team for all of it.

Get pre-qualified See your options
Las Vegas, NV · Licensed in 33 states
4.9 ★ rated
750+ reviews
A+ Accredited
BBB · since 2004

Quick answer — To buy your first Las Vegas home, get pre-qualified, pick the loan that fits you (conventional 3% down, FHA 3.5%, or VA $0 down), stack Nevada down-payment help, then make an offer. Valley West Mortgage guides first-time buyers through all of it.

Led by Vatche Saatdjian · Las Vegas mortgage expert since 2004 · NMLS #65506 · Updated June 2026

Answer first

How do I buy my first home in Las Vegas?

In three moves: get pre-qualified, pick the right loan and assistance, then make an offer. Here's the shape of it.

Get pre-qualified firstA quick local review tells you your real budget and which loans you'd qualify for — before you fall in love with a listing.
Pick the right loan + helpConventional 3%, FHA, or VA — then stack the Nevada down-payment program that fits you. We match you to the best fit.
Make your offer & closeWith a strong pre-approval in hand, you write a confident offer and we take it to the keys — one local team start to finish.
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Years lending in Las Vegas
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Average rating · 750+ reviews
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Trusted partners

Partner names shown for identification only and do not imply endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship.

Choose a loan

Which loan is right for you?

Four real paths to a first Las Vegas home. Compare them side by side, then jump to the one that fits — we'll confirm your match.

Conventional 3%

Best for buyers with solid credit who want removable mortgage insurance.

3%
Minimum down
  • Credit: strong preferred
  • PMI removable at 20% equity
Start conventional FHA

Best for buyers with flexible credit or a smaller cushion of savings.

3.5%
Minimum down
  • Credit: often FICO 580+
  • Gift funds allowed
Explore FHA VA

Best for eligible Veterans and active-duty service members.

$0
Down with entitlement
  • No monthly PMI
  • Service eligibility required
Explore VA + Assistance

Best paired with any loan above to shrink your cash to close.

$20k
Help, up to
  • Nevada DPA programs
  • Covers down + closing
See the programs

Not sure which fits? Get pre-qualified and we'll route you to your strongest option. Minimums shown are program guidance, not quotes.

Down-payment help

Down-payment help for Las Vegas buyers.

Nevada runs several programs that cover much of your down payment and closing costs. Most stack on top of the loan you choose.

2–4% forgivable

Home Is Possible

Forgivable assistance toward your down payment and closing costs for qualifying Nevada buyers.

Check eligibility
Up to $15k

Home First

First-time-buyer help with down payment and closing costs across Clark County.

Check eligibility
Up to $20k

Worker Advantage

Assistance for eligible working Nevada buyers — a boost toward your first home.

Check eligibility
$7,500

HIP for Teachers

Targeted down-payment help for eligible Nevada teachers and school staff.

Check eligibility

Program names, amounts, and eligibility are set by the program administrators and change over time — confirm current details with us. Availability depends on income, location, and funding.

Afford it

What you can buy in Clark County.

Most first homes fall well under the conforming limit. Here's the ceiling, plus a quick sense of what a typical purchase looks like.

2026 Clark County conforming limit (1-unit)
$832,750
The most you can borrow with a standard conventional loan. Above it is a jumbo loan with its own guidelines. Limits update annually — confirm the current number with us.

A typical first purchase

$450k
Representative Las Vegas price
$13,500
3% down on conventional
3
Loan paths that fit it

Illustrative only — not a rate quote or loan offer. Use our affordability tool for your numbers.

How it works

From renting to your keys.

Five steps, one local team. Here's the whole journey at a glance.

Step 1

Pre-approval

Know your budget and your loan options.

Step 2

Shop

House-hunt with a real number in hand.

Step 3

Offer & inspect

Write a strong offer, then inspect.

Step 4

Underwriting

We package and clear your file.

Step 5

Close

Sign and get the keys.

Get pre-qualified
Keep going

Go deeper before you buy.

Conforming limit, Nevada

The 2026 Clark County conforming limit and how down payment works.

Read the guide

Conventional requirements

Credit, down payment, DTI, and PMI removable at 20% equity.

Read the guide

How much house can I afford?

Run the numbers for your income, debts, and down payment.

Open the tool
Explore more

Your Las Vegas buyer toolkit

Conventional Loans in Henderson2026 Conforming LimitConventional Down PaymentDown Payment AssistanceConventional vs FHAHow Much House Can I AffordBest Conventional LendersAffordability Checkup
Common questions

First-time buying in Las Vegas, answered.

How do I buy my first home in Las Vegas?
Get pre-qualified to learn your budget, choose the loan that fits (conventional 3%, FHA 3.5%, or VA $0 down), stack any Nevada down-payment assistance you qualify for, then make an offer and close. As a direct local lender, Valley West Mortgage guides first-time buyers through every step.
How much down payment do first-time buyers need?
It depends on the loan: conventional can go as low as 3% down for first-time buyers, FHA is 3.5%, and VA can be $0 down for eligible service members. Nevada down-payment assistance can cover much of the down payment and closing costs.
Which loan is best for a first-time buyer in Nevada?
There's no single best loan — it depends on your credit, savings, and eligibility. Conventional 3% suits buyers with solid credit who want removable PMI; FHA suits flexible-credit buyers; VA is unbeatable for eligible service members. We compare them with you and route you to the right one.
What credit score do I need to buy a home?
Conventional loans usually want a stronger score, FHA often works with FICO 580+, and VA has no set minimum. We review your full financial picture and, if needed, give you a short plan to strengthen your file before you buy.
Is there a conventional loan limit in Clark County?
Yes. The 2026 conforming loan limit for a one-unit home in Clark County is a reference figure of $832,750; loans above it are jumbo loans with their own guidelines. Limits update annually — confirm the current number with us.
Can I get down-payment help and still buy this year?
Often yes. Nevada down-payment assistance programs are designed to be paired with a regular purchase loan, and we coordinate the loan and the assistance together so they close on the same timeline.
How long does it take to buy a home in Las Vegas?
Pre-approval can happen in a day or two; from accepted offer to closing is commonly about 30 days. House-hunting is the variable part — having a real pre-approval in hand speeds everything that follows.
Why use a local Las Vegas lender as a first-time buyer?
We price every file in-house and you talk to a real local person — not a call center. For a first-time buyer that means lower rates, clear answers to your questions, and someone in Las Vegas who knows the programs, neighborhoods, and timelines.
From the buyers we serve

Read what first-time buyers say.

★★★★★
They laid out FHA, conventional, and the down-payment help side by side. We picked with confidence.
Brianna & Joel · First-time buyers
★★★★★
3% down on a conventional loan plus state help got us into our first Las Vegas home this year.
Marcus L. · Centennial Hills
★★★★★
Every question answered by a real local person. No call center, no pressure, just clear guidance.
Sofia R. · Henderson
★★★★★
We weren't sure we could even afford it. The pre-approval showed us exactly what was possible.
The Nguyen Family
★★★★★
They explained PMI and how it drops off at 20% equity. Finally, numbers that made sense.
Dani K. · Summerlin
★★★★★
First home, first loan, a hundred questions — and they walked us through all of it patiently.
Andre & Mia · North LV

Customer experiences may vary. Reviews do not guarantee loan approval, rates, terms, or outcomes.

A Las Vegas home at dusk

Your first home is
a conversation away.

One application. One local team, lower rates, and a clear path to the right first-home loan and the down-payment help that fits you.

Get pre-qualified (702) 696-9900