Anthem · First-Time Buyers
First-time buyers in Anthem
Your lease renewed at a number that made you angry. Here is what buying actually looks like, step by step, with the payment figured out first.
First-time buyers in Anthem: an honest starting point
First-time buyers in Anthem should know two things before they look. The first is that Sun City Anthem and Solera at Anthem are age-restricted, so for most first-time buyers those neighborhoods are off the list no matter the price, which removes a large share of Anthem's single-story inventory from the search. The second is that Anthem is a newer master-planned community in south Henderson, and a first purchase here is a stretch for some buyers and exactly right for others, depending on the number and on whether the HOA dues fit the monthly payment.
The first-time buyer Anthem suits is usually one whose number is a little bigger than the typical first-timer's, who works south or near the airport, and who wants a newer home in a community with the hospitals and the airport a reasonable drive away. If that is not you, the southwest, North Las Vegas and the older parts of Henderson are where more first homes get bought, and I will say so.
Find out what I can afford in Anthem
Why first-time buyers in Anthem work with me
I am John Arendt, a Realtor with Compass Realty & Management, and I have sold homes across the Las Vegas valley for 20 years, in Anthem and the rest of Henderson among them. First-timers get taught: every step explained once, plainly, before it happens, and a straight answer when you ask which one. Because I also work North Las Vegas and the southwest, where a lot of the valley's first homes get bought, I will tell you honestly when your number is better spent there than in Anthem.
We start with the payment. Talk to a lender early; a pre-approval is not required to start with me, but I recommend it strongly, because it is better to shop for what you know you can afford. In Anthem the whole payment always includes HOA dues, which fund the community's common areas and belong in your monthly number from the first conversation. Then we talk about what you do for a living, because assistance programs exist and some depend on it. What your down payment should actually be is here. Before or during the first showing we sign a buyer representation agreement, so you know in writing who I work for and how I am paid, which is negotiated and never fixed.
How buying your first home in Anthem goes
The first call covers where you work, what you pay in rent, what the house has to do and what you are hoping to spend. Then the payment conversation with a lender, dues included. Then a short list in the non-restricted neighborhoods of Anthem, single-story or two-story family plans depending on what the house has to do, with a comparison against the rest of Henderson at the same number so you choose Anthem with your eyes open. The 3D walkthroughs do the first pass.
When you find it, the offer is written with you line by line. Earnest money is typically about 1 percent and negotiable. The due diligence period is usually 10 calendar days to two weeks and negotiable, and it is when the inspection happens and when you read the HOA resale package Nevada requires the seller to provide, which is where the dues and the rules about your own house live. Then the appraisal, the loan, a final walkthrough, signing and keys. The whole process is here, and the first-timer's article is worth reading tonight.
Anthem specifics a first-time buyer should know
The age-restricted communities are not an option unless someone in the household meets the age minimum, and a first-time buyer who falls for a Sun City Anthem listing online has usually not been told that. The non-restricted single-story homes have the widest buyer pool in Anthem, so competition is real when a good one appears. Anthem's newer parts compete with builders elsewhere in south Henderson, so know what the builders are offering that month before writing on a resale. And the HOA controls more than a first-time buyer expects, from paint colors to what sits in the driveway, so read the package before you decide you are the kind of person who does not mind.
If your lease is up and you want to know whether a first home in Anthem is possible for you, call or text 702-881-6562, tell me what you do for a living, what you pay in rent and where you work, and you will get a straight answer, including "look at the rest of Henderson instead" if that is the answer. More about Anthem, buying a home in Anthem and first-time buyers across the valley are here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a first-time buyer buy in Anthem?
In the non-restricted neighborhoods, yes, if the number and the HOA dues fit. Sun City Anthem and Solera at Anthem are age-restricted and off the list for most first-time buyers regardless of price.
How much do HOA dues add to an Anthem payment?
It depends on the neighborhood, and the exact figure is in the resale package for the specific home. Whatever it is, it goes in your monthly number before we write, not as a surprise at closing.
Do I need 20 percent down to buy in Anthem?
Usually not. Conventional loans can start well below 20 percent, FHA lower still, and assistance programs exist that depend on what you do for a living. The payment conversation sorts this out before we look.
Anthem
What first-time buyers looks like in Anthem
Anthem is single-story living, and it is a real answer for anyone downsizing.
Anthem, in south Henderson, holds the valley's largest concentration of single-story homes, split between the 55-plus communities of Sun City Anthem and Solera at Anthem and the non-restricted neighborhoods where single-story homes mix with two-story family plans.
- The homes
- Anthem has the largest concentration of single-story homes in the valley, split between age-restricted and not. Sun City Anthem and Solera at Anthem are the 55-and-up communities, built almost entirely on one level with clubhouses, pools and activity calendars. The rest of Anthem mixes single-story homes with two-story family plans.
- Why people choose it
- Downsizers who want one level, less yard, and a payment and HOA that do not need thinking about, and move-up families buying into a newer Henderson master-planned community.
- Getting around
- South Henderson, off the 215, a reasonable drive to the airport and the valley's hospitals.
- Nearby
- Henderson's medical corridor, the airport, and Boulder City about half an hour out.
- The trade-off
- Age-restricted communities trade quiet streets and amenities for occupancy rules (grandkids can visit but generally cannot live there), a smaller resale pool, and higher dues. The non-restricted single-story homes are the answer if you want kids on bikes on your street.
First-Time Buyers: keep exploring
Ready to make your move with John Arendt, Realtor?