Statesboro’s housing inventory sits at just 1.9 months—half of what economists call a balanced market—so desirable homes under $225k often receive offers within 48 hours. Median list prices rose 6.8 % year-over-year, yet NMHL’s average borrower still locks a 30-year fixed rate 0.375 % below advertised national averages because we shop wholesale pricing daily with 40 investors.

• Average Days on Market: 46 (down from 64 last year)
• List-to-Sale Price Ratio: 98 %—sellers rarely negotiate below 2 %
• Fastest Moving Segment: 3-bed/2-bath ranch in Foxlake ($190k–$210k)

If you are pre-approved through NMHL, your offer carries the same credibility as a cash bid: we attach a fully underwritten approval, not just a pre-qual letter, and we can close in 18 days—crucial when competing with investors buying rentals for Georgia Southern students.

Downtown Statesboro Historic District – Craftsman bungalows from $160k; eligible for FHA 203(k) renovation loans; walkable to breweries and the Averitt Center.

Saddle Club Plantation – New construction starting at $225k; HOA $350/year; qualifies for USDA 100 % financing just inside the eligible rural map.

Country Club Estates – Larger lots, median $285k; conventional jumbo loans kick in at $726,200 price, so most purchases stay within NMHL’s low-rate conforming bucket.

The Grove @ Mill Creek – Gated patio homes from $240k; popular with professors and medical staff; FHA 3.5 % down accepted by builders if you use NMHL’s in-house preferred processor.

Bird Neck Hill – Up-and-coming area west of downtown; prices still under $175k; Section 502 Direct USDA loans mean zero down plus payment assistance for lower-income families.

Georgia Dream doubles the standard assistance to $15,000 for buyers in Bulloch County because median income here falls under HUD’s 80 % AMI limit. Combine that with NMHL’s Fresh-Start credit coaching: last quarter, 62 % of Statesboro first-timers who started below 620 raised their score 35 points in 30 days by paying down revolving balances under 30 % and using NMHL’s rapid-rescore vendor—no new credit cards needed.

1. Take the free online Georgia Dream Homebuyer Education course; NMHL reimburses the $99 fee at closing.
2. Lock a 3 % seller concession into your offer; on a $195k purchase that covers GA Dream’s required $1,500 borrower investment plus most closing costs.
3. Choose an FHA 203(k) streamlined loan if the home needs less than $35k in updates; one loan, one closing, and you gain instant equity.

Georgia Southern’s ROTC program and the nearby Fort Stewart military corridor keep Statesboro VA-friendly. NMHL’s Statesboro VA team includes a retired Army captain who knows how to parse LES codes and residual-income calculations, so you avoid the headaches big banks create.

VA Highlights:

• Zero down up to $766,550 with NMHL’s jumbo VA overlay—no county limit
• 0.5 % funding fee for first-use VA IRRRL refinances; we roll it into the rate, not your principal
• Property-tax exemption for 100 % disabled vets saves roughly $138/month on the median home

Recent example: A Fort Stewart E-7 bought a $275k new build in Lakes at Mill Creek—zero down, 5.875 % 30-year fixed, monthly payment $1,635 including taxes, insurance, and HOA—$300 cheaper than on-post housing allowance.

Statesboro’s small-business backbone—ranging from catering companies serving Georgia Southern tailgates to logistics firms along U.S. 301—means plenty of 1099 earners who can’t show rising taxable income. NMHL’s 12- or 24-month bank-statement program allows loan-to-values up to 90 % without tax returns.

Qualifying Quick View:

• Credit score: 620+ for 90 % LTV; 580+ for 85 % LTV
• Loan amounts: $150k–$1.5M
• Debt-service coverage ratio: simply show bank statements covering proposed housing payment plus other debts
• No mortgage-insurance required at 80 % LTV

Last year, NMHL closed 43 self-employed mortgages in Statesboro with an average loan size of $272k—most funded within 15 business days. Local CPA firm DeLoach & Company already maintains the profit-and-loss spreadsheets we request, cutting document prep time.

Bulloch County assesses at 40 % of fair market value, so a $195k home has an assessed value of $78k. City + County + School mills total 27.9, producing roughly $1,650 tax before exemptions. Key savings:

• Standard homestead exemption: $2k off assessed value
• Floating exemption: automatically kicks in when assessments rise more than 3 % in a year
• School tax exemption for seniors 62+

Appeals must be filed with the Board of Assessors within 45 days of notice—NMHL supplies a sample appeal letter and recent comps so owners can shave hundreds off annual taxes. Because we escrow, any successful reduction lowers next year’s monthly payment by roughly $8–$10 per $50k of reduced valuation.