Big-bank websites run a quick math trick: they multiply your total student-loan balance by 1% and shove that into your monthly debts. For someone carrying $70k in loans, that adds $700 to your obligations before you've even bought groceries. The result? Every online calculator screams "You qualify for a $90k condo—good luck with that."

At NMHL we underwrite to the payment that actually shows on your credit report. If you're on an income-driven plan, that figure might be $95, not $700. Suddenly the same income qualifies for a $280k townhome instead of a cardboard box. We also disregard deferred loans for FHA and use Fannie Mae's 0.5% rule for conventional loans—both cut your phantom debt in half or more.

Another hidden trap: two-year employment history. Banks love to quote it, but Fannie, Freddie, FHA, VA, and USDA all carve out exceptions for recent graduates. One day in a new career counts if your degree relates to the job. Our underwriters have seen it all—engineering majors who bartended senior year, nursing grads who just passed the NCLEX—so they know how to document it properly. Don't self-deny based on Reddit threads; let a human underwriter look.

Most grads assume they need 20% down because that's what parents preach. Reality: 67% of first-time buyers put down less than 10%, and NMHL's average down payment for borrowers under 30 is 3.2%. Here's how we get there:

• FHA: 3.5% down, credit to 580, family gift allowed for every penny.
• Conventional 97: 3% down, 620 credit, cheaper mortgage insurance than FHA.
• EdgeStart 1% Down: You bring 1%, NMHL grants 2%, giving you 3% equity on day one.
• VA: Zero down for veterans, plus the funding fee can be rolled into the loan.
• USDA: Zero down in suburban & rural ZIPs—many college towns qualify.

Here's a recent client: Jasmine, $65k in loans, $55k teaching salary, $2,800 in savings. EdgeStart plus a $4,000 state educator grant covered her 3% down and closing costs. She brought $1,100 total to the table and bought a $220k bungalow three blocks from her school. Her mortgage payment is $78 less than the rent she was about to renew.

Credit scoring is a game, and new grads start with thin files that respond fast to small moves. NMHL's Credit Edge simulator has helped borrowers add 32 points on average in under a month. The top levers:

• Authorized-user piggyback: One parent adds you to a 10-year-old card with perfect history—no hard pull, instant age boost.
• Balance timing: Pay any card to 8.9% of its limit, not zero; bureaus like active but light usage.
• Self-reporting payments: We enroll you in a free service that reports rent, Netflix, and Spotify to Experian.
• Remove old dings: We scan for medical collections under $500—they must be deleted under new rules.

Once you hit 620, your PMI rate drops roughly 0.25% and you unlock conventional 97. Every 20-point band saves about $40 a month on a $300k loan—real money you can redirect to retirement or travel.

We run the simulation before you pay anything down so you don't waste cash on the wrong balance. The best part? Points jump fast at the lower end; going from 580 to 640 is often cheaper than a spring-break trip you already regret.

Talking in hypotheticals is boring, so here are five NMHL borrowers who closed in May—all searched "Just graduated college want mortgage" and felt hopeless on day one:

1. Marcus: IT grad, $72k salary, $88k loans. Used FHA 3.5% plus $6k Texas grant. Bought $265k condo, payment $1,960—$150 less than area rent.

2. Priya & Leo: Married, combined $95k income, $120k loans. Conventional 97 at 6.125%, 5% gift from Leo's mom. $335k townhouse, payment $2,480.

3. Camila: Social worker, $48k salary, $54k loans. NHFA grant covered 3% down plus $3k closing on $195k bungalow. Her cash-to-close: $500.

4. Derek (veteran): Zero down VA, $0 funding fee exempt. $290k new-build, payment $2,150—BAH is $2,250, so he pockets $100 a month.

5. Hannah: Doctor resident, $62k stipend, $210k loans. Used FHA and community-second program for 3.5% plus closing. Bought $315k duplex—tenant covers 60% of the payment.

Every one of them started with the same worry you have right now. The difference: they clicked the pre-approval button and let us do the math instead of trusting a bank's public calculator.

You're already doing the hardest part—researching while the ink on your degree is still wet. Here's the three-step path from search bar to front door:

Step 1: Book a 15-minute Zoom with an NMHL New-Grad Specialist. Bring your offer letter, your student-loan screenshot, and your wildest neighborhood wish-list. We'll run real numbers, not Reddit rumors.

Step 2: Upload docs through our mobile app—pay stubs once you start, last two years of tax returns (even if they were part-time campus jobs), and bank statements. Our AI flags any issues so underwriters clear them before you shop.

Step 3: Get a legitimate pre-approval letter you can hand to a Realtor. In most markets, sellers won't take offers without one, and ours is fully underwritten, not a flimsy pre-qual. When you find the place, we close on average in 28 days.

No marathon seminars, no 200-page binders—just humans who close 300+ grad loans a year and remember what it felt like to juggle ramen budgets and rent deadlines. If you're still convinced the numbers won't work, let's prove it together. Worst-case scenario: you'll leave the call knowing exactly what salary bump or savings goal will unlock the door next year.