Do I need 20 percent down?

No. Many first-time loans use less. What you need is a lender letter that matches the price band you are touring. Ask about reserves and mortgage insurance on the actual program, not a blog average.

Can I buy new construction as a first home?

Yes. A large share of Leslie’s first-time buyers do. You still need to qualify at the full rate, understand the incentive, and budget for blinds, lawn, and the things a model home hides.

What if I found a house on Zillow this morning?

Text or call her before you go. On new construction, walking in without an agent can cost you representation. On resale, she can still write the offer the same day if you are already pre-approved.

Your First Home on the Space Coast: What Week One with Leslie Actually Looks Like

A first home on the Space Coast is not a Pinterest board. It is a pre-approval, a short list of towns that fit the commute, and a realtor who will sit in the driveway and tell you if the house is the one. Leslie Clarke’s reviews keep repeating the same week: she prints the map, she does not rush the offer, and she does not disappear after you are under contract. This page is that week, in order, without the generic “5 tips.”

Before you tour anything

Talk to a lender first. Not a pre-qualification chat, a full application with credit pulled. Palm Bay new construction, a Cocoa resale, and a Satellite Beach condo are three different loan conversations. The payment you saw on a listing app is not your payment. Taxes, insurance, HOA, and flood change it. Leslie will not quote a premium. She will make sure you have a number before you fall in love with a kitchen.

Write down the commute, the must-haves, and the things you only think you need. A three-car garage in Port Malabar is easy. A walk to the ocean is not. First buyers who try to have both on a starter budget stall. Pick the life, then pick the city. Neighborhood pages on this site are the towns. This page is the process.

Tour days

Leslie will not send you a portal and wish you luck. You will get a route, printed or on your phone, and time at each house. New construction sales offices and resale lockboxes do not run on the same clock. She will tell you which builder requires a registration before you walk in so her name is on the deal.

On the showing, look at the panel, the roof from the yard, the HVAC age, and the backyard drainage — not only the island. First buyers over-index on staging. The expensive surprises live in systems. Save the finish opinions for after the inspector has spoken.

The offer through keys

Resale offers on the Space Coast still need inspection, insurance, and appraisal room. New construction offers need the incentive in writing and a calendar that matches your lease. Leslie writes both. She will tell you when “love letter” language does nothing and when a clean, short inspection period actually matters.

After you are under contract she stays on the file: appraisal gaps, punch lists, well tests, and the moment a builder’s closer changes a credit. First buyers get scared when a third party asks for one more document. That is normal. Her job is to tell you which requests are routine and which are a problem.

What this is not

This is not a down-payment assistance encyclopedia. Those programs change and belong with your lender. It is not a school rating. It is not legal advice. If a seller disclosure or a title issue looks legal, you get a Florida real estate attorney. Leslie is your agent. She is not your lawyer, your insurer, or your inspector.