Here's the honest version: based on what you told us, there's one thing standing between you and the state's assistance money — and it's fixable. Most people clear it faster than they expect.
New Jersey's down payment assistance has a credit line: 620. It's not our rule — it's the program's. Someone at 595 can still buy a house, but they can't get the assistance money. And the assistance is the whole reason you're here.
So we're not going to talk you into a worse loan today. We're going to show you the fastest route to 620 — because crossing that line can unlock up to $22,000 that you don't pay back monthly.* That's worth a few months of focused work.
The gap is usually smaller than people think. Paying down one card, fixing one report error, or letting one mark age out is often the difference. You just need to know which move matters for your file — that's what the free tool below tells you.
KeySteps is the free tool we give our buyers. It looks at your actual credit picture and hands you a step-by-step plan — which balance to pay first, what to leave alone, and when you'll cross the line.
Not a guess from an app that runs 30–50 points high — where you actually stand.
A ranked plan for your file. The one move that matters most comes first.
The day you're cleared, we pick this right back up and go get your money.
Free forever. No card, no obligation — just the plan.
These aren't buyers who had it easy. Read the ones who started with credit debt, a "not yet," and a plan.
"First time home buyer, with school and credit debt and not knowing a thing about buying a house. 9 months later, they walked me through how to fix my credit and get me to owning my own home. I closed on my home that gave me my girlfriend and her 3 year old a new place, our place, to call home."
"They help us with DTI and credit score. The process was easy, no need to send paperwork, you just upload it in their awesome software. Every milestone there's a video which explains what to do next. We closed it 15 days before the contract. What an awesome experience."
"Was my first time buying a home and they were very helpful. Had some things to overcome to get final approval. They were there for me for it all."
"Craig was really patient with me. It was my first time buying a house. He took his time to help me on what was best for me."
I'm a licensed New Jersey mortgage loan officer based right here in South Jersey, and I'm NJHMFA-approved. Getting you to 620 isn't a brush-off — it's the plan. Do the KeySteps work, and the day you're cleared, my team picks this up exactly where we left off.