{"podcast":{"title":"The Educated HomeBuyer | First Time Home Buyer Tips, Mortgage Rates & Housing Market Updates","slug":"the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192","podcast_index_feed_id":5050192,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/8568bb9c/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://www.TheEducatedHomeBuyer.com","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/22282335/22282335-1719263121637-914cbe106d481.jpg","author":"Josh Lewis & Jeb Smith | Real Estate, Mortgage & Housing Market Experts","episode_count":427,"summary":"Buying a home is the biggest financial decision of your life — and most buyers do it without a real guide. Certified Mortgage Consultant Josh Lewis (NMLS 234220) and Licensed Real Estate Broker Jeb Smith break down mortgage rates, FHA & conventional loans, down payment strategies, credit scores, pre-approval, affordability, and housing market trends — in plain English, with no fluff and no agenda. Whether you're a first-time home buyer or making your next move, this show gives you the education, strategies, and frameworks to buy right, borrow smart, and build wealth through homeownership.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192"},"episode":{"title":"The 2026 Housing Market Is LYING To First Time Home Buyers - EP222","slug":"the-2026-housing-market-is-lying-to-first-time-home-buyers-ep222","published_at":"2026-05-18T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192/the-2026-housing-market-is-lying-to-first-time-home-buyers-ep222","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theeducatedhomebuyer/episodes/The-2026-Housing-Market-Is-LYING-To-First-Time-Home-Buyers---EP222-e3jgv4l","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/8568bb9c/podcast/play/120142421/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-4-18%2F424357069-44100-2-10df390bf4fb7.mp3","summary":"If you’re a first-time homebuyer in 2026, chances are you’ve been told now is the worst possible time to buy a home. Between headlines about high interest rates, affordability challenges, and a “frozen” housing market, many buyers feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and unsure where to start. But the truth is far more nuanced — and far more hopeful — than what the media wants you to believe. In this episode of The Educated Homebuyer , mortgage expert Josh Lewis and real estate agent Jeb Smith break down the biggest myths keeping buyers on the sidelines in today’s market. From the misconception that you need perfect credit and a 20% down payment to buy a home, to the false narrative that “nobody is buying,” this conversation uncovers what’s really happening in the housing market right now. The reality? Buyers are still buying homes every single day. Purchase applications are increasing year-over-year, FHA loans continue to dominate the first-time buyer market, and many successful buyers are purchasing homes with low down payment options and strategic financing solutions. Josh and Jeb explain why affordability is more than just a headline, how inventory shortages continue to impact competition, and why understanding your local market is more important than listening to national fear-driven media coverage. You’ll also learn: Why first-time homebuyers are still a major force in today’s market How FHA and low down payment loan programs are helping buyers succeed Why waiting for the “perfect” market could cost you more in the long run The truth about multiple offer situations and buyer competition in 2026 How local market conditions impact your negotiating power Why working with experienced professionals matters more than ever The costly mistake many buyers are making by sitting…","meta_description":"If you’re a first-time homebuyer in 2026, chances are you’ve been told now is the worst possible time to buy a home. Between headlines about high interest…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1716,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192/episodes/the-2026-housing-market-is-lying-to-first-time-home-buyers-ep222/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-educated-homebuyer-first-time-home-buyer-tips-mortgage-rates-housing-market-updates-5050192/the-2026-housing-market-is-lying-to-first-time-home-buyers-ep222.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}