Freddie Mac First Look Initiative
- The First Look Initiative
- Allows owner-occupants to make offers on Freddie Mac homes
- A full 20 days before investors can
- In an effort to stabilize the neighborhoods where the properties are located
What is the Freddie Mac first look initiative?
Read the most frequently asked questions about the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative. During the first 30 days a home is listed for sale in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), HomeSteps will consider purchase offers from owner-occupants, public entities or their designated partners.
How do you make an offer on a Freddie Mac first look?
To make an offer on a Freddie Mac First Look home you must make your offer through a licensed real estate agent. The HomeSteps website has a page to enter your location to find agents working Freddie Mac deals in your area. Find an agent experienced with taking successful offers to Freddie Mac.
What is the First Look program?
The First Look Program is an on-going initiative that offers owner occupant homebuyers, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grantees and non-profits engaged in community stabilization efforts the ability to purchase HomeSteps homes during their initial 15 days of listing without competition from investors.
What is Fannie Mae’s First Look program?
Buyers looking for a good deal on a foreclosure now have a little help, thanks to Fannie Mae. The housing giant recently introduced “First Look,” a nationwide initiative that restricts offers on all Fannie Mae-owned properties to potential owner-occupants — rather than investors — during the first 15 days on the market.
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How long do you have to live in a Freddie Mac First Look home?
20 daysTo reduce competition between homebuyers and investors, Freddie Mac sponsors a program called the First Look Initiative. After homes are listed, buyers have 20 days to look at them before investors can get in on the action.
What is the First Look initiative program?
NCST's flagship property acquisition program, REOMatch, also known as First Look, links financial institutions with real-estate-owned (REO) properties (Sellers) to mission-focused housing developers (Buyers), who rehabilitate these homes to stabilize neighborhoods and provide opportunities for affordable homeownership ...
What is the HomeSteps First Look program?
Freddie Mac's First Look Initiative ensures that only non-profits and owner-occupying buyers can submit offers during that initial period. This reduces competition from professional, cash home buyers looking to flip or rent out the property. After 20 days, investors are allowed to buy these houses.
What is FNMA First Look program?
First Look is designed to promote owner occupancy and provide both owner occupants and public entities an advantage in submitting offers on Fannie Mae-owned foreclosed properties without competition from investors.
What is the difference between Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae?
The primary difference between Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae is where they source their mortgages from. Fannie Mae buys mortgages from larger, commercial banks, while Freddie Mac buys them from much smaller banks.
What does an REO on a lender's assets mean?
Real estate ownedReal estate owned (REO) is property owned by a lender, such as a bank, that has not been successfully sold at a foreclosure auction.
Can anyone buy a Fannie Mae HomePath property?
Fannie Mae requires that you must not have held any type of homeownership in the last 3 years to qualify as a first-time buyer. You must also plan to use your HomePath home as a primary residence, and you need to move into the property in a timely manner, legally, within 60 days of closing.
What is the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative?
The initiative supports Freddie Mac's mission to stabilize communities and support housing recovery through the creation of affordable homeownership opportunities. Read the most frequently asked questions about the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative.
Does Freddie Mac offer homebuyers?
Freddie Mac offers homebuyers and select non-profits an exclusive opportunity to purchase HomeSteps homes prior to competition from investors through the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative.
What is Freddie Mac First Look?
It is an initiative that allows an owner occupant purchaser the first option to purchase Freddie Mac owned properties—along with select non-profits—an exclusive opportunity to purchase HomeSteps homes prior to competition from investors—through the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative program. The First Look Program is an on-going initiative ...
What is the first look program?
The First Look Program is an on-going initiative that offers owner occupant homebuyers, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grantees and non-profits engaged in community stabilization efforts the ability to purchase HomeSteps homes during their initial 15 days of listing without competition from investors.
What is Freddie Mac's mission?
The initiative supports Freddie Mac’s mission to stabilize communities and support housing recovery through the creation of affordable home-ownership opportunities in many communities across the United States.
When did HomeSteps qualify for Freddie Mac?
All HomeSteps homes—listed on or after September 17, 2010, are eligible for inclusion in the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative program.
What is the first look program?
The First Look Program allows you to make bids on homes owned by Freddie Mac.
How long do you have to sell a Freddie Mac home?
You have 30 days if the home is in Detroit, Michigan, Cook County, Illinois or in Nevada. During that time, the home may not be sold as an investment property. Freddie Mac homes for sale are also listed on the HomeSteps website.
How long does it take to get a first look offer?
Once you have found a home you want to buy, work with the agent to put together an offer and deliver it to the real estate company listing the home. Remember, you have 20 days in most locations to get your offer in under the First Look guidelines. The listing real estate company can accept your offer, make a counter offer or accept an offer from another buyer. Be prepared to move on for another try if your offer is not accepted.
What is first look?
First Look aims to reverse that trend by limiting early offers to individual buyers or organizations using public or charitable funds for the purchase.
What is first look Fannie Mae?
The housing giant recently introduced “First Look,” a nationwide initiative that restricts offers on all Fannie Mae-owned properties to potential owner-occupants — rather than investors — during the first 15 days on the market .
How to find foreclosures on Fannie Mae?
To find a Fannie Mae foreclosure, check out the company’s Web site, which lists all active Fannie Mae-owned properties, including townhomes, condominiums and single-family homes. Buyers can search by price and location.

Benefits
- Freddie Mac will offer homebuyers and select non-profits an exclusive opportunity to purchase HomeSteps homes prior to competition from investors through the Freddie Mac First Look Initiative. This ongoing initiative offers owner occupant homebuyers, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grantees and non-profits engaged in community stabilizatio...
Mission
- The initiative supports Freddie Mac's mission to stabilize communities and support housing recovery through the creation of affordable homeownership opportunities.
Example
- During the first 20 days (30 days in Nevada, Cook County, IL, and the city of Detroit, MI), a home is listed for sale in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), HomeSteps will consider purchase offers from owner-occupants, public entities or their designated partners. Buyers intending to purchase the property for investment or similar purposes may submit offers to the listing agent and HomeSte…
Qualification
- Buyers must have their agent check the MLS or contact the listing agent to determine how many days are left under the First Look.
Facts
- The buyer and their selling agent must sign an Agreement of Purchaser affidavit affirming that the buyer will occupy the home as their residence. Parties that fraudulently sign the affidavit may be subject to criminal or civil liability.
Organizations
- Organizations engaged in neighborhood stabilization must sign the Agreement of Purchaser for Neighborhood Stabilization Non-Profit, NSP, NCST or Government Agency. These organizations must also provide written documentation proving their non-profit or governmental status and evidence of their neighborhood stabilization mission.