Roseville · First-Time Buyers
First-Time Home Buyers in Roseville, Start With the City's Own Programs
See the real monthly payment on a home before you fall for it, from a team that knows lending inside and out.
Your First Roseville Home, Priced the Way Your Budget Sees It
First-time home buyers in Roseville have one tool most cities do not: a city-run affordable resale program with its own down payment help. You also have a market where the September 2026 median closed at $629,606, according to MetroList. Knowing which route fits your income and savings saves you from touring homes that were never going to work.
Surroundings puts the search and the mortgage on one team, which is the convenient way to buy a first home. Maggie B. Hopkins shops your loan across a network of approved lenders, so you compare competitive options side by side. Explore options before you settle on a loan. You can always bring your own lender instead.
Why First-Time Buyers in Roseville Choose Surroundings
A first purchase is full of steps nobody explains. Maggie has been licensed in real estate since 2006 and has 23 years in real estate and lending combined, and she explains each step before it happens. Our first-time buyer program covers how that works.
Roseville adds homework of its own. Many newer homes carry a Community Facilities District tax and a lighting and landscaping charge on the property tax bill. A first-time buyer who budgets only for principal, interest and base tax can come up short every month. We pull the real bill for each home you like.
State programs can help too. CalHFA and similar programs have income limits, price limits and rules that change, so we check what you qualify for when you apply instead of promising a program up front.
Roseville's Affordable Purchase Resale Program
The City of Roseville's Affordable Purchase Housing Program includes homes that were first sold to income-qualified buyers. When an owner sells one, the city can qualify another buyer. The city's Housing Division page lists these terms:
- Down payment help. Income-qualified buyers may get a city silent second loan of up to $75,000 on Low Income Restricted homes and up to $50,000 on Middle Income Restricted homes.
- Income limits. For Low Income Restricted homes, a 1 to 2 person household can earn up to $105,100 and a 3+ person household up to $121,950. Middle Income Restricted limits are $131,400 and $152,500.
- Your share. You contribute at least 1 percent of the price, the first mortgage must be fixed rate, and co-signers are not allowed.
- Training. Buyers complete eight hours of home buyer training with an accredited counseling agency or lender, at their own cost.
- Who qualifies. You do not have to be a first-time buyer, but any other home you own must close escrow before you buy. CalHFA loans cannot be paired with this program.
The city loan is due when you sell, change the use, refinance without approval or transfer ownership. The city also looks at housing cost against income: your front-end ratio must land between 30 and 40 percent of monthly income. Limits change, so we confirm them with the city before you apply.
Timing works in a qualified buyer's favor. When an owner of a restricted home sells, the home goes on the MLS and the city's Affordable Resale page. For the first 60 days, or 120 in some communities, only an income-qualified purchaser can buy it. Prices are negotiable with the seller, and the city orders its own appraisal. We watch that page with you so a listing does not slip by.
What a First Payment Includes in Roseville
A Roseville payment has more pieces than the listing shows. Principal and interest come first. Base property tax follows, then any Community Facilities District tax and lighting district charge, then HOA dues and homeowners insurance. Utilities matter too, because Roseville Electric and the city's water, sewer and garbage service send their own bills.
Older homes in East Roseville and near downtown often skip the newer special taxes but may need more repairs. A newer home in West Roseville may need fewer repairs and carry a larger special tax. The two can land at the same monthly number, and the right choice depends on your cash for repairs.
A few older homes sit near Dry, Linda or Cirby creeks. If a home is in a mapped flood zone, a lender requires flood insurance. Roseville's Class 1 rating under FEMA's Community Rating System allows owners up to a 45 percent discount, according to the city.
Our property tax calculator gives a starting estimate for the base tax, and Maggie fills in the rest with the real bill once you pick a home.
Our First-Time Buyer Process in Roseville
- We start with your credit, income and savings. You learn the loan amount you qualify for and the payment you are comfortable with.
- We check every program you might fit. That includes the city's resale program, CalHFA and standard loans, compared side by side.
- We price the street, not only the house. Special taxes and utilities go into each estimate.
- You tour and we write the offer. A neutral escrow company holds your deposit, and the contract sets your contingency dates.
- Inspection, appraisal and approval follow. Each step is explained before it starts.
The readiness step of our buying process lists what to gather before day one.
Ready to Buy Your First Home in Roseville?
First-time home buyers in Roseville start stronger with a payment plan than with a showing schedule. Set up a first-buyer call with Maggie and leave knowing your number and whether the city program fits you.
If you are comparing nearby cities, see first-time buyers in Lincoln and first-time buyers in Elk Grove, or the wider look at buying a home in Roseville.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Roseville have a down payment assistance program?
Yes, it does, through its Affordable Purchase Resale Program. Income-qualified buyers of city-restricted homes may get a silent second loan of up to $75,000 for Low Income Restricted homes or $50,000 for Middle Income Restricted homes, per the city.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer for Roseville's affordable resale homes?
No. The city says the buyer does not have to be a first-time buyer, but any other residential property they own has to sell and close escrow first.
Can I combine CalHFA with Roseville's resale program?
No. The city's guidelines say additional CalHFA loans cannot be paired with the Affordable Purchase Resale Program. CalHFA may still work on a regular Roseville purchase.
What does a starter home cost in Roseville?
Prices vary by neighborhood. MetroList closed sales for September 2026 put the citywide median at $629,606 and the median price per square foot at $328, so smaller and older homes usually sell below the median.
Loans are arranged by Maggie B. Hopkins, NMLS #349517, at Surroundings · DRE #02220140 · NMLS #2528307. All loans are subject to credit approval and underwriting, and this page is not a commitment to lend.
Roseville
What first-time buyers looks like in Roseville
Placer County's largest city, from the old rail-town core to West Roseville and Sun City Roseville.
Roseville grew up as a railroad town and is now Placer County's largest city, with older streets near downtown and large newer neighborhoods to the west.
First-Time Buyers: keep exploring
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