SoFi Blog

New York real estate has much to offer depending on where you choose to live. The city that never sleeps has Central Park, the bright lights of Broadway, and countless restaurants with world-renowned chefs at the helm. The ‘burbs, on the other hand, offer large yards and more living space for your buck. Whether you’re ready to take on a borough or get away from it all, New York is a great place to call home.

Two Sides is a new series of articles in which we ask SoFi members and employees to weigh in with their experiences, perspectives, and insights on topics important to our diverse community.

When house hunting, you might have trouble deciding whether you want to buy new home or invest in a fixer-upper. While a new or newer home typically requires little or no work, you’ll likely pay market price, which means ponying up more dough up front. With a fixer-upper, there’s a good chance you’ll get a deal that allows you to put less money down, but you’ll need funds on hand for immediate renovations. You’ll also need to plan ahead financially for any fixes you want to make at a gradual pace.

If you believe some of today’s headlines, young professionals like you just aren’t interested in buying a home. You’re either too broke, too busy working, or too much of a nomad to plant roots in a community. But the numbers tell a different story.

Purchasing your first home is really exciting—but it can also be daunting, especially when going it alone. SoFi members aren’t easily intimidated, however. In fact, according to the March 2016 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends report, people age 35 and younger continue to be the largest group of home buyers at 35%, and 67% of those buyers are purchasing homes for the first time. With 10% down on loans up to $3 million, SoFi makes it easier than ever before for solo buyers and others to own a home.

Buying your first home is one of those irreplaceable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It’s also incredibly overwhelming. So we thought, why not kick things off over happy hour?