First-Time Home Buyer Specialist · Twin Cities & Greater Minnesota
Your first home is closer than you think.
I'm Joe Juliano, a Loan Officer with Fairway Home Mortgage and a Minnesota Housing 2024 Top Producing Loan Officer. My job is simple: find every dollar of down payment help you qualify for, explain everything in plain English, and walk with you from first question to first keys.
Down payment assistance up to $18,000 — and up to $35,000 for first-generation buyers — may be available through Minnesota Housing programs.* See the programs
NMLS #866085
Minnesota Housing Programs
Down payment help most first-time buyers never hear about
Minnesota Housing offers some of the strongest first-time homebuyer programs in the country — but you can only access them through a participating lender who knows how to use them. Joe was recognized by Minnesota Housing as a 2024 Top Producing Loan Officer for doing exactly that.
Start Up Program
Minnesota Housing's flagship first-time buyer program: a competitive fixed-rate first mortgage that unlocks the downpayment and closing cost loans below. For buyers who haven't owned a principal residence in the last three years. Income and purchase price limits apply.
Monthly Payment Loan
A second loan repaid over 10 years alongside your mortgage, at the same interest rate as your first mortgage. Available with Start Up — and with Step Up if you're not a first-time buyer.
Deferred Payment Loans
No monthly payment and no interest: the Deferred Payment Loan (up to $16,500) and Deferred Payment Loan Plus (up to $18,000) are repaid only when you sell, refinance, or pay off your mortgage. DPL+ has additional eligibility criteria.
First-Generation Homebuyer Loan
If you and your parents have never owned a home (or lost one to foreclosure), this deferred, interest-free loan is forgiven over time — half after 10 years, the rest after 20 — while you live in the home. Requires a Start Up first mortgage. Funds are limited and first-come, first-served.
*Program terms, amounts, income and purchase price limits are set by Minnesota Housing, are subject to change and fund availability, and require borrower eligibility including credit requirements and homebuyer education. Minnesota Housing is not affiliated with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. Contact Joe for current program details.
How It Works
The fairway to your first home
Six steps, one guide, zero guesswork. Here's the path from "just curious" to keys in hand.
Say hello
A relaxed, no-pressure conversation about your goals, timeline, and budget. No paperwork required to start.
Get pre-approved
Joe reviews your income and credit, then issues a pre-approval so sellers take your offer seriously.
Unlock assistance
Joe checks your eligibility for Minnesota Housing programs and down payment assistance — money many buyers never hear about.
Shop with confidence
House-hunt knowing your real number. Joe stays on call for payment quotes on any home you tour.
Offer accepted
Joe's team processes your loan with proactive updates at every milestone — no chasing, no surprises.
Get your keys
Clear to close. Sign, celebrate, and move into your first home — with Joe a text away for life.
Loan Options
The right loan for your first home
Fairway offers a full menu of loan programs, so your loan fits your life — not the other way around. These are the options first-time buyers ask Joe about most.
Minnesota Housing Start Up
Competitive fixed rates for first-time buyers, pairable with downpayment and closing cost loans.
FHA Loans
Flexible credit guidelines and down payments as low as 3.5% — a first-home favorite.
Conventional Loans
As little as 3% down for qualified first-time buyers, with options to remove mortgage insurance later.
VA Loans
0% down and no monthly mortgage insurance for eligible veterans, service members, and surviving spouses.
USDA Loans
0% down financing for eligible homes in qualifying rural and small-town Minnesota communities.
Renovation Loans
Buy a fixer-upper and finance the improvements in one loan — great in a tight market.
Why Fairway
The story of Fairway
Every company has a beginning. Hear Fairway Founder & CEO Steve Jacobson share the story — and the values that guide how we treat every client.
Client Reviews
5.0 stars from verified clients
Real reviews from real closings — many of them first-time buyers, just like you.
“Joe was such a great lender. Easy to work with, super quick with replies, made sure you had everything in line, and made sure everything was always organized. He made my first home buying process as easy as it can be.”
“Joe is great to work with! He is efficient, easy to communicate with and appreciates his clients. He is always available for questions, which was important as a first time home buyer!! Joe will be our first pick for all future loan needs!”
“Joe and his team were great to work with. Everything went very smoothly. They responded to questions in a timely manner, reached out if they needed anything, and made what is usually a stressful process very easy.”
“We have worked with Joe twice now for our home purchasing needs. He helped us close our loan as first time home buyers and made the process as smooth as possible. Joe was always available to answer questions.”
“I had a unique situation with my income, and Joe was willing to work with getting me qualified. He worked very hard on my behalf and now I am in my dream home! Thank you Joe!”
“Joe was patient with me and kept me in the loop of what was happening with my loan. I was not prepared to purchase a house and decided to do it rather abruptly. Joe reviewed my information and made things happen — and gave me information on assistance programs.”
About Joe
A local guide who's done this a thousand times
Joe Juliano has spent more than 13 years in home financing, helping Minnesota families — especially first-time buyers — turn "someday" into a set of keys. He built his business on the belief that a mortgage should come with an educator, not just an application: someone who reviews every option, translates the fine print, and finds the assistance programs that make the numbers work.
That focus earned Joe recognition from Minnesota Housing as a 2024 Top Producing Loan Officer — an honor reserved for the loan officers doing the most to put first-time buyers into homes through the state's homeownership programs.
Now at Fairway Home Mortgage, Joe pairs that local program expertise with the speed and service of one of the nation's largest purchase lenders. Whether you're buying in the Twin Cities metro or anywhere in Greater Minnesota, Joe is a call, text, or email away — before, during, and long after closing.
Questions, Answered
First-time buyer FAQ
What is the Minnesota Housing Start Up program?
Start Up is Minnesota Housing's first mortgage program for first-time homebuyers. It offers competitive fixed interest rates and can be paired with a Minnesota Housing downpayment and closing cost loan. Income limits, purchase price limits, and homebuyer education requirements apply, and you must work with a participating lender — which is exactly what Joe does. Program terms are set by Minnesota Housing and are subject to change.
How much down payment assistance can I get in Minnesota?
Eligible buyers using a Minnesota Housing first mortgage may qualify for a downpayment and closing cost loan of up to $18,000, depending on the option: the Monthly Payment Loan (up to $18,000, repaid monthly over 10 years), the Deferred Payment Loan (up to $16,500 at 0% interest with no monthly payment), or the Deferred Payment Loan Plus (up to $18,000 at 0% interest, with additional eligibility criteria). Amounts and availability are set by Minnesota Housing and are subject to change — Joe can tell you which option fits your situation.
What is the First-Generation Homebuyer Loan?
Minnesota Housing's First-Generation Homebuyer Loan Program offers up to $35,000 in downpayment and closing cost assistance as a deferred, interest-free loan that is forgivable over time — half after 10 years and the remainder after 20 years — if you continue living in the home and meet the loan terms. It must be paired with a Start Up first mortgage, and funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Do I count as a first-time homebuyer?
For most programs, including Minnesota Housing Start Up, a first-time homebuyer is someone who has not had an ownership interest in a principal residence during the last three years. So even if you owned a home in the past, you may qualify again. If you're not sure, ask Joe — it's a five-minute conversation.
How much money do I really need to buy my first house?
Often much less than you think. Some loan programs allow down payments as low as 3% (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA), VA and USDA loans can offer 0% down for eligible buyers, and Minnesota Housing assistance can help cover the down payment and closing costs that remain. Every situation is different — a quick pre-approval conversation will give you a real number instead of a guess.
Is a homebuyer education class required?
If you use a Minnesota Housing loan and all borrowers are first-time homebuyers, at least one borrower must complete an approved homebuyer education course before closing. It's inexpensive, available online, and genuinely useful — Joe recommends taking it early in the process.
How do I get pre-approved with Joe?
Start with the Apply Now button on this page, which takes you to Joe's official Fairway Home Mortgage application, or simply call or text Joe at 651-245-4963. You'll review your income, credit, and goals together, and he'll show you what you qualify for — including any Minnesota Housing programs that fit.
Ready to find out what you qualify for?
No pressure, no obligation — just real answers about your buying power and the assistance programs waiting for you.
Prefer email? joe.juliano@fairwaymc.com