Your first home in Nashville. Done right, not just done.
Buying your first home is one of the largest financial decisions you'll ever make. We treat it that way. Honest math, real lender intros, and an agent who'll wear an investor hat for you on day one.
Tell us your situation
Where you're looking, what you're hoping to spend, where you are with a lender (or not). We'll send back honest next steps.
How we help first-time buyers
The honest version of how working with our team plays out — start to keys in hand.
1. The honest lender intro
Before you tour anything, we introduce you to 2-3 lenders we trust — no kickback to us, no obligation. Each one gives you a same-day pre-approval letter so you know your real budget. Different lenders will give you different numbers; the highest one isn't always the right one.
2. The 'what you actually want' conversation
Most first-time buyers come in with a list of features. We turn that into a list of trade-offs: more space vs shorter commute, newer construction vs better location, walkability vs yard. We map your real priorities against your real budget. It's a 60-minute conversation that saves months of confused house tours.
3. Investor-hat education while you tour
Many of our agents have active investor backgrounds — renovations, rentals, BRRRR strategy. Even on your first home, we wear an investor hat for you: which floor plan resells best, which finishes age well, which improvements move appraisal vs which ones don't, what to look for in inspection. You learn while you tour.
4. Offers that win without overpaying
We've watched dozens of first-time buyers lose 4-6 houses before learning how to actually win. We compress that learning curve: how to read the listing agent, when to offer over list and when not to, when escalation clauses work and when they backfire, how to structure inspection contingencies that protect you without scaring sellers off.
5. Contract-to-close hand-holding
Between offer accepted and keys in hand, there are 30-40 days of inspection negotiation, appraisal coordination, lender doc requests, title research, and final walkthrough. Our contract-to-close coordinator handles the logistics. You handle showing up on closing day.
Free tools first-time buyers actually use
Run these before our first call. The conversation gets much more useful when you know your numbers.
Affordability calculator
See max purchase price + which areas your budget fits.
Mortgage payment calculator
Full PITI breakdown — principal, interest, taxes, insurance.
Closing costs estimator
Nashville-specific. What to budget on top of down payment.
27 Questions PDF
Free. The interview list before you hire any agent.
12 mistakes PDF
Free. The buyer mistakes we wish we'd told our family first.
Neighborhood quiz
60-second match to areas that fit your lifestyle.
The 24-hour buyer-rep kickout
Every buyer rep agreement we sign includes a 24-hour kickout. If at any point you're unhappy for any reason, written notice releases us within 24 hours. (One carve-out: any specific home we've already shown you stays in the agreement — that's standard industry protection.) We don't trap people.
We'd rather earn the relationship every week than lock you into a 6-month contract.
Ready for a real conversation?
First call is a 20-30 minute walkthrough of your situation. No pressure, no listing presentation. Just honest answers.
Call 615-265-1000Frequently asked questions
How much do I actually need to save before I can buy a home in Nashville?
You need the down payment plus closing costs and reserves — and the down payment isn't always 20%. THDA programs in Middle Tennessee offer zero-down options; FHA requires 3.5%; conventional programs start at 3%. Add 2-5% of your purchase price for closing costs, inspection, and a 3–6 month emergency fund. Talk to a lender about your specific number before you save for five more years.
What's THDA and do I qualify for their down-payment help in Middle Tennessee?
THDA's Great Choice Loan offers up to 6% down-payment assistance (technically a second mortgage you repay), but income and purchase-price limits apply — household-income and purchase-price limits that vary by county and change periodically, so check the current THDA limits for your county. A lender who works with THDA programs can run your numbers in 15 minutes; it costs nothing to ask, and it often changes the game for first-timers.
What's the actual step-by-step process from deciding to buy until I close on a house in Middle Tennessee?
Get pre-approved with a lender, work with a buyer's agent to define your budget and target areas (Middle Tennessee has 40+ submarkets), tour homes and make an offer with your agent's guidance on price and contingencies, order a professional inspection, finalize your financing and appraisal, then close with a closing attorney or title company. The whole timeline is typically 30–60 days once you go under contract.
What are the biggest mistakes first-time buyers make in the Nashville area?
Touring before getting pre-qualified (you'll fall in love with houses you can't afford), skipping the inspection to win a bidding war, maxing out your entire budget with no cushion for repairs or life changes, using the listing agent instead of your own agent, and picking an agent out of social pressure rather than fit. The Will Johnson Team includes a 24-hour kickout in every agreement, so you can walk free if it's not working.
Do I need a buyer's agent and how much does it cost?
A buyer's agent structures your offer, negotiates terms and price, coordinates inspection and appraisal, and acts as a check on your own enthusiasm — far more than just unlocking doors. In most Middle Tennessee sales the seller still offers to cover the buyer's agent, so representation is often little or no cost to you — but after the 2024 NAR settlement that is negotiated, not automatic. Any buyer-representation fee is disclosed to you up front — ask any agent to explain their fee structure and when it's due.
What should a first-time VA buyer know about buying a home in Middle Tennessee?
VA loans offer zero down, no mortgage insurance, and competitive rates — a major advantage in Middle Tennessee's market. Check your current entitlement (available at VA.gov), work with a lender experienced in VA loans, and know that in Tennessee you'll see a mortgage recordation tax (about $1.15 per $1,000 of your loan). Will Johnson is a U.S. Army veteran and the team has veteran-specific market knowledge for the Nashville area.
What's the biggest mistake first-time buyers make in Nashville?
Falling in love with a house before talking to a lender. Almost every first-time buyer we've worked with started by browsing Zillow for months, found a house they loved, and only THEN called a lender — and learned their actual budget was 30% lower than they assumed. The honest order: lender first (10-day pre-approval), then a real conversation about what you actually want vs what your budget actually fits, then start looking. Skipping step one almost always ends in heartbreak or a stretched budget that hurts you for years.
What Tennessee programs help first-time buyers with down payment?
THDA (Tennessee Housing Development Agency) runs the main programs: Great Choice (30-year fixed, conventional, FHA, VA, or USDA underlying loan with competitive rates), Great Choice Plus (the same plus down payment assistance up to 6% of the loan amount as a second mortgage), and Homeownership for the Brave (for active military, veterans, and surviving spouses). Income and purchase price limits apply by county. Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Rutherford, and Sumner counties each have their own caps. Talk to a THDA-approved lender to see what you qualify for.
FHA vs conventional loan for a first-time buyer in Nashville — which is better?
Depends on your credit score, down payment, and debt-to-income. FHA allows down payments as low as 3.5%, accepts credit scores down to 580 (some lenders down to 500 with 10% down), and is more forgiving on past credit blemishes — but you pay mortgage insurance for the life of the loan, and the property has to pass FHA appraisal standards which can disqualify fixer-uppers. Conventional with 3-5% down is often cheaper monthly if your credit is 740+, and you can drop PMI once you hit 20% equity. We're not lenders, but the right move usually becomes obvious in a 20-minute lender call.
What closing costs should a first-time buyer in Nashville actually budget for?
Plan on 2-4% of the purchase price in closing costs on top of your down payment. On a $400K Nashville purchase that's roughly $8K-$16K. The big buckets: lender origination + underwriting fees (~$1,500-$2,500), title insurance and escrow (~$1,500-$3,500), survey and appraisal (~$700-$1,200), prepaid property taxes and homeowners insurance escrow (~$2,000-$4,000), and Tennessee state transfer tax. Sellers can sometimes contribute toward your closing costs — we negotiate this in your offer when it makes sense.
How do I compete as a first-time buyer in Nashville when investors are paying cash?
You can absolutely compete, but you need to do three things well: (1) Pre-approval letter from a lender with a strong local reputation — a Nashville listing agent will weigh a strong local letter more than an out-of-state online letter; (2) Tight inspection contingency timeline — 7-10 days, not 14; (3) Earnest money on the higher side (1-2% of purchase price). What you should NOT do: waive inspection entirely, waive the appraisal contingency, or offer 20% over list. The buyers who win without losing their shirts use process, not just price.
Should I buy a Nashville home before my credit is perfect?
Maybe — but be honest about the math. Every 20 points of credit score commonly costs you 0.25-0.5% on your interest rate, which over 30 years on a $400K mortgage is $30K-$70K of extra interest. If you're at 680 and could be at 740 in 4-6 months by paying down credit cards, that wait usually pays for itself many times over. If you're at 740 already and waiting for some other variable, the math may already favor buying — rates and home prices move independently of your credit. We'll do this math with you honestly before you write an offer.