How to Buy a Home: #1 First Time Homebuyer Podcast artwork

How To · David Sidoni | First-Time Home Buyer Advocate

How to Buy a Home: #1 First Time Homebuyer Podcast

by David Sidoni | First-Time Home Buyer Advocate

Trying to buy your first home in 2026? Get straight answers on affordability, down payments, mortgage rates and the housing market. Start at Episode 500 for the 10 Steps to Buying a Home series, the system thousands of renters have used to say goodbye to their landlord for good. It answers:   Can I actually buy a house? How much do I need? Where do I even start? Why does the real estate industry treat first-time buyers as an afterthought, handing them myths, bad advice, and dead ends? All of those answers, presented by a nationwide homebuying coach with 20+ years of expierence. We hand you: real numbers, real strategies, and proof that it works from people just like you. No hype. No sales pitch. Ever.   Visit HowtoBuyaHome.com/10Steps for the insider strategies first-time homebuyers need in today's market.   2+ MILLION DOWNLOADS. 500+ EPISODES. 125+ REAL BUYER INTERVIEWS. Trusted by first-time homebuyers since 2019 and hosted by David Sidoni: a realtor since 2006 who left traditional brokerage to become a full-time consumer advocate for the buyers his industry ignores. Expert analysis, current market forecasts, and real success stories from renters who were exactly where you are.   Homeownership is closer than you think. Follow the show and let's get you there.

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Your Lease Term Shouldn't Time Your Home Purchase

Your lease end date isn't your buying deadline. Learn how to weigh a lease-break fee against the savings of buying at the right time. Waiting out your lease feels safe,

Nov 4
25 min

Avoiding House Poor – Housing Affordability Breakdown Oct 2026

Afraid buying a home will leave you broke? Learn how low down payments, seller credits, and practicing your payment can help you plan.   High prices and mortgage rates

Nov 2
34 min

Housing Market is Changing and It Won't Last Long... Mortgage Rates, Affordability, Expert Predictions from October 2026

High rates don't tell the whole story. Learn how falling prices and seller concessions could change what you can afford. If high mortgage rates have you questioning whet

Oct 26
36 min

22 Tips for First Time Homeowner Affordability

Priced out of your city? Explore 22 ways to rethink your down payment, monthly costs, and homebuying budget without waiting for a crash.   High home prices and 7% mortg

Oct 23
1 h 01 min

Why Every First Time Homebuyer Needs a Unicorn Realtor

With 87% of Realtors quitting within five years, learn the loophole that lets you skip undertrained agents and hire a true expert instead. The real estate industry's bus

Oct 21
45 min

Seller Panic Is Boosting First Time Homebuyer Affordability

20.8% of homes had a price cut in September, the highest since 2018, and you can turn that seller panic into real savings even with rates over 7%. Headlines say rates ov

Oct 19
20 min

Real Estate Terms That Trip Up Every First Time Homebuyer

Earnest money, AS-IS, appraisal gaps, and escrow: learn what these confusing terms really mean before they cost you money. Real estate jargon can leave you feeling lost

Oct 16
20 min

Closing Costs Explained for First Time Homebuyers

Nearly 90% of aspiring buyers are surprised by their closing costs, so learn how to plan for them and skip complications at the closing table. Closing costs feel vague b

Oct 14
14 min

2026 High Interest Rates Means Buyer Leverage – MARKET UPDATE - 541

Rates just hit 7.5%, but scared-off competition and panicked sellers have created one of the strongest buyer's markets in decades. Headline rates at 7.5% are scaring buy

Oct 12
23 min

45% of Homeowners Regret Their Location – Don't Be One of Them – 540

HowtoBuyaHome.com/10steps - The #1 Educational System for First-Time Homebuyers in the USA HowtoBuyaHome.com/Essentials - Over 100 of our BEST Episodes of Detailed Homeb

Oct 9
15 min

Seller Concessions: How to Lower Your Cash to Close – 539

Discover how savvy First Time Homebuyers are leveraging seller concessions in today's market to drastically cut upfront cash needs and secure their dream home. Today, we

Oct 7
20 min

How Much House Can I Afford? Why No One Can Tell You – 538

Online calculators and simple questions about affordability keep First Time Homebuyers renting longer than necessary. This episode reveals why the common question, "How

Oct 5
20 min

How to Read a Zillow Listing Like a Pro – 537

Online home listings are often misleading; learn how First Time Homebuyers can decrypt Zillow and Redfin data to find a home's true value.   This episode empowers First

Oct 2
23 min

You're Screwed: How the Real Estate Industry Traps First Time Homebuyers – 536

Discover the hidden ways the real estate industry can take advantage of buyers just starting their process and learn how to avoid the money hungry traps of big online sit

Sep 30
21 min

What Actually Happens When You Buy a House – 535

Feeling overwhelmed by the homebuying process? This episode demystifies every step, guiding First Time Homebuyers from planning to closing. This foundational episode out

Sep 28
23 min

48 Insider Tips for First Time Homebuyer Success – 534

Unlock 48 insider tips and crucial strategies designed for first-time homebuyers navigating today's complex real estate market. This episode delivers a rapid-fire arsena

Sep 25
43 min

Mortgage Planning Tips for First Time Homebuyers – 533

Discover how a unique early strategy can transform your First Time Homebuyer journey, turning financial overwhelm into powerful loan options. The mortgage industry often

Sep 23
49 min

Preparing for the Next 5 Months.... (Finding Affordable Options for You) – 532

The data says what no one's talking about. Fall and Winter 2026 may be the best buying window First Time Homebuyers have had in over a decade. Most buyers are on the sid

Sep 21
33 min

The Ultimate Home Inspection Checklist (and When to Walk Away) – 531

Transform your home inspection from a fear of a 'money pit' into a powerful negotiation tool for First Time Homebuyers. This episode reveals a tactical 28-item checklist

Sep 18
43 min

What Happens if You Skip a Home Inspection? – 530

Prepare for the inevitably terrifying home inspection report with key insights and preparatory steps crucial for every First Time Homebuyer. The home inspection report i

Sep 16
28 min

Chart trend

Position in the How To chart (US), last 90 days.

#2
all-time peak
14
days in the top 3 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where How to Buy a Home: #1 First Time Homebuyer Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 5, 2026).

#40 ▲ 4 Education US
#2 ▲ 1 How To US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I didn’t think I was ready to buy a home when I started to listening 3 months ago. Learned a lot from the pod and after David introduced me to my realtor things started falling into place. As of 2 weeks ago, I’m a homeowner. Would recommend if you’re unfamiliar with the process and need help understanding where you stand.

Alec from Bama · Sep 2026

The How to Buy a Home podcast makes an intimidating process feel clear, practical, and achievable. The host explains each step in a friendly, down-to-earth way without unnecessary jargon or pressure. It’s an excellent resource for first-time buyers—and anyone who wants to make smarter, more confident decisions about purchasing a home. Highly recommended!

ESciz · Sep 2026

I really wouldn’t have closed on my home without this podcast. The information, encouragement and vision that Dave and his guests present made the difference between sitting on the sidelines and taking action. It kept me focused on my goal of homeownership after a discouraging period of unemployment. What a gold mine for anyone looking to just learn about the process.

dence_1234 · Aug 2026

Beyond grateful to have discovered David and his podcast! I started listening in August 2025 and, by applying everything David shared, I went from a decades long renter to homeowner in 10 months. David’s podcast gave me the knowledge and confidence to take the next step. He was incredibly responsive and connected me with an amazing realtor, making this whole process accessible and genuinely enjoyable!

JDCJP1973 · Jul 2026

9/2026 after listing to episode 526: David, you’re all over the place. You finally admit that there are “buyer’s markets all over the place.” Yet you still cling to the myths of “low inventory” and falsely state that home prices are broadly rising. 1. RE is back to being localized, and you clearly know this. There are very few blazing hot, “low inventory” markets. The number of hot seller’s markets decreases monthly. They’re only in the northeast, select Midwest markets, and the Bay Area due to AI money. That’s it. You even admitted it in episode 526 and quickly acknowledge some markets are down. So you contradict yourself with your hype and assertion that prices will go “up.” 2. Rents are declining in many markets where home prices have also declined. Look at Austin, Nashville, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, all of Florida, and on and on. Rent does not always go up. Stop lying to people. Saying “Rents are so high right now” to newbie clients is breaching your fiduciary duty. 3. Why not be honest? Admit that real estate prices go down, just like stocks can go down. Rents go down too, just like the prices of other commodities. Tell people that in today’s market (for 80% of the US), you just hold your home for at least a decade if you don’t want to be upside-down on the loan. I bought in 2024 and am one of those upside-down folks. There are more of us out there than you’re telling your listeners, and it’ll only increase as values continue to decline in real and nominal dollars, another concept you leave out entirely (inflation adjusted returns). You say you’re data driven. Please start using real data and give us the whole picture on buying vs renting. ————————-prior review: I’m sure David (host) is a nice guy. He claims his life is ruined because he had a chance to buy a home at age 21 and didn’t, so he had to start over at age 30. I greatly respect that he faced adversity and was able to successfully “start over.” That said, his advice on this show over the years - I started listening before I bought my first home in 2021 - hasn’t always been good. He was one of the “marry the home, date the rate” evangelists. This aphorism was parroted by realtors to sell homes priced for 3% mortgage rates, when rates had more than doubled and those artificial prices were no longer justified. David also would say “rents always go up.” Well guess what? They don’t! Rents have been dropping all over much of the US, as a result of oversupply brought on by cheap money lent to investors. That gets to another topic that David isn’t truthful about. He loves repeating “low inventory” in various cutesy ways. Inventory is now…higher than it’s been in many years. It’s no longer “low inventory.” Inventory is very high. It is a BUYER’s market, sort of. Prices are still too high and will drop as inventory continues to climb. It’s simple supply and demand, even with the “lock in effect” from homeowners with the pandemic mortgage rates. Finally, he criticizes folks who favor renting over buying by saying that THEY are the speculators (by assuming renting will always be cheaper, as it is now in most markets). He does this, while repeating ANOTHER realtor trope that “renting is throwing away money. Rather than put your money in an ‘APPRECIATING ASSET,’ you are ‘throwing it away’ on rent.” Homes don’t always appreciate. We’re seeing that now all over the country. The macro real estate market is correcting, and David isn’t honest about that. He favors folks buying condos in high cost areas like California, without getting into the nightmares associated with special assessments, monthly dues, poorly managed HOA’s, the fact that a condo can become non-warrantable and worthless to any retail buyer. In the last episode - he STILL brought out the “low inventory” lie. Please David, stop lying. Your argument about the emotional benefits of owning a home *are* true. The RIGHT home purchase can certainly bring stability and freedoms to one’s life. There are also tax benefits to owning for some people, although they’re negligible for a first time home buyer - his target audience. As an aside- In NJ, one CAN write off rent payments from their state taxes. This is a lead generation show for his company, and it’s a brilliant way to do that. He’s clearly a great salesman. Please don’t forget that when you listen to this show.

slickywilly407 · Sep 2026

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