Hoosier Homes
Down-payment assistance administered through the Fort Wayne Housing Authority for buyers in Allen and select nearby counties. Homebuyer education is part of qualifying, which is exactly where the class comes in.
Fort Wayne buyer's agent · 15+ years
Buying a Home in Fort Wayne, Without the Guesswork
I'm Andie Shepherd, Fort Wayne born and raised, and a REALTOR® for 15+ years. I'd rather teach you how buying works than talk you into anything: free classes, plain-English answers, and a steady hand from the first call to the closing table.
How buying works
Five steps from first call to your keys.
No jargon, no mystery. This is the whole path, the same way I walk it with every Fort Wayne buyer.
Consult
We talk goals, timing, and budget. A real conversation, no commitment and no pressure.
Pre-approval
A lender verifies your finances so you shop with real numbers instead of guesses.
Search
We tour homes that actually fit your list, and I'll tell you the truth about every one.
Offer
Price, terms, and contingencies. I write and negotiate an offer that protects you.
Close
Inspection to final walkthrough to signing day. You leave with keys, not surprises.
The free homebuyer class
Start here. It's free, and it always will be.
Budgeting, credit, loan types, the offer process, closing costs, and the mistakes I've watched buyers make for 15 years, taught in plain English by a Financial Peace University graduate. A class, not a sales pitch.
- Budgeting & credit: what you can truly afford, and how lenders see you
- Loan types, the offer process, and closing costs, decoded step by step
- The common first-time mistakes that cost real money, and how to sidestep them
- Which Fort Wayne & Indiana assistance programs may put money toward your purchase
Down-payment help
Local programs can put real money toward your purchase.
Fort Wayne and Indiana both fund homebuyer-assistance programs most buyers never hear about. Funding, terms, and eligibility change often. Here's what exists, and in class we work out which ones may fit you.
IHCDA First Place
A statewide program from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, designed with first-time buyers in mind.
IHCDA Next Home
Another IHCDA option. This one is open to repeat buyers as well, not just first-timers.
City of Fort Wayne Homebuyer Assistance
Assistance offered through the City of Fort Wayne's Community Development department for qualifying buyers.
Good to know: some assistance programs require a certificate from a HUD-approved homebuyer education course. My class doesn't replace that certificate. It's the practical, plain-English companion to it. When a program calls for the certified course, I'll point you straight to it.
Watch a tour
Tour a home before you walk in.
Every Andie listing comes with a video tour, so you can shortlist from the couch and only visit the homes that actually fit. This is the full walkthrough of 4716 Union Chapel Rd, Fort Wayne.
4716 Union Chapel Rd, Fort Wayne · A full listing tour
Why buyers pick Andie
A guide who teaches, not sells.
Fort Wayne raised me, and I've spent 15+ years helping its families buy well. I teach the free classes because an educated buyer makes better decisions, and because you deserve straight answers, not a sales script.
When you call, you reach me (Andie Shepherd, REALTOR® with Mike Thomas Associates), not a call center.
Andie has been a godsend through the home buying process… nobody beats her service, knowledge, and professionalism.
"Very knowledgeable of the market… very friendly, I would recommend Andie to anyone."
"She listens to our needs and presents the homes that fit them perfectly."
Real client reviews from Andie's Mike Thomas Associates profile.
Buyer questions
Asked at every class, answered honestly.
Short versions below. The long, personalized versions happen in class and on the phone.
Do I need 20% down?
No. Putting 20% down avoids private mortgage insurance, but plenty of Fort Wayne buyers purchase with far less, and assistance programs may help cover part of it. What matters most is landing on a monthly payment you can live with comfortably. In the free class we work out what that number looks like for your budget.
What credit score do I need?
What's the difference between pre-approval and pre-qualification?
Pre-qualification is a quick estimate based on what you tell a lender. Pre-approval means the lender has actually verified your income, savings, and credit, which is why sellers take pre-approved offers seriously. Get pre-approved before you fall in love with a house; the class covers exactly how.
What are closing costs?
They're the fees due on signing day beyond your down payment: things like lender charges, title work, the appraisal, insurance, and prepaid taxes. They're sometimes negotiable, and in some situations a seller agrees to help with them. In class I show you how to budget for them so nothing surprises you at the table.
Serving Fort Wayne & Allen County
House-hunting across all of Allen County.
Andie Shepherd Real Estate · Mike Thomas Associates, Inc. · 9601 Coldwater Road, Suite 107, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 · (260) 308-2204
No pressure. Ever.
One hour in a free class can be worth thousands at closing.
Save a seat, or just call. Either way you'll get straight answers from Andie herself, not a call center.
Come learn, ask anything, and leave with a plan. No obligation, no sales pitch.