Introducing Buy Now, Family Backed from Oak Leaf Community Mortgage

For many families, the story is familiar.

Your child or close family member has a good job. They can handle a monthly mortgage payment. But saving for a down payment while paying rent feels impossible and could take a lifetime to accomplish. Meanwhile, home values keep appreciating and waiting another year increases the amount needed to save.

Hipoteka społecznościowa Oak Leaf, obsługiwana przez North Shore Trust & Savings, created a new option designed for exactly this moment.

It is called Buy Now, Family Backed, and it gives families a structured, transparent way to help the first-time buyers of their family move forward in buying a home without the barrier of saving for the down payment and closing costs.

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Why First-Time Buyers Are Stuck Right Now

Today’s housing market is not short on motivated buyers. It is short on workable paths.

Many first-time buyers can comfortably afford a mortgage payment, but struggle with:

  • Cash needed to close
  • Competing with repeat buyers and investors
  • Saving while rent continues to rise

Families often want to help, but are unsure how to do so safely, clearly, and within a responsible framework.

Buy Now, Family Backed was designed to bridge that gap.

What Is Buy Now, Family Backed?

Buy Now, Family Backed is a purchase-only mortgage solution for first-time buyers that allows an immediate family member to participate as a non-occupant co-borrower.

Instead of informal gifts or unclear promises, Oak Leaf incorporates family home equity of their current home as the solution to the down payment and closing cost needs. The first-time homebuyer every family has, along with the family member(s) who own their home, will be underwritten and part of the loan process.

This is not a shortcut. It is a disciplined, transparent approach to helping families create a clear path to homeownership.

How the Program Works

At a high level, the process looks like this:

1

A first-time buyer identifies a home to purchase

2

An eligible immediate family member agrees to participate

3

Oak Leaf Community Mortgage underwrites all borrowers involved

4

Both properties are reviewed as part of the loan structure

5

The family moves forward with clarity around responsibilities and expectations

Everything is reviewed before contracts are written, so there are no surprises later.

What Family Participation Really Means

For families, clarity matters most.

A participating family member is a non-occupant co-borrower, meaning they will not live in the home but are formally part of the loan. This includes:

  • Full underwriting of income, assets, credit, and obligations
  • Signing loan documents
  • A lien placed on both the purchased home and the family member’s property as part of the structure

Oak Leaf explains lien position, documentation, and release provisions clearly and upfront so everyone understands the commitment before moving forward.

Who This Is Designed For

Buy Now, Family Backed may be a strong fit for:

  • First-time homebuyers who have stable income.
  • Families of the first-time homebuyers who own a home with equity.
  • All parties to have shown an ability to repay debt.

It is not designed for speculation or shortcuts. It is built for families who want a responsible way to help the next generation buy a home.

Part of Oak Leaf’s Buy Now Solution Suite

Buy Now, Family Backed joins Oak Leaf Community Mortgage’s broader Buy Now Solution Suite, which includes:

Each solution is designed to solve a specific timing or cash-flow challenge with discipline and clarity, not pressure or gimmicks.

Ready to start the conversation?

If your family is exploring ways to help a first-time buyer move forward, our expert loan officers are here to walk through your options and answer your questions.

Contact one of our expert loan officers to start your conversation today!