Sale/Purchase Administrators
First Time Homebuyer
BMR purchase transactions will be handled and administered by HomeQuest Realty and the Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance. HomeQuest Realty (HQR) will be involved with all real estate transaction related activity. The Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA) will be working with the City and Developer to administer all activities related to the review, screening, and lottery pre-approval of Linden BMR buyers.
BMR Purchase Steps
The BMR purchase steps include:
- Lottery application
- Eligibility determination
- Lottery
- Program Approval
- BMR Purchase
BMR Lottery Application - Application period ended on December 31, 2020
All interested BMR applicants were required to submit a BMR Lottery Application. The comprehensive application enables BAAHA to screen applicants to determine preliminary lottery eligibility and to establish a preference ranking. After entering and receiving a priority ranking in the lottery, homebuyers will still be required to go through a more extensive BMR Program approval process. The approval process will include verification by BAAHA, the 1st lender, and City staff of the information provided in the BMR Lottery Application. You can review a comprehensive publication of South San Francisco's BMR guidelines by visiting the City's website located at https://www.ssf.net/home/showdocument?id=21887.
Receiving a notice of eligibility to participate in the lottery from BAAHA DOES NOT represent an approval for the City's BMR Program. The City of South San Francisco will provide the final approval. Negative discrepancies for information provided in the BMR Lottery Application during the Program approval process could either eliminate the applicant from the BMR purchase process, or change the lottery ranking for the participant. It is imperative to provide accurate and complete information on the BMR Lottery Application.
Lottery
All eligible applicants will be placed into the lottery. Lottery participants with the highest
preference points will receive the highest ranking and priority to purchase a BMR.
More information on the lottery will be provided by email to all eligible lottery applicants
when a lottery date is established. BAAHA staff will conduct the lottery.
Program Approval
Lottery winners must be approved for a first mortgage by the Program preferred lender, and by South San Francisco's city staff for Program approval. Lottery winners will undergo a comprehensive approval and underwriting process. The approval process will: a)verify the accuracy of the information provided in your BMR lottery application, and b)confirm the lottery Program preference priority issued to you. The approval process includes:
- Securing first lender mortgage approval. Lottery winners will be directed to a BAAHA certified first lender to secure 1st loan approval. The 1st lender will review the financial capacity of the lottery winner to purchase the BMR, and, if approved will be issuing a first loan approval. The first lender will share all information collected from the lottery winners with South San Francisco.
- Securing BMR Program approval. Lottery winners who have secured 1st loan approval will be directed to the City to obtain City Program approval.
Additional Program approval instructions and details will be provided to the highest priority lottery winners.
BMR Purchase Transaction
The BMR purchase transaction will be administered by a licensed HomeQuest Realty (HQR) realtor. The entire transaction period, from Program approval to closing the transaction, should take 60 to 90 days, depending on challenges and complications (if any) encountered in the buyer approval process.
Program Subsidies
The City of South San Francisco has a priority to expand affordable home purchase opportunities for households with members that currently live and/or work in South San Francisco. Accordingly, the City has established a purchase preference for households who have a member(s) that either live OR work in South San Francisco.
The work preference is earned for households who have an employer that has a physical facility located in South San Francisco in which the household member works. The City and BAAHA realize that the COVID-19 pandemic has required that some people are now required to work from their homes. Accordingly the household member must be able to document that they are currently working from home due to the COVID-19.
The Lottery application period ended December 31, 2020 5:00 pm PST. A BMR Lottery Application is necessary to participate in the 200 Linden Avenue lottery.
Please contact Rob Belli for more information.
Rob Belli
Broker's Associate/Realtor
DRE #01913570
(415) 317-8540
Please be aware that this web page is being continuously updated with new information. To guarantee a quick and thorough response, we recommend emailing your questions to rob@hquestrealty.com.
All members in the household must be first time homebuyers and may not have had an ownership interest in a property three years prior to the submittal date of the lottery application. An exception is provided for an individual who owned a home with a former spouse or domestic partner.
Financial Capacity
Pricing and General Eligibility Requirements
Eligible BMR Buyer Preferences
Your Next Steps
All eligible households must have the financial capacity to purchase a Linden BMR. Definitions of financial capacity are outlined below:
Credit quality and capacity – All BMR owners and mortgage borrowers on title must have at least a 640 medium FICO score (as provided by the first mortgage lender). The combined cost for housing and existing minimum personal debt payments may not exceed 45% of the household's gross earnings.
Adequate funds for a down payment and reserves – BMR buyers must have at least 3% for a down payment and additional funds to cover closing costs and lender required financial reserves. Funds may be provided through approved and documented gifts from blood relatives.
Approved by a project-authorized BMR lender – Households are not required to be preapproved to
submit a lottery application. However, lottery selected households will be required to secure fist loan
pre-approval to complete the BMR purchase process.
BAAHA will be working with the City and Developer to administer all activities related to the review, screening, and lottery pre-approval of Linden BMR buyers.
200 Linden Avenue, South San Francisco
The BMR Program administrators are working with first mortgage lenders that may be able to provide eligible buyers access to additional homebuyer subsidies. Subsidies may include additional tax breaks and/or down payment subsidy programs. These programs will be further discussed and applied as BMR buyers proceed through their Program and first mortgage approvals. One such subsidy, the Federal Home Loan Bank WISH Program, may be able to provide eligible 80% (or lower) median income homebuyers up to a $22,000 forgivable down payment assistance loan.
Household sizes may not be less than two people for a two bedroom BMR. One must either be a dependent or on title as an owner to be considered and an eligible household member.
Household incomes are established by household size. Incomes may not exceed 80% for the one bedroom BMR units and 120% for the two bedroom BMR units. Current income restrictions (as of June 2020) are depicted in the matrix below:
19 New Below Market Rate units in South San Francisco
200 Linden Avenue
South San Francisco, 94080
Purchase Lottery Application Period Ended December 31, 2020
A mix of nineteen (19) Below Market Rate (BMR) condos located at 200 Linden Avenue in South San Francisco. The unit mix includes fifteen one bedroom, and four two bedroom condominiums. Below is an overview of general program information, BMR Program qualification guidelines, and the application and approval processes for the Linden BMRs. Review all the information provided prior to submitting a Lottery Application.
More Information
Household Size & Maximum Income
The BMR units at 200 Linden Avenue are scheduled to become available in the first quarter of 2021. The projected prices and square footage provided below are subject to change. Make certain to read all the eligibility requirements provided below and at the City of South San Francisco's website prior to submitting your application.
Prospective buyers must meet Program eligibility requirements to purchase a Linden BMR. There are preferences to establish a lottery priority system for eligible buyers. All eligible Linden BMR buyers will need to participate in a purchase lottery.
The City of South San Francisco publishes a detailed posting of their BMR Ownership Program Eligibility Requirements accessible at:
https://www.ssf.net/home/showdocument?id=21887
The projected prices and sizes, as of June 2020, are as follow:
$252,000 - one (1) bedroom, 700 sq ft (15 BMR units)
$610,000 - two (2) bedroom, 900 sq ft (4 BMR units)
The Purchase Process
Artist's renderings of 200 Linden Avenue