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First-Time Buyer Roadmap

Every step from 'thinking about it' to keys in hand, in order, with what it costs and who to call at each one.

Who it is for: First-time buyers in [City] who don't know the order of the steps, let alone the steps.

[site].com/keysText or comment KEYSStart the brief →
Mock cover of The West Michigan First-Time Buyer Roadmap, an example lead magnet for The Keys to the Community
Mock-up of The West Michigan First-Time Buyer Roadmap for The Keys to the Community (Phil Nykamp, West Michigan). Cover and first page; the full contents are below.

Why it works

Why this magnet fits this audience

NAR 2025 reports that 38% of first-time buyers said understanding the steps and the process was the hardest part of buying, and the typical first-time buyer is now 40. A step-by-step roadmap answers that pain directly, and it positions you as the person who already explained it.

Before you publish

Lender co-marketing has RESPA rules. If a lender helps pay for or distribute the roadmap, talk to your broker first.

Best for

Local buyer-focused show, or any consumer show that regularly features lenders and inspectors.

Effort

To create
6 to 10 hours once, from a template
To refresh
Annually, or when local programs change
Basis
Brief estimate for a templated first-time buyer guide

What's inside

A sample table of contents

Bracketed items are placeholders. The real version uses your market, your show and your numbers.

First-Time Buyer Roadmap

Template contents · e.g. The West Michigan First-Time Buyer Roadmap

Contents

  1. 01Step 0: are you ready? A ten-minute self-check
  2. 02Step 1: credit, savings and the pre-approval conversation
  3. 03Step 2: what you can afford versus what you qualify for
  4. 04Step 3: the [City] search, and where first homes actually are ([median price] by area)
  5. 05Step 4: the offer, and what happens after it is accepted
  6. 06Step 5: inspection, appraisal and the week everyone panics
  7. 07Step 6: closing day: what to bring, what to sign, what it costs
  8. 08Programs for first-time buyers in [State] and how to check eligibility
  9. 09A printable checklist with every deadline
Sample page
Nobody is born knowing how to buy a house. This roadmap puts the steps in order so you always know what comes next and who you should be talking to. Start at Step 0 even if you think you are past it; most people learn something there. Each step tells you roughly how long it takes in [City], what it costs, and the mistake we see most often at that stage. Where a lender or inspector should be involved, we say so, and the [Show] episodes with those guests are linked. Keep the checklist at the back on your fridge. When you reach Step 3, call us.

On air

How to mention it on air

Same read, every episode, at the end. Say the URL twice and give the keyword for anyone who is driving. The editor drops the QR code over the closing line in the video version.

  1. 1.Put the magnet on a short URL. Create a landing page for the First-Time Buyer Roadmap at [site].com/keys: under 15 characters, no dashes or numbers, not the homepage.
  2. 2.Choose one keyword. Set up KEYS as a text keyword or a comment-to-DM keyword so listeners can get the magnet without typing a URL.
  3. 3.Add the 20-second read to every episode. The script on the right.
  4. 4.Show a QR code and pin the link. Overlay a QR code during the closing line of the video version, and put the link in the YouTube description and a pinned comment.
  5. 5.Tag the link per episode. Use a UTM-tagged link on each placement so the hosting stats show which episode produced each sign-up.

The 20-second read, as Phil Nykamp would say it

about 20 seconds

“If you're buying your first home in West Michigan and the process feels like a fog, I put every step in order, from 'am I ready' to closing day, with what each one costs here. It's free at [site].com/keys. That's [site].com/keys. Or text KEYS to [number].”

[site].com/keysKEYS

Example read for The Keys to the Community; [site] and [number] are filled in once the show website and text keyword line exist.

Generic version, with [Show] and [City] placeholders

“If you're buying your first home and the process feels like a fog, I put every step in order, from 'am I ready' to closing day, with what each one costs here in [City]. It's free at [site].com/keys. That's [site].com/keys. Or text KEYS to [number].”

[site].com/keysKEYS

Placements

Where to put it

  • Landing page at [site].com/keys with a one-sentence promise and a 2-field form
  • Mentioned in every lender, inspector and first-home episode; linked in show notes
  • YouTube description, pinned comment and QR on screen during the closing CTA
  • Reel series: one step per reel, each ending with 'Comment KEYS'
  • Quote cards from lender guests carry the short URL

Follow-up

The five emails after the download

A magnet without follow-up is a download, not a lead. Subject lines and the point of each email.

  1. 1Your roadmap, and the one step people skip

    Deliver the roadmap and point at Step 0.

  2. 2Pre-approval in plain English

    What a pre-approval is, what it is not, and the questions to ask a lender.

  3. 3Afford versus qualify

    The difference, with a clearly labeled example budget.

  4. 4Inspection week

    What an inspector finds in [City] homes and how to read the report.

  5. 5Ready to look? Here is how we start

    What the first meeting looks like and how to book it.

The brief

What we need from you to build it

A short questionnaire, about 10 minutes. Skip anything you don't know; we'll ask on the call. This is what it covers.

For every magnet

  • Your show name
  • Your website (where the magnet will live)
  • Who can add a page to your website?
  • Brand kit
  • Where should new leads go?
  • CRM name (if any)
  • Phone number for the text keyword (optional)
  • Instagram / Facebook handle for the comment keyword
  • Preferred short URL path
  • Does your brokerage need to approve consumer-facing material?
  • Broker or compliance contact (if needed)
  • When do you want to start mentioning it on air?

For the First-Time Buyer Roadmap

  • Market the roadmap applies to
  • Your process in steps, as you explain it to a first-time buyer
  • A lender partner for the financing chapter (name, company, contact)?
  • Local first-time-buyer programs or grants worth mentioning
  • The three mistakes you see most often
Start the brief

Your answers are saved in your browser as you type, so you can come back to it.

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Use this for my show

Tell us about your show and your market and we'll build the First-Time Buyer Roadmap around it: the document, the short URL on your show website, the QR overlay, the keyword and the follow-up emails.

No obligation.

Use this for my show