Do I qualify for first time home buyer programs in a state I don't live in for a house I have no intention of living in?

Doubtful…most 1st time buyer programs require that you actually live in the house for a period of time.

Depends. Make sure your lender knows the property would be non-owner occupied. There are different loan programs for those conditions.

NO. FTHB programs are for Owner Occupied only.

Unless you are getting this place for 50% discount, it could not be a worst time to buy Real Estate, especially if you do not plan to occupy the property.

Run like hell!

@Allen: I don’t know if I agree that it’s a bad time to buy. With both home prices and interest rates so low, if I had the money I’d be snapping up properties. What am I missing?

@aug—the vast majority of home sales in most area’s of the US in the last 6–9 months are REO’s (lender owned properties). (Until recently REO’s were not counted in home sale statistics). As lenders’ balance sheets become inundated with more and more properties, federal regulators will demand that they 1 raise capital or 2 liquidate properties. Because, lenders are required to hold in reserve 150% cash in relation to repossessed properties. This is why Indy Mac tipped over and Countrywide sold to B of A, and why hundreds of other lenders have tipped over, and Fannie and Freddie soon will be bailed out by the tax payers. So one Billion in foreclosed properties require 1.5 Billion in cash on hand. So what we are seeing now and will continue to see for the next 12 months are banks dumping properties for pennies on the dollar, or the bank looses its charter. My neighbor bought for 620K in 2006 and the bank just dumped the house for 385k (it foreclosed). The 385k becomes the “value” of the other homes in the development. The next home to be dumped by the bank will be 20–30% less than 385k, and on and on.
A home’s value is determined by the value of other home sales in the area of like kind homes. A web site like RealtyTrac will tell you how many homes are bank owned in the area, or for a small fee you can buy the info. Furthermore, the era of cheap credit is over, and it was cheap credit that drove home values up over the last 8 years. Also, wages (decreasing as a whole) do not support rising home values, and it is cheaper by 25%-66% to rent than own, and keep in mind, the home owner owns a declining asset. Most people don’t realize that the game has changed and there are so many “bag holders” holding over-valued flaming bags of poopie.

Look for home values to return to 1997–1998 levels. We have massive over capacity now in most areas of the country. From 4%-20% vacancy, unrented, and empty homes. The laws of supply and demand will exact their damage further.
All the rules of real estate are changed, and it is tough to figure out what true value is.
I suggest http://mrmortgage.ml-implode.com and http://www.rgemonitor.com/index.php as suggested reading.
Some argue we are in a deflationary period, similar to Japan between 1994 and 2006——Japan’s home values are still dropping relative to the boom prices of 1990’s. Deflation means, banks are unwilling to lend and borrower’s are unable or unwilling to take on debt, which is a topic unto it’s self.

It brings me no pleasure to tell of these things, as I have learned many a painful lesson the past few years too.

@also watch for a even bigger crash in commercial real estate, massive vacancy, and contraction demand for retail space in the next 24 months.

This will lead to at least 100 regional bank failures. Or call me Cassandra…..

@Allen: Thanks for the insight.

I agree that it might be a bad time to buy in most places, but the place I want to buy is a growing city and people are moving there because it’s affordable. ( i live in SF so ANYTHING is affordable) I think it will remain a good investment and if I can get a good deal, lucky me!

According to the San Francisco Chronicle: 8/18/2008

Instability in the region’s housing market is making it difficult to determine values, according to mortgage brokers and real estate appraisers. “It’s miserable,” said Karen Mann, who runs a small East Bay appraisal firm called Mann & Associates. “I’ve been in the business 28 years, and this is the worst downturn I’ve seen.”

I am sure your “hood” is exempted.