Every question is a good question.

Manor Mortgage is a first-time homebuyer focused mortgage team at Fairway Home Mortgage, led by Branch Sales Manager Shane Manor (NMLS #1828892) with loan officers Drew Manor (NMLS #2664451) and Adam Hallet (NMLS #2705131), and loan processor Kate Kalenberg. The team works from two offices — Altoona, Wisconsin and Eden Prairie, Minnesota — serving the Eau Claire–Chippewa Valley and the Twin Cities metro.

Two markets, two offices. From Eden Prairie we serve the entire Minneapolis–St. Paul metro: Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Chanhassen, Eagan, Woodbury and surrounding communities. From Altoona we serve Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Menomonie, Lake Hallie and the wider Chippewa Valley in western Wisconsin. Shane and Drew are licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, so a move across the border never means changing lenders.

Often much less than you think. Conventional loans start at 3% down for qualified first-time buyers, FHA at 3.5%, and USDA loans in eligible rural areas — including much of the Chippewa Valley — can be 0% down. Minnesota Housing and WHEDA both offer down payment assistance that can cover most or all of your cash-to-close. Many of our first-time buyers bring far less to closing than they expected.

Minnesota Housing is the state's housing finance agency. Its Start Up program offers first-time buyers below-market rates plus down payment and closing cost loans — including deferred options that don't add to your monthly payment. Income and purchase price limits apply and vary by county. We originate MN Housing loans regularly and can tell you quickly whether you qualify.

WHEDA is the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority — Wisconsin's counterpart to Minnesota Housing. WHEDA First Mortgage programs pair competitive rates with down payment assistance (WHEDA Easy Close and Capital Access), and are a workhorse program for first-time buyers in Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley. Income and purchase price limits apply by county.

A USDA Rural Development loan offers 0% down financing on homes in USDA-eligible areas. "Rural" is broader than most people expect — much of the Chippewa Valley outside the Eau Claire core, and many communities on the edges of the Twin Cities metro, are eligible. Household income limits apply. We can check a specific address for eligibility in minutes.

Yes — that is exactly why this team exists. Shane and Drew hold licenses in both states, and the team has offices in both markets. If your search spans the St. Croix border towns, or you're relocating between the Twin Cities and the Chippewa Valley, one team handles the whole thing with the right state programs on each side.

Once we have your documents, pre-approval typically takes 1–2 business days — often faster. On offer day, we can refresh your payment and cash-to-close math in minutes so you can bid with current numbers, not last week's.

FHA loans can work with scores in the 580+ range, conventional typically 620+, and state programs like MN Housing and WHEDA have their own minimums (generally 620–640). If your score is not there yet, we will map out the specific steps to get it there — this is a normal part of first-time buyer planning, not a dead end.

No. Conversations, pre-approvals, and program eligibility checks are free. You only ever incur costs as part of an actual loan transaction, and every cost is disclosed to you in writing before you commit to anything.

Closely. We keep your agent updated at every milestone, answer financing questions during showings — including nights and weekends — and call the listing agent when your offer goes in so your financing strengthens the offer instead of raising questions.

Your loan processor — Kate Kalenberg on our team — is the person who moves your file from application to the closing table. She collects and verifies your documents, coordinates with underwriting, the appraiser, and the title company, and keeps everything on schedule so your closing date holds. A great processor is the difference between a stressful closing and a smooth one.