First-Time Homebuyer Loans
in Stockton

5 Stars is not enough when it comes to Don and Paula! My Husband and I had been trying to get in the process to buy a home for years but, kept getting turned away. I got in contact with Don in way that it was pure fate on a sunny June day. I was just trying to get the correct steps to be able to buy a home. Don from the very first phone call was Kind, Patient, and so Informative. He gave us a step by step plan. And after years of trying in December we were ready to view homes. And today February 2026 we are Homeowners! We could not be any more grateful for the amazing team at H.O.M.E Lending. They are a top tier organization that really care for their clients. A lot of companies say their clients come first but, H.O.M.E Lending, Don and Paula really mean it. If your looking to by a home CALL DON! You will not regret it!

Don Burns is patient and kind. He is very knowledgeable about financing loans and how to prepare for the loan process. He is absolutely the best.

Don and Paula are great people to work with. Don knows his stuff and is very willing to help and guide you as needed. And Paula is super duper awesome. What ever she asked for that I couldn’t understand or find she was there to help. My loan took longer than usual (not their nor my fault) and they didn’t give up on me. If you want a company that cares this is the one! Thank you very much Don and Paula!!!

Don Burns is the best he went above and beyond for me to get my loan it was difficult cause of my divorce and he knew what to do cause he's dealt with divorce refinance. I will recommend him to anyone that's wanting to get a house or a refinance he's been doing this for years and knows what he doing .

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Working with Don as our loan officer was one of the best decisions we made during our homebuying journey as first time home buyers. From day one, he made the process feel personal rather than transactional and stress-free never once pressuring us to commit before we were ready. Instead, he reminded us that if walking away from the deal was what we needed, that was okay. That level of honesty and integrity is rare, and it showed us that Don truly cares about his clients, not just a commission. Don took the time to guide us through every step, providing credit tips to help us get where we needed to be and always responding quickly to our questions via text/email with clear, detailed explanations. His deep knowledge of the lending process and real estate market helped us make confident, informed decisions. He worked tirelessly to secure us the best possible rate and even helped us use our remaining closing cost concessions to buy down our rate saving us money with little to no cost on our end. Even though he wasn’t our realtor, his expertise in negotiation and his advocacy for our best interests truly made a difference. We also want to recognize Paula, his loan processor, who was equally outstanding organized, responsive, and incredibly helpful in making sure all our documents were completed and submitted on time. Thanks to Don and his team, our dream of homeownership became a reality, and the entire process was smoother than we ever expected. If you’re looking for a loan officer who’s honest, knowledgeable, responsive, and truly invested in your success, look no further than Don. We couldn’t recommend him more highly! Gracias, Don, por tu paciencia, tu dedicación y por tratar nuestro proceso con tanto corazón. You’ve earned it you’re officially invited to our next carne asada! 🌮🔥 — Guillermo & Dulce

Don & Paula just gave the best first time buyer experience. They did a lot of the work themselves but prompted me and coached me on what I needed to do for the process go forward. Don's knowledge of the market and interest rates was spot on. He got me a loan program that fits with my income and a refinance strategy to make it even better. Can't say enough good things about my experience. I would recommend H.O.M.E Lending to anyone looking for a great loan team.

This is my third time working with Don and his team. They are truly exceptional agents. I wish I could rate them higher. I am extremely satisfied with their professionalism, communication, and honesty. The entire process was seamless. I am incredibly grateful for the amazing experience and all the valuable feedback and resources they provided throughout. Once again, thank you, Don, and your team!

Working with Don Burns has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life. He walked me through every step of fixing my credit and getting my property ready to be refinanced. He explained the paperwork with great patience and guided me through the underwriting process. Every time the underwriters found something new, I was ready to throw in the towel and call it quits. Don calmly reminded me that this is just how the process works. Honestly, at times he was less like my broker and more like my therapist. Five months of this roller coaster and he never once wavered. Because of his dedication, persistence, and experience, I was able to accomplish what once felt impossible. I didn’t just end up with a refinance I ended up with a friend. So yes, he’s busy, but there’s a reason for that. If you want someone who knows what they’re doing and can keep you sane while doing it, Don’s your dude

Don and Paula at H.O.M.E Lending were absolutely amazing to work with! Don made the process easy to understand and incredibly quick. We were able to move into our dream home just 3 weeks after finding it! Their warm, welcoming attitude and flexibility made the home buying process go smoother than expected. My family and I are grateful that our first home buying experience was with them and I’d highly recommend Don to anyone looking for a lender!

I am a first time buyer, I started out with a different loan officer /agent submitted everything I was asked. Waited for about 3 weeks notice no interest in helping me buy a home, so I was asking my brother on advice and he said “Go talk to Don, he will help you out” without hesitation I texted Don and said I am ready to buy a home, call me when you are available. Within less than 30 minutes he texted back and said let me know when you can talk and he called me. Explained everything about my situation and 3 weeks later we have closed escrow on my first home. One thing I took in from Don was “ if you walk in and it feels like this is the one, do not be scared to say so you will know when it is the one” as soon as we drove up to this house we knew it was the one, walked in to see the home and it felt like home already. My family and I are very lucky to have had Don Burns and H.O.M.E. Lending team by our side the entire way. I can not forget Paula she was amazing I had a question and she was so helpful and kind willing to answer my questions thank you Paula.

I cannot say how amazing and easy it was to work with Don Burns and his staff especially Paula!! Don helped us look for homes and filter through everything on the market. Once we picked one we were able to close in 15 days and his staff was always on point to get the paper work done!! There’s no question about using them again for a future home!! - The Roth’s

It was a pleasure doing business with Don Burns and his associates with the entire loan process. He helped my family and I close on a property within 10-12 days using the VA loan. Don and his team are very knowledgeable and quick to respond to all of my questions and concerns; regardless if they were property or loan related. Additionally, Don has a strong interest and passion in this field which only further strengthens his knowledge in this field. I strongly recommend Don because he will treat you like family and not just a customer. Thank you again Don for everything and I look forward to doing business with you again if the opportunity ever presents itself.

Don Burns and Paula at H.O.M.E Lending assisted me with the purchase of my first home. They went above and beyond to make me feel like a valued customer. Don took time to explain the entire process, give me advice and share his knowledge, making the process of buying my first home less stressful. Don and Paul work great as a team. They were both very prompt, attentive, and kind!

Don and Paula were fabulous at getting our loan processed in record time after a prior lender held up the whole process over a minor paperwork detail. If we had to do it again, we'd go to Don and Paula first!

We were nearly at the end of our lease and looking for somewhere affordable to live when we were recommended to get in contact with Don. He made the house buying process easy and understandable while getting us in to our first home. Paula was a joy to work with and answered any questions we had. I would definitely work with them again.

I want to start by thanking Don, for his experience and knowledge through the process of my Fiancé and I first home purchase together. She was a first time buyer, was a little worried with the process, but Don made sure to keep communication lines open, he addressed all her questions as we placed a bid on our now new home together. She was at ease until the very end were she signed her life away for 30 years. Thank you Don, your experience in homes and construction tipped the scale so we could make an offer on a Home that you knew was a quick fix with tons of potential before we did. Thank you and your staff Paula and others for helping us close in record time. My finance and the kids mentioned they miss going house shopping with you on Saturday's lol.. Thank you again for helping us find and buy this beautiful home.

I’m glad I crossed paths with Paula and Don! It’s hard to trust people you don’t know but Homelending earned my trust with time! Paula was very nice and helpful in terms of helping me fill out paperwork and following up. As well calling me and explaining processes. Don-Thanks for always answering my questions even when I asked the same question over and over. Thank you for getting creative to help me get a loan to get my home. You always stayed real and upfront about everything. You are very knowledgeable, kind, flexible, efficient, and understanding. You ran the whole process as smooth as possible with my busy work schedule. Overall this was a great journey, and I couldn’t ask for a better team to work with.

Don was a great lender. We were referred to him from our personal bank. He was patient, kind, knowledgeable and answered all the questions we had as we were first time home buyers! Don made the process easy and stress free! He kept us informed during the process and never left us in the dark. Definitely 10/10 recommend!

Don Burns and his team are absolutely wonderful! As first time home buyers they made my buying experience simple and easy to follow. They’ve really made such a positive impact in my life and I can only wish every home buyer the same amazing experience.

Don Burns at H.O.M.E. Lending, and his assistant Paula are an absolute dream team to work with. They were prompt and didn't delay the process in any way. They answered all of my many questions and have been there after the process was over to still answer questions. This entire process took 17 days !! I look forward to working with them again.

Don and his team were truly wonderful! My husband and I had really bad experiences with previous lenders. We were at the point were we would never get home until Don and his team stepped in. Everything they did was done efficiently.

Don and his Team!! Wow!! One of the Best Teams I've had the pleasure of working with and my preferred Lender for all things residential. Home Lending puts The "T" in Team every day. HOME Lending outperformed my client's previous Lender in more ways than one.

Don and his team !! Wow!! One of the Best Teams I’ve had the pleasure of working with and my preferred Lender for all things residential. Home Lending puts The “T” in Team all day everyday

Don Burns made the escrow process move 100 times faster. I had a good experience with Don and his team. They helped me purchase my first home.

Don was very helpful when I needed to refinance my home. Was very knowledgeable through the whole process!