Homes that qualify for FHA mortgages are in high demand.

That’s because the majority of first-time buyers need mortgages that allow a lower down payment — 3 percent — and accept higher debt to loan ratios.

The FHA loan limit for San Joaquin County is $304,750.

The next trick is to find a home in solid condition that can accommodate a family or even a single person or couple comfortably with plenty of room in a quiet neighborhood located near shopping, schools and freeway access.

One such home can be found at 935 Pinecrest Court in Lathrop’s Stonebridge neighborhood. The single-story 1,477-square-foot home with four bedrooms, two full bathrooms and on a 9,735-square-foot lot is listed by LeAnn McNabb of Beacon Real Estate for $279,000.

Built in 1993, the home has been well cared for and has the feel and the look of being much newer. The sale includes the remaining year of a five-year home warranty that is transferable. The home also has no Mello Roos tax, a fair rarity among newer resale and new homes in Lathrop.

The tile-roof home has a porch that is set back from the street.

The current owner modified the floor plan slightly so you do not see the four bedrooms from the front room. The result was a wall that falls just short of floor-to-ceiling that compliments the original layout of the home. On the front room side there is several built in curio-style shelves while bookshelves and cabinets face the short hall that the wall created.

The home has a two-faced fireplace that serves as part of the dividing wall between the front room and the family room. The kitchen has ample room instead of gobbling up a lot of expansive space.

The master suit has double entrance doors, an architectural shelf and two closets including one in the master bedroom suite.

The spacious backyard has extensive privacy. There is RV access and planter boxes for a vegetable garden.

Joe Widmer School is nearby as well as shopping at SaveMart, Target and other stores and restaurants. Freeway access is within a mile while Lathrop School is just over a mile away.

To contact McNabb, call 815-6754.