Help Center

Why it matters

The app is designed to keep housing work in one workflow instead of spreading it across spreadsheets, browser tabs, notes, texts, and memory.

When to use it

Start here when you are new to the app or unsure which area to open first.

Steps

1. 1.Create or open a housing project.
2. 2.Review the project's current stage, status, blockers, and next action.
3. 3.Use market intelligence to identify promising ZIP codes and confirm the target area.
4. 4.Find and evaluate properties for that project.
5. 5.Track landlords, referral contacts, and prospective residents.
6. 6.Complete the next action shown for the project until placement is confirmed.

Why it matters

Without a project, information can become disconnected. The project is the source of context for the work you are trying to complete.

When to use it

Create a project when you have a housing market or opportunity you intend to actively pursue.

Steps

1. 1.Create the project and identify its target geography.
2. 2.Review the current stage and status.
3. 3.Complete the requested next action before moving the project forward.
4. 4.Keep property, contact, resident, and task activity associated with the correct project.

What you need

• Project name
• Target city/state or market
• Current stage/status

Common mistakes

• Creating multiple projects for the same active opportunity without a reason.
• Searching a different city or ZIP without confirming that the project context changed too.

Why it matters

Find Home First is built around reducing operational confusion. A project should not leave you wondering what to do next.

When to use it

Check these whenever you reopen a project or feel unsure about the next step.

Steps

1. 1.Read the current status before doing new work.
2. 2.Resolve any blocker that prevents the next stage.
3. 3.Complete the Next Action shown in the workspace.
4. 4.Update the project only when the real-world condition has actually changed.

Common mistakes

• Advancing a status because work was started instead of because the milestone was actually reached.
• Ignoring a blocker and doing unrelated work that does not move the project forward.

Why it matters

The goal is not simply to find a rental. It is to identify places where housing need and workable economics have a strong chance of intersecting.

When to use it

Use it before committing significant time or money to a new market or property search.

Steps

1. 1.Choose the target city or market for the project.
2. 2.Generate or review the market report.
3. 3.Compare ranked ZIP codes and the evidence behind each result.
4. 4.Review source confidence and any unavailable or estimated data.
5. 5.Select a ZIP to hand into Property Search when you are ready to look for inventory.

Common mistakes

• Treating an estimate as an exact local fact.
• Choosing a ZIP based on one score without reviewing the underlying evidence and economics.

Why it matters

It helps narrow a large market into places worth investigating first while keeping source quality and missing data visible.

When to use it

Use it to compare ZIP codes inside the same market report.

Steps

1. 1.Compare the score with the other ZIPs in the report.
2. 2.Open the evidence and confidence details behind the ranking.
3. 3.Review rent economics and local housing availability before selecting the ZIP.
4. 4.Use the ranking to prioritize research, not replace program confirmation or property due diligence.

Common mistakes

• Reading the score as a promise of profitability or program eligibility.
• Ignoring confidence warnings or missing-source notices.

Why it matters

Property economics cannot be evaluated responsibly without a credible rent benchmark, but program payment standards still need confirmation when they differ from FMR.

When to use it

Review FMR when comparing markets and evaluating the rent economics of a property.

Steps

1. 1.Review the FMR benchmark shown for the relevant geography and bedroom size.
2. 2.Check whether the report is using exact local data or a clearly labelled fallback area.
3. 3.Confirm any program-specific payment standard with the program administrator when needed.
4. 4.Use confirmed figures in the final property economics decision.

Common mistakes

• Calling FMR a guaranteed voucher or program payment.
• Using a listing's asking rent as though it were HUD FMR.

Why it matters

The property search should stay tied to the project and ZIP you deliberately selected so the results remain relevant to the housing plan.

When to use it

Use it after you have a target market or ZIP and are ready to identify real properties.

Steps

1. 1.Confirm the project, city/state, and ZIP at the top of the search.
2. 2.Set practical property and rent filters.
3. 3.Review listings against both operational needs and economics.
4. 4.Save or move promising properties into the project workflow.
5. 5.Begin landlord outreach and property due diligence.

What you need

• Active project
• Target geography
• Property requirements
• Rent range

Common mistakes

• Searching a ZIP that does not match the current project context.
• Treating a listing as viable before checking economics and landlord acceptance.

Why it matters

A property can look attractive and still fail financially. The purpose is to expose that risk before money is committed.

When to use it

Use it before lease commitment and whenever rent, room count, payment assumptions, or operating costs change materially.

Steps

1. 1.Enter the property's monthly rent.
2. 2.Confirm usable room count and realistic occupancy.
3. 3.Enter the best-supported per-room or program revenue assumption.
4. 4.Add utilities and recurring operating costs.
5. 5.Review estimated revenue, expense, and margin together.
6. 6.Confirm program-specific payment assumptions before final commitment.

What you need

• Monthly property rent
• Usable rooms
• Expected occupancy
• Revenue/payment assumption
• Utilities and operating costs

Common mistakes

• Using maximum occupancy instead of realistic occupancy.
• Using an unconfirmed program payment as guaranteed revenue.
• Ignoring utilities, vacancy, or other recurring costs.

Why it matters

Housing opportunities often stall because follow-up is scattered across calls, texts, notes, and memory. The CRM record keeps the relationship actionable.

When to use it

Use it as soon as you contact an owner or property manager about a candidate property.

Steps

1. 1.Record the landlord or property-manager contact.
2. 2.Log the property and the result of each conversation.
3. 3.Record objections, requirements, and requested documents.
4. 4.Schedule the next follow-up instead of relying on memory.
5. 5.Update approval or lease status only when the owner has actually confirmed it.

Why it matters

A reliable referral network reduces the need to rebuild relationships every time a room becomes available.

When to use it

Add a referral contact whenever you establish a real relationship with someone who may refer prospective residents.

Steps

1. 1.Add the person's name, organization, role, and contact details.
2. 2.Record what population or program they serve.
3. 3.Note relationship history and relevant requirements.
4. 4.Follow up when housing becomes available or project status changes.

Common mistakes

• Treating a cold name in a directory as an established referral relationship.
• Failing to record which project, geography, or population the contact actually supports.

Why it matters

The right housing placement requires more than an open bed. Resident needs and readiness must be matched to the actual property and program.

When to use it

Create a resident record when a real referral or housing candidate enters the placement process.

Steps

1. 1.Record the referral source and basic contact information.
2. 2.Document housing needs, relevant accommodations, and readiness.
3. 3.Track required documents and unresolved placement issues.
4. 4.Match the person only to housing that can actually meet the identified needs.
5. 5.Update placement status as milestones are confirmed.

Why it matters

Calls, documents, inspections, landlord follow-ups, and placement deadlines are easy to lose when they live only in memory or email.

When to use it

Create a task whenever something must happen later or needs a clear owner and due date.

Steps

1. 1.Describe the action in plain language.
2. 2.Associate it with the correct project when applicable.
3. 3.Set a realistic due date.
4. 4.Complete the task only when the underlying action is actually done.

Why it matters

Billing settings should remain separate from housing project operations so users do not confuse account administration with project work.

When to use it

Use it when reviewing subscription level, account billing, or plan availability.

Steps

1. 1.Open Plan & Billing.
2. 2.Review the current plan and available account actions.
3. 3.Use billing support if a payment or subscription issue cannot be resolved from the page.