FSH > Frequently Asked Questions > For New Homebuyers

Frequently Asked Questions

For New Homebuyers

1. What is the best way to contact Faculty Staff Housing?
2. What housing programs are available for new faculty?
3. What housing programs are available for newly tenured faculty?
4. What housing programs are available for new staff?
5. What housing programs are available for new Clinician Educators?
6. Can I use all the programs? Can I use only one or two?
7. How do I know how much of a house I can afford?
8. How do I find a place to rent?
9. How do I see what campus homes are available for sale or rent?
10. Where can I get information about buying a house on-campus?
11. Do I need to use a real estate agent to purchase on-campus?
12. Can FSH show me available homes to buy?
13. Do you have information on schools for my children?
14. Can FSH help with moving companies?
15. What is Ebix BPO?

1. What is the best way to contact Faculty Staff Housing?

Faculty Staff Housing is available by phone at 650-725-6893 and by email at fshousing@stanford.edu.  You can expect a response to a message or email within 24 hours.

2. What housing programs are available for new faculty?

There are five financial programs available to new faculty who meet defined eligibility criteria and who do not own a home in the qualifying area:

• The Housing Allowance Program (HAP) is a taxable fringe benefit that supplements income upon the purchase of a home. 
• The Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) is an interest-only loan with a low current interest rate and deferred interest due at payoff. 
• The Deferred Interest Program (DIP) is a loan with no payments until the principal and deferred interest are paid in full. 
• The Reduced Interest Program (RIP) is an interest only loan with a low or zero interest rate. There are low or no interest payments and no principal payments until the loan is due. RIP has a 30 year loan term.
• The Zero Interest Program (ZIP) is a loan with no payments until the principal is due. The ZIP loan may have a forgivable feature.

Programs may be used alone or in combination (loans must be used in a specific order) with other programs and can be used to purchase a campus or off-campus home. Staff at Faculty Staff Housing are available by appointment to explain the programs, collect financial information from you, and calculate how much of a house you can afford using all the programs. Please refer to the purchase process for more information.

3. What housing programs are available for newly tenured faculty?

Effective July 1, 2006, new programs are available to certain eligible faculty members who were promoted on or after September 1, 2004. More information is available at Programs for Newly Tenured Faculty.

4. What housing programs are available for new staff?

Executive staff at the N11, N99, O and P levels who meet defined eligibility criteria are eligible for certain housing purchase programs. Refer to the Housing Purchase Programs Eligibility Criteria document for more information. All staff levels are eligible for certain rental housing programs. Refer to the Rental Housing Programs Eligibility Criteria document for more information.

5. What housing programs are available for new Clinician Educators?

Certain Clinical Assistant Professors, Clinical Associate Professors, and Clinical Professors who meet the CE eligibility may qualify for the CE Programs. More information is available at Clinician Educator Housing Benefits.

6. Can I use all the programs? Can I use only one or two?

Subject to eligibility, the Housing Allowance Program (HAP), Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP), Deferred Interest Program (DIP), and Zero Interest Program (ZIP) can be used alone or in combination to purchase a campus or off-campus home. The loans, however, must be used in a specific order. Please refer to the purchase process for more information.

7. How do I know how much of a house I can afford?

Staff at the Faculty Staff Housing are available by appointment for faculty and staff who meet the eligibility criteria to explain the programs, collect financial information from you, and calculate how much of a house you can afford using all the programs.  Please refer to the purchase process for more information. Stanford does not give financial, legal, or tax advice.

8. How do I find a place to rent?

Please refer to our rental resources. Apartments and houses managed by Faculty Staff Housing as well as other resources are listed. Contact each site directly for availability and rates.

9. How do I see what campus homes are available for sale or rent?

Homes For Sale and Rent is a listing of Campus homes for sale and rent.

10. Where can I get information about buying a house on-campus?

Information about on-campus leases is available from the Residential Ground Lease Brochure. You may also wish to read the On-Campus Disclosure which describes some of the issues to consider when purchasing on-campus. You can view homes for sale at Homes For Sale.   Forms and instructions for making an offer on a campus home are available at Purchase Contract Documents.

11. Do I need to use a real estate agent to purchase a house on-campus?

No. A buyer may choose to buy a campus home with or without an agent. If the seller has an agent, the seller generally pays the full sales commission and the seller’s agent shares a portion of the commission with the buyer’s agent. If the seller has no agent but the buyer has an agent, the buyer may be asked to pay a commission to the agent. Faculty Staff Housing cannot act as an agent.

12. Can Faculty Staff Housing show me available homes to buy?

No. Buyers of campus homes need to contact sellers directly to make arrangements to tour houses. A buyer may wish to hire an agent to make these arrangements. Faculty Staff Housing cannot act as an agent.

13. Do you have information on schools for my children?

A. Standardized test information for California public schools is available at the Department of Education website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/.  In addition, each school district generally has a website with information specific to its own schools. External links to school districts are available at schools.

14. Can Faculty Staff Housing help with moving companies?

No. Faculty Staff Housing has no information regarding moving companies. Contact the representative at your future department for more information.

15. What is Ebix BPO?

All new homebuyers must have insurance on the home they purchase before the transaction can be completed. Loans and the on-campus leases require that insurance be maintained during the term. The loans and on-campus lease require that Stanford be notified of the type and terms of the insurance. The University has contracted with Ebix BPO to assist in tracking and monitoring insurance information for all outstanding loans and all current leases.

The University provided Ebix BPO with the current insurance information on file. Ebix BPO will review the information for compliance and contact the insurance agent with questions or for additional information. Ebix may contact the borrower or lessee directly if a policy has lapsed or if no information is on file.

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