that book really enlightened me to which now I am taking my first step which is joining here so I can educate myself more about investing.

Good luck and get educated!

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

I'm unsure about those programs specifically but generally speaking, you will find credit unions are easier to work with than banks  I would try Educators Credit Union or a small local bank like Waukesha State Bank. 

But look at it as an education. 

I live in San Antonio, TX, and the area I am looking to get the house in is an area with a lot of things to do around it, and next to two large educational institutions and a few big San Antonio attractions.

You've got plenty of time to get educated and be ready to hit the ground running as soon as you qualify for lending.

I'd say educate yourself first.

I have learned that I have to be more educated to control any risk in anything that you're doing, so I am gaining knowledge from any resources that I can.So by now I have around $20,000 in my savings and I am taking time before deciding where to start.

The more educated you are, the better.