The common definition — used by many federal-influenced programs — is that you haven't owned a principal residence in the past three years. Under that definition, prior owners re-qualify all the time.

But each program writes its own definition, and the details differ: how the three years are measured, whether co-buyer history counts, whether inherited property or a home owned with an ex-spouse counts, and exceptions for targeted areas, veterans, and displaced homemakers.

So never rule yourself out from the name of the requirement. Tell our assessment when your ownership ended and it will frame results cautiously; then confirm the specific program's definition with its administrator — that's one phone call.