Homeownership. It’s about more than shelter for your family and a home for your belongings. It’s about pride of ownership and building a solid foundation. It’s about writing a check each month that builds your equity and so much more.

Each June, the observance of National Homeownership Month provides homeowners the opportunity to reflect on how homeownership has enhanced their lives and how their important decisions to become homeowners has helped contribute to the vitality of the communities that they live and work in statewide. Idaho ranks 7th in the nation and 1st in the western states with a homeownership rate of 75.1% according to the U.S. Census Bureau. “IHFA is pleased to play key role in contributing to Idaho’s homeownership success rate. The association is proud to partner with lenders, mortgage brokers, and many other housing stakeholders statewide to help bring Idaho’s lowest-mortgage rates to working families and individuals. It is rewarding to be part of a company whose mission is focused on helping people achieve their dream of homeownership and helping them to find an affordable place to call home,” said President and Executive Director, Gerald Hunter.

In honor of homeownership month, we encourage homeowners to share their homeownership experience with someone they know who is considering becoming a future homeowner and encourage them to visit IdaMortgage.com, an important online lending and referral resource center helping future homebuyers in Idaho. IHFA’s IdaMortgage loan program offers working families and individuals a variety of home loan products to choose from when purchasing a home. IdaMortgage’s below-market rate workforce housing loan program offers 30-40 year fixed rate Workforce Advantage loan products that are excellent for credit-worthy families and individuals with incomes not more than 140% of area median income. Borrowers for these workforce housing loan products do not need to be first-time homebuyers and there are no sales price limit requirements. Chad Lough, a Meridian resident, found the home loan that fit his needs perfectly. He investigated loans online and found that the IdaMortgage home loan program at IdaMortgage.com was clearly outlined and consumer-friendly. He qualified for a home loan and received assistance from a mortgage company where the loan process was thoroughly explained. “I haven’t been dissatisfied with anything and the interest rate is completely amazing”, said Lough. “I also like the fact that I’m investing in my future and I can come home to a place I can be proud of.” IdaMortgage also offers a standard loan program that includes the lowest 30-year fixed rates…period.

Potential homebuyers can check their eligibility for a home loan online at IdaMortgage.com and receive a referral to a local loan officer statewide. In addition, they can learn more about down payment assistance programs available like the Good Credit Rewards-Second Mortgage Program and the Standard Down Payment Assistance-HOME Program; Finally Home!® Homebuyer Education classes; or free housing counseling services.

IdaMortgage partners with approximately 200 participating lenders at nearly 150 banking branches statewide; and 74 mortgage brokers at nearly 100 locations statewide to offer its below-market interest rates and assist homebuyers through every step of the home-buying process.

Since its inception, IHFA has helped more than 55,074 Idahoans achieve the dream of homeownership, an investment of $3.67 billion. In addition, IHFA remains focused on its important housing program efforts in the areas of Rental Assistance, Community Development Finance, and Community Services helping to ensure that all Idahoans have an affordable place to call home.

###

The Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and housing business organization, provides funding for affordable housing in communities where it is most needed and when economically feasible.