City of Centennial: First Time Home Buyer Assistance

I am passing on this useful information that I found on the City of Centennial website: 

Mortgage Assistance Available to First-Time Home Buyers

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 
Mortgage Assistance is available in the form of a down payment grant for Centennial residents who wish to become first-time homebuyers and who meet income requirements. See news release recently issued by the Denver Office of Economic Development, the agency administering the program:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, April 2, 2007

DENVER AND THE METRO MAYORS CAUCUS ANNOUNCE AVAILABILITY OF MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

Program Offers Stable, Conventional Fixed-Rate Mortgages

(DENVER) First-time homebuyers in many parts of the Denver metro area can now get a 4% down payment assistance grant and 5.95% 30-year fixed rate mortgage through the Metro Mortgage Assistance program led by the City and County of Denver and the Metro Mayors Caucus.

Cities throughout the Front Range contributed a total of $32.5 million in bond issuing capacity to fund the program, which provides first-time homebuyers with access to 5.95% 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loans (FHA, VA, RHS, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eligible conventional) accompanied by a grant for down-payment and closing-cost assistance equal to 4% of the original loan amount. Participating jurisdictions include: Arvada, Aurora, Bennett, Brighton, Broomfield, Centennial, Erie, Denver, Frederick, Greenwood Village, Lakewood, Littleton, Louisville, Northglenn, Sheridan and Westminster.

“This type of a program is designed to be an antidote to the risky mortgages that have contributed greatly to the foreclosure problems seen in Denver and throughout the country,” said Denver City Council President Michael Hancock. “The below market, fixed-rate mortgages and companion down payment assistance grants are meant to help address the needs of first-time homebuyers who often find their only alternative to be loan products that subject the buyer to a greater likelihood of foreclosure.”

The Metro Mortgage Assistance program helps first-time homebuyers achieve a low 30-year fixed rate mortgage that provides them with a steady mortgage payment, keeping borrowers secure from rising interest rates and increasing payments. The down payment assistance is a non-repayable grant that helps give buyers a head start toward building equity in their home.

“The largest barrier to home ownership many families face is lack of a down payment," said City of Broomfield Mayor Karen Stuart, who is vice chair of the Metro Mayors Caucus. “The Metro Mayors Caucus is pleased to continue our long-standing support and encouragement of home ownership by providing a way for families to achieve and afford the American dream of owning their own home.”

To be eligible for the Metro Mortgage Assistance program, annual family income cannot exceed $71,700 for families of one or two persons and $82,455 for families of three or more. The maximum home cost under the program is $365,175. Eligible prospective homebuyers cannot have owned a home in the last three years, except in specified targeted areas. Higher income and purchase price limits are also available in those targeted areas.

Mr. Hancock voiced his appreciation to the Metro Mayors Caucus. “Of course, this is a regional effort that wouldn’t have such a broad impact without the involvement of the Metro Mayors Caucus and the 16 participating cities.” He also added his thanks to the thirteen participating lenders. “We are so fortunate to have so many lenders participating in the Metro Mortgage Assistance program. Without the efforts of these lenders, there would not be a program.”

More information on the program is available at www.milehigh.com/housing.

Interested potential homebuyers may contact any of the mortgage lenders participating in the program:

Air Academy Federal Credit Union (720) 208-7440
American Liberty Mortgage, Inc. (303) 458-3778
Chase Home Finance (303) 759-6758; (303) 504-3183
Cherry Creek Mortgage (303) 226-8711; (303) 302-8102
Colorado State Bank and Trust (303) 861-2111
Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (303) 333-1385; (303) 716-7997
Guaranteed Mortgage Bank (303) 996-1625 ext. 240
Key Bank (303) 561-4344
Peoples Mortgage Corporation (719) 531-5577; (800) 650-3300
Summit Mortgage Corporation (720) 200-9480
Universal Lending Corporation (303) 758-4969
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage (303) 790-8601
WR Starkey Mortgage LLP (303) 757-0300; (303) 489-0712