Tax season is coming up fast. For some of those who anticipate a refund, that wonderful lump sum is a great way to pay down some bills. For others, it's party time - new car, new clothes, new furniture, maybe even a vacation.

But would you believe that your tax refund can get you into a new house? Yes, I've been watching the news. Yes, I know that many lenders are requiring hefty down payments, or not lending at all. And no, I haven't fallen completely off the turnip truck.

At Self-Help, we've been making responsible loans for over two decades, and selling affordable homes since 1996. From the front lines, I can tell you - it is possible for first time homebuyers without perfect credit to purchase a home with a low downpayment. And a fixed interest rate mortgage.

So, back to this tax refund thing. We're building new homes across the state of North Carolina in the $95,000 to $120,000 price range. We offer some really great features you wouldn't expect in this price range (check them out here), and we help our buyers access low and no interest second mortgages that make their mortgage payments truly affordable.

Our average buyer that uses financing from our partner credit union (Self-Help Credit Union), can purchase with as little as 3% contribution - that includes closing costs. That means as little as $3,000 could move you into a new home, with an affordable fixed rate mortgage.

Interested? Give me a call at 866-265-3488, or drop me an email at Tamara.Heyward@Self-Help.org. We're currently building in Durham, Greensboro, Goldsboro, and Charlotte. A quick phone interview or email form tells you if you qualify - see the (not so) fine print below.

Here's the fine print. Notice that it's the same size as the rest of the print (smile):

• You should be a first time homebuyer. Just means you haven't owned a home in the past three years.
• You should live in the home, and not rent it out. We work hard to put together a great opportunity, because we believe that long term homeownership makes for wealthier, healthier people and better communities. No doubt, owning rental property is a great path to wealth, but that's not the path we're offering.
• You should meet the income guidelines. Our mission has always been to provide opportunities to those that might not otherwise have them. Police officers, school teachers, city employees, medical workers - we've all heard about how these hard workers often can't afford to live near their jobs. Our great financing gives a chance to help, although it also comes with some rules as to how much money our buyers can make.