State housing finance agency’s programs heat up housing markets

(AUSTIN) – The positive responses to My First Texas Home and Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate programs are showing Texas’ growing housing phenomenon probably isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

With just over two-thirds of the state fiscal year gone (fiscal year begins Sept. 1 of the preceding through Aug. 31 of the current year), the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) released data that reflect the strong desire for its down payment and closing cost assistance program, My First Texas Home, and its federal mortgage tax credit program, Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate. There are still two months remaining before the end of the 2018 fiscal year, and TDHCA reports that the My First Texas Home program has already outperformed last year’s upward climb.

To date, nearly 5,950 mortgage loans have been provided to qualifying households versus the total for the previous year of 5,871, and overall loan amounts are significantly higher. Mortgage loan amounts, so far for FY18, equal about $988 million, more than $29 million when compared to the entire 2017 fiscal year (total year amount equaled $958 million).

TDHCA also reports that nearly 67 percent of the mortgage loans issued helped low-income households get into the housing market.

“We’ve always prioritized serving those that need help the most; borrowers that have traditionally been overlooked because of various financial challenges,” explained Cathy Gutierrez, director of the Texas Homeownership Division for TDHCA.

Major metro cities continue to rate high for areas in which first time homebuyers are choosing to live. For more information about My First Texas Home, please visit www.myfirsttexashome.com.