Chenoa Fund Blog

Everyone’s path to homeownership looks different, but most people will encounter a few roadblocks along the way. That’s certainly more likely these days, as higher interest rates and low housing inventory are placing additional obstacles on the path to buying a home.   Fortunately, Chenoa Fund, CBC Mortgage Agency’s down payment assistance program (DPA), is helping … Continue reading "How to Overcome Homeownership Roadblocks with Chenoa Fund"

Many Americans spend years saving up enough money for a down payment on a home. Under normal circumstances, the endeavor is a major struggle that takes hard work, diligence and sacrifice. But over the past year, the struggle has gotten harder than ever. Thanks to inflation and the lingering impacts of the Covid pandemic, a … Continue reading "The Case of the Disappearing Down Payment—And How to Solve It"

Across the U.S., there are millions of renters who yearn to be homeowners or who are at least wondering if they would be better off owning their own home. For many, the decision often boils down to the current state of the housing market and whether home prices and interest rates are going up or … Continue reading "Home Buying Advantages Not Available to Renters"

The U.S. housing market hasn’t been too friendly to first-time homebuyers for some time. In fact, potential homebuyers have experienced a double whammy of sorts that has kept many of them on the sidelines. The first “whammy” was home prices, which rose to record levels in recent years. The second was interest rates, which have … Continue reading "What Falling Home Prices Mean for Your Borrowers"

There’s no doubt that today’s higher interest rates are making it harder for Americans to buy their first home. But even with rates increasing, buying a home is still a better option than renting for many people. If you have FHA-eligible borrowers who are trying to decide whether buying a home today is the right … Continue reading "Why Buying is Still Better than Renting"

Let’s be honest—it’s a tough market for originators, especially with interest rates at their highest level in decades. But if you’re passionate about serving your customers—especially first-time homebuyers—now is not the time to throw in the towel. Yes, rates are higher and home inventories are tight in many markets. But many people still yearn to … Continue reading "3 Ways to Increase Homebuyer Opportunities"

The decision to purchase a home is not an easy one to make. Many still consider the American Dream to be homeownership, and while having a dream is often a great source of motivation, dreams may also be paired with high expectations and anxieties related to living up to those expectations. This puts many would-be … Continue reading "Can Down Payment Assistance Ease Homebuying Concerns for Worried Buyers?"

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently published their 2022 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report. Here are some highlights and tips to help you make the most out of the evolving home market. Millennials make up 43% of homebuyers. That’s right, almost half of the current market belongs to millennials at the moment, … Continue reading "Realtor Tips to Help Homebuyers Find Affordable Homeownership"

Minority homeownership has been a trending topic in the mortgage industry for some time now. Two factors play a large role in this: wealth inequality and intergenerational wealth. These topics rise to the top because it is generally believed that improving homeownership rates will help to reduce wealth inequality between racial groups and grow intergenerational … Continue reading "How Lenders and Realtors Can Increase Minority Homeownership"

After two years of record-low, mortgage interest rates, today’s future homebuyers are moving into a rapidly increasing interest rate market. Home price appreciation remains high and inventory is still low. But where there is a challenge, there is opportunity, and educated and prepared future homeowners can position themselves to jump the hurdles in their way. … Continue reading "5 Tips for Buying a Home in a Competitive Market "