Buying a home is an expensive and stressful process.
Some Oklahomans are finding a way to save a buck not just on those down payments but also on their taxes for the life of their loan.
Marissa and Sean Bryant are in the process of buying their second home.
Marissa said, “The process has just been a breeze.”
It’s a breeze because they are taking advantage of two programs available though the Oklahoma County Home Finance Authority.
One of those programs is the Mortgage Credit Certificate program.
The MCC program is a tax credit of up to $2,000 each year for the life of your loan.
The requirements are that you have an income of $69,690 or less for a family of three or more and the home must be your primary residence.
The second program is known as the Turnkey program.
It can be used alongside the Mortgage Credit Certificate.
Ed McGee, with the Oklahoma County Home Finance Authority, said, “If you qualify for the MCC program with its more restrictive requirements, by definition, you qualify for the Turnkey program.”
The Turnkey program helps buyers by paying up to 3.5 percent of their down payment.
It’s free money they do not have to pay back.
These programs are really helping couples like the Bryants who are trying to sell their old home while buying a new one.
Marissa said, “Before this program came along, we were having to worry about having a specific price for our current home and also saving for a down payment on our next home.”
With the Turnkey program, their down payment is covered.
The program is limited to those making about $86,000 or less and requires a credit score of 640.
Both programs apply to a home valued at up to $215,000.
“It’s a great benefit,” McGee said. “It’s a grant first of all and it’s a non repayable grant.”
For the Bryants, figuring out these programs has been easy thanks to their lender, Prime Lending.
The company has walked them through every step.
They said options like this are something any home buyer should look for when trying to buy.
Marissa said, “It is absolutely worth it.”
There are a handful of lenders in the area working to help buyers take advantage of these programs.
If you want more information you can contact your lender or the Oklahoma County Home Finance Authority at (405) 270-1388.