Homes for Heroes® for Teachers: A Homebuying Resource Worth Knowing About

Teachers spend their careers investing in their students, their schools, and their communities. Homes for Heroes® is one way we can give something back.

If you’re an educator in Hilliard or anywhere in Central Ohio, you may qualify for savings when buying a home through the Homes for Heroes program. And even if buying isn’t on your radar right now, it’s a resource worth knowing about for when the time comes.

What Is Homes for Heroes?

Homes for Heroes is a nationwide program created to give back to the people who serve our communities.

Teachers and educators are one of the hero groups the program serves, along with healthcare professionals, firefighters and EMS, law enforcement, military members, and veterans.

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that Homes for Heroes is a special type of mortgage.

It isn’t.

Homes for Heroes works alongside the mortgage financing that makes sense for your individual situation. Depending on your eligibility and the professionals you work with, there may be savings available throughout the homebuying process.

As a Homes for Heroes affiliate, our team offers eligible heroes:

• No lender fee on a home purchase

• An appraisal credit

• Potential additional savings when working with a participating Homes for Heroes real estate partner

That means you can still explore Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, OHFA, and other financing options based on what works best for you.

You Don't Have to Be a First-Time Buyer

Homes for Heroes isn't only for first-time homebuyers.

Maybe you're buying your first home after years of renting. Maybe you've outgrown your current home. Maybe you're relocating, downsizing, or simply ready for something different.

The starting point is the same: figuring out where you stand and what options make sense for you.

You also don't need to have everything perfectly figured out before starting that conversation.

Credit, student loans, savings, existing debt, and your monthly budget are all pieces of the picture. Our job is to help you understand how those pieces fit together.

Sometimes someone is ready sooner than they expected. Other times, we identify a few things to work on and create a plan for later.

Either way, you know your next step.

What About Student Loans?

This is a big question for many educators.

Having student loan debt does not automatically prevent you from qualifying for a mortgage.

Your student loans are considered alongside your income, credit, other monthly obligations, available savings, and the type of financing you're considering.

Rather than assuming your student loans mean homeownership is out of reach, let us look at the actual numbers with you.

Can Homes for Heroes Work With Other Programs?

Depending on your situation, there may be other homebuying resources worth exploring too.

For example, eligible Ohio buyers may have options available through the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), including certain down payment assistance programs.

Teachers who are also veterans may have VA loan benefits available to them.

The important thing is that there isn't one loan program that's right for every teacher. We look at the whole picture and help you understand which options you may qualify for and which ones actually make sense for your goals.

Buying a Home in Hilliard and Central Ohio

Buying locally is about more than finding a house you like.

Property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, commute, location, and the home's price all affect what homeownership actually looks like month to month.

That's why we focus on the payment and financial picture you're comfortable with, not simply the maximum amount you may qualify to borrow.

And when you're ready to start looking, having a strong preapproval matters.

Our team fully reviews our preapprovals so you can shop with a clear understanding of your financing. When you find the right home, we're also there to communicate with your real estate agent and the listing agent throughout the process.

Start With a Conversation

You don't have to be ready to make an offer tomorrow.

You don't even have to know exactly when you want to buy.

If homeownership is something you're considering this year, next year, or simply "someday," starting the conversation early can help you understand what's possible and what you can do now to prepare.

For the teachers and educators who spend so much of their time helping others build their futures, Homes for Heroes is one resource available to help you think about yours.

And if you're not an educator but have a teacher in your life, share this with them. They may not know this program exists.

Thank you to the teachers and educators who continue to show up for our students and our communities every day.

Learn more about Homes for Heroes and connect with our team here.

Always here as a resource