Start smart, home buyers

You might not know it by looking out the window, but spring really is on its way.

With the spring thaw traditionally comes more activity in the housing market - activity that we could really use around here to boost the economy.

This isn't a sales pitch. It's something we hope anyone with a stake in a home, either now or in the near future, will read and remember. Our goal today is to point you to a resource that will help you a) make a wise investment in your next (or first) home, or b) if you're in mortgage trouble now or see difficulties looming on the horizon.

The website IdaMortgage.com is operated by the Idaho Housing and Finance Association. When you go to IdaMortgage.com, you can:

n Help determine what you're eligible to borrow

n Apply for a number of products, including a new home-buyer tax credit for first-time home buyers. The credit is worth up to $2,000 per year.

n Start Smart: Become educated about the home-buying process before making any commitments. Receive free counseling from HUD-certified professionals on purchasing a home that meets your needs and that you can actually afford.

n For those who are in trouble with their mortgage or see trouble ahead, these same counselors can help you - again at no cost. It doesn't matter who your mortgage is with, either.

Our editorial board meets annually with IHFA representatives. We've found Idaho Housing and Finance Association to be a superb resource that, despite its good works for so many years, is largely unknown.

Since 1978, IHFA has issued $896 million for more than 10,000 loans in the Coeur d'Alene area. The organization is unique in that it's a financial institution and administrator of affordable housing resources that uses no state-appropriated funds for operations; it's a self-supporting corporation that forms partnerships with banking and lending institutions throughout the state.

While affordable housing and rental assistance are part of the organization's mission, IHFA also provides home loans for Idahoans: $2.92 billion for 28,050 home loans in the last decade alone.

If you know someone who's thinking about buying a home - be it their first or 15th - suggest they visit IdaMortgage.com. That's a good place for any home-buying venture to begin.