Teacher Next Door Blog

Most recent reviews of the Soldier Next Door National Home Buying Program:

The Best!

Soldier Next Door Realtor: Lori Noack
Soldier Next Door Loan Officer: Terry Burns

"Terry was very pleasant to work with. He was always available when I needed him. He was always willing to answer questions and listen to any concerns I had. My experience with him was the best! I like that he helped me keep track of the process and did everything in his power to help me be in my house before Thanksgiving. Overall, I had a great experience.”
Destinee Johnson, Veteran
Marion, SC

Realize My Dream!

Soldier Next Door Realtor: Dioul Mitchell
Soldier Next Door Loan Officer: Will Preecs

"Thank you Will for making this process easier and assisting me to realize my dream of owning a home. Thanks for all your patience with me, and never tiring of my questions.”
Lavitta Covington
Peachtree City, GA

Congratulations to the Neenan Family, on your beautiful new home in Massachusetts!  Thank you for the 5-star review!  We were excited to be part of your journey!

Amy and Eric work in the Beverly  area, and were able to take advantage of the Teacher Next Door grants and benefits. Here is what they had to say about their experience with the program.

Wonderful Program!

Teacher Next Door Realtor: Jesse Mason
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: James Ward

"First time home buying can be extremely intimidating, and we honestly had no clue where to begin. After learning about the Teacher/Nurse Next Door Program we reached out to James and everything was a breeze from there. James and his team broke everything down step by step, and kept us on track in such a timely manner that we were into our new home in just a few short months. We are so incredibly grateful for this wonderful program.”
Amy Neegan
Beverly, MA

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Infographic: Home Ownership Net Worth Comparison
Source: Forbes

Teacher Next Door’s stated mission is to increase home ownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing, free from discrimination. So why is home ownership so important? The following research from multiple sources speak clearly to the importance of home ownership in America.

KEY FACTS

• Homeowners net worth, on average, is more than 3,600 percent higher than renters. (Source: Forbes)
  
  
• Children of homeowners are significantly more likely to stay in school until age 17 than children of renters, especially in low-income households, according to a study in the Journal of Urban Economics.
  
  
• Children in home owning families outperform children in renting families in both math and reading achievement tests, even when other factors are the same. These children will have fewer behavioral problems, higher educational attainment and greater future earnings, according to a study by an Ohio State University Ohio State University economist.
  
  
• The graduation rate for children of homeowners is 19 percent higher than for renters, and they are twice as likely to acquire some post secondary education, according to a study in a journal published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
  
  
• A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston of homes with a student about to enter college found that a modest increase in home value for homeowners led to an increase in the child’s earnings later in life, while an increase in a property’s value for renters led to a decrease in the child’s earnings.
  
  

“A safe, decent, affordable home is like a vaccine,” Dr. Megan Sandel of the Boston University School of Medicine testified to Congress. “It literally prevents disease. A safe home can prevent mental health and developmental problems, a decent home may prevent asthma or lead poisoning, and an affordable home can prevent stunted growth and unnecessary hospitalizations.”

Is Home Ownership Still Affordable?

Home prices have risen sharply over the past twelve months, which of course is why owning your own home represents such a good investment. However, despite the recent rise in prices, finding a home that works within your budget may not be as hard as you think.

In recent months, home prices have stabilized in many markets across the U.S., and even though the Federal Reserve has increased its benchmark interest rate, it was adjusted from near an all-time low, to a more typical level. So, mortgage rates today are still at an affordable level for most buyers and are far below some of the double-digit rates of the past.

Should I Wait to Buy a Home?

It may be tempting to want to wait for home prices or interest rates to drop, but that could prove to be a costly mistake. The fed has promised to boost interest rates again. And according to Steve Parks, National Director of Next Door Programs, “Even though home prices have stabilized, there’s no cliff dive on the horizon. The underlying fundamentals of the market ate still strong.”

“Even though home prices have stabilized, there’s no cliff dive on the horizon. The underlying fundamentals of the market ate still strong.”

The good news is, with the recent change in market conditions, many cash investors, including Zillow, have stopped, or slowed their home buying spree. Inventory has started to increase and there are less instances of purchase offers turning into bidding wars. In fact, Zillow recently announced plans to sell 7,000 homes, and according to Bloomberg, as many as two-thirds were being sold for less than the company paid for them.

So, despite some of the gloomy headlines, there are some tremendous opportunities in this market, and this may be an excellent time to buy. Purchasing a home now, could set you up for success in the future.

What Assistance is Available?

Available in all fifty states and DC, Teacher Next Door and Next Door Programs is the largest national home buying program in the United States, with access to over thirty-five different grant and down payment assistance programs. 

GRANTS

Next Door Programs offers grants of up to $8,000.00. Grants never have to be repaid and may be comprised of any combination of state, Federal and privately funded programs.

Down Payment Assistance

Through Next Door Programs, you could qualify for down payment assistance of up to $10,681.00. Like the grants, the down payment assistance programs may be comprised of any combination of state, Federal and privately funded programs. Most down payment assistance programs require some form of repayment, although some state programs may offer a forgivable loan, after a certain period. (Three years in some cases.) 

Examples:

Through the program, you may be able to qualify for a state-specific government program, such as Arizona Home in Five, California CalPLUS, Colorado FirstStep, Iowa IFA, Nevada NHD Home is Possible, Ohio Your Choice, Texas 5-Star Advantage or Utah UHC. Next Door Programs also utilizes national programs, such as Chenoa Fund, Home Ready and others. When you apply, a Next Door Certified Program Specialist will help you determine which loan and assistance programs will help you receive the maximum benefits and which programs may be combined.

Summary 

While it’s true that home ownership will not solve every problem, home ownership still matters, possibly now more than ever. And with increasing inventory, fewer multiple-offer situations, and a wide variety of home buyer assistance programs, now may be an excellent time to buy. Next Door Programs is proud to help families across the United States realize their dream of becoming homeowners.

Next Door Programs:

Congratulations to the Borjas Family, on your beautiful new home in North Carolina!  We were excited to be part of your journey!  Vita teaches in the Concord area, and was able to take advantage of the Teacher Next Door grants and benefits. Here is what they had to say about their experience with the program.

Incredibly Helpful!

Teacher Next Door Realtor: Tom Semancik
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: Paige Lott

"Paige is incredibly helpful with absolutely every step of the home buying process! Her quickness, kindness, and patience helped move everything along at the pace we needed with full transparency”
Vita Borjas
Concord, NC

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Congratulations to the Pelzer Family, on your beautiful new home in Minnesota!  Thank you for the 5-star review! We were excited to be part of your journey!

Chelsea teaches in the Columbia Heights area, and was able to take advantage of the Teacher Next Door grants and benefits.  Here is what they had to say about their experience with the program.

Awesome!

Teacher Next Door Realtor: Michelle Carstensen
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: Ricardo Manzo

"Ricardo was awesome! He made everything feel easy and moved right along. He made sure to explain everything to us as the process went along and gave us helpful tips along the way.”
Chelsea Pelzer
Columbia Heights, MN

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Most Recent Nurse Next Door Program Reviews November 2022

So Helpful!

Nurse Next Door Realtor: Cindy Korporal
Nurse Next Door Loan Officer: Brian Cohrt

"Brian was so helpful and easy to contact. He made sure that we were able to close on time and continued to answer our questions afterward. We are first time homeowners, and he was extremely patient with us throughout the whole process! Thank you for getting us into our first home!"
Katy Owens  
Loves Park, IL

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Congratulations to the Oppenheim Family, on your beautiful new home in California!  Thank you for the 5-star review! We were excited to be part of your journey!

Jessica teaches in the Walnut Creek area, and was able to take advantage of the Teacher Next Door grants and benefits. Here is what they had to say about their experience with the program.

Amazing!

Teacher Next Door Realtor: Pam Volkman
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: Bryan Friedman

"Bryan was Amazing! I had tried many different paths to get my first home, all leading me down frustrating and disappointing dead ends. By everything changed once I began working with Bryan, I made an offer on the very first place I saw once I was connected with him, and it became my dream home!!! This was mostly due to all the tireless, behind the scenes work in that Bryan and the Teacher Next Door Team did for me. I was very anxious throughout the whole process. Luckily, Bryan’s calm energy and voice of reason kept me sane. He was always available to answer my questions. And patiently took time to explain each step in detail. I felt total trust in him and knew that he had my best interest at heart. Boy did it pay off. Now I’m a first time homeowner and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Thank you, Bryan!”
Jessica Oppenheim
Walnut Creek, CA

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Congratulations to Joaquin Cadavid, on your beautiful new home in California!  Thank you for the 5-star review! We were excited to be part of your journey!

Joaquin is a government employee in the Redlands area, and was able to take advantage of the Public Servant Next Door grants and benefits. Here is what he to say about his experience with the program.

Such a Pleasure!

Public Servant Next Door Realtor: Steven Williams, Jr.
Public Servant Next Door Loan Officer: Will Preecs

"Working with Will has been one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had. The dedication of Will is second to none. Your needs will always be the focus of every conversation. It really does feel like people do come first here. I couldn’t recommend them enough for helping navigate through the home buying experience. ”
Joaquin Cadavid
Redlands, CA

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Certified Online Reviews

Most Recent Certified Buyer Reviews

Easy and Simple! 


Teacher Next Door Realtor: Michael Hartman
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: Laura Rodriguez

"Laura was awesome! Super kind and helpful with excellent communication. She made the process feel easy and simple." 
Richard Terry
Kent, WA
Teacher Next Door Review 10/05/2022

Always Available! 

Nurse Door Realtor: Marlin Williams
Nurse Next Door Loan Officer: Dennis Leyton

"I’m so lucky to have encountered Dennis, he helped me from the start of my home purchase and was always available to answer any questions or concerns I had. Dennis made me feel comfortable and encouraged me to the end of my home purchase. Many thanks to Dennis and his team!" 
Susana Vigil
La Habra, CA
Nurse Next Door Review 10/05/2022

Best Experience! 


Public Servant Next Door Realtor: Steven Williams, Jr.
Public Servant Next Door Loan Officer: Will Preecs

"Working with Will has been one of the best customer service experiences I’ve had. The dedication of Will is second to none. Your needs will always be the focus of every conversation. It really does feel like people do come first here. I couldn’t recommend them enough for helping navigate through the home buying experience. " 
Joaquin Cadavid
Redlands, CA
Public Servant Next Door Review 10/05/2022

Easy! 

Teacher Next Door Realtor: David Hirschman
Teacher Next Door Loan Officer: John Ayala

"John, Ben, and Dani were helpful every step of the way. They made the home buying process easy to understand for a first-time buyer." 
Zachary Schmucker
Cincinnati, OH
Teacher Next Door Review 10/04/2022

Amazing! 

Officer Next Door Realtor: Will Catlett
Officer Next Door Loan Officer: Jacob Lovato

"Jacob and his team were amazing! I enjoyed working with this team! " 
Nikyah Walker 
Philadelphia, PA
Officer Next Door Review 10/03/2022

More Reviews

Most recent reviews of the Firefighter Next Door National Home Buying Program:

Thank you!

Firefighter Next Door Realtor: Cindy Korporal
Firefighter Next Door Loan Officer: Brian Cohrt

"Brian was so helpful and easy to contact. He made sure that we were able to close on time and continued to answer our questions afterward. We are first time homeowners, and he was extremely patient with us throughout the whole process! Thank you for getting us into our first home!”
Katy Owens
Loves park, IL

Helpful and Attentive!

Firefighter Next Door Realtor: Natanya Galaz
Firefighter Next Door Loan Officer: Paula Draper

"Paula is very helpful and attentive. She guided us well when it comes to the requirements and number crunching. She’s always ready to answer our questions and explain things we don’t understand. She has been with us every step of the way until we finally bought our first ever home.”
Rhen Bolina
Lodi, CA