There is free money and thousands of dollars in discounts waiting for teachers, first responders, health care workers, and members of the military who are buying, selling, or refinancing their homes.
It’s all thanks to the Homes for Heroes program. Keep reading to find out how this program works and if it can benefit you.
What Is the Homes for Heroes Program?
The Homes for Heroes program was introduced shortly after 9/11. It is a social initiative designed to financially support American heroes. These heroes serve the nation as first responders, military members, teachers, and health care professionals.
The Homes for Heroes program gives cash refunds and discounted real estate services to Hero buyers, sellers, or home loan refinancers. And there are no strings attached.
How Does Homes for Heroes Work?
The Homes for Heroes program operates through local professional service providers who have signed up to be part of the affiliate network. By signing up, these services agree to provide discounts or other benefits to heroes. Heroes who sign up for the program are matched with one of these affiliate professionals in their local area.
The Homes for Heroes program is focused on helping heroes attain their housing goals. Heroes can benefit from the program when buying, selling, or refinancing a home.
Buying a Home
Heroes receive discounts and rebates on every cost related to buying a home. This includes the home’s sale price, mortgage appraisals, title services, and home inspections.
These discounts are accessed by going through Home for Heroes realtors and other affiliated professionals.
Selling a Home
Heroes selling homes through the program receive a 25% gross commission credit from their Homes for Heroes realtor. They also receive discounts on closing costs and services.
Refinancing a Home
The Hero Loan Refinancing service offers financial assistance to heroes who are already homeowners. Heroes are matched with local mortgage specialists who walk them through the home loan refinancing process.
Many educators and health care workers are held back financially by the burden of their student loans. Heroes with student loans can use hero loan refinancing to bring down this debt.
Homes for Heroes also provides discounts from participating businesses on home security, legal services, clothing, and more.
VA Home Loans and Mortgages
Homes for Heroes can be combined with VA mortgages and home loans. These mortgages are primarily for military members and typically offer lower rates than other mortgages.
There is no maximum loan amount for a VA home loan. VA home loans can be used to buy a home, build a house, refinance a mortgage, or make energy-efficiency home improvements.
Homes for Heroes works with professional VA mortgage and home loan specialists.
Homes for Heroes Professional Affiliates
Homes for Heroes operates via a network of professional affiliates. These affiliates include real estate agents, mortgage lenders, real estate attorneys, and other local business specialists.
There are over 4,000 professionals giving back to the Heroes within their local regions. Since the program assigns them Heroes, it is essentially acting as a referral service.
Instead of paying a referral fee, the affiliates give back to their Hero and to the Homes for Heroes Foundation. The Homes for Heroes realtors donate 30% of their commission back to the program. They also pay an annual membership fee of $1,499 to $1,788 in order to participate.
Affiliate fees ensure that everyone who joins does so for the right reasons. These professional affiliates are all deeply motivated to give back to their local community. The affiliate fees also support the Homes for Heroes program as well as the Homes for Heroes Foundation.
The Homes for Heroes Foundation
There is also a non-profit Homes for Heroes Foundation. The foundation helps heroes who need emergency housing or financial assistance.
These heroes are usually ineligible for the hero loan refinancing program. They also need immediate help, which the VA home loan and mortgage program cannot provide.
The Homes for Heroes Foundation operates by giving Hero Grants to select local nonprofits directly serving heroes in need.
It is partially supported by proceeds from the main program. A portion of every transaction using the professional affiliate network is set aside for the charity. This includes financial services like the hero loan refinancing program, along with VA home loans and VA mortgages.
The rest of its funding comes from corporate and private donations.
American Heroes looking for emergency assistance should go through partner foundation the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes.
The Canadian Homes for Heroes Foundation
There is also a Canadian Homes for Heroes Foundation. This initiative provides direct support to military veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
It does this by constructing urban tiny home villages where veterans can stay and reintegrate into society as civilians. It also provides them with resources to support independent living.
This foundation’s goal is to rehabilitate at-risk veterans into fully independent citizens. To accomplish this, the Canadian Homes for Heroes Foundation works with government agencies and private companies that provide care services, construction materials, and labor.
The Canadian Homes for Heroes Foundation is funded by corporate, governmental, and private donations.
Canadian Heroes looking for emergency housing assistance should go through partner foundations like the Canadian Legacy Project or the PPCLI Foundation.
How to Receive Assistance from Homes for Heroes
Homes for Heroes keeps their process simple, streamlined, and bureaucracy-free. Here are the steps you can take to receive assistance from the Homes for Heroes program:
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- Heroes sign up for the program online. Homes for Heroes automatically matches them with professional services providers. This affiliate will connect with the Hero within 24 hours. These consultations are done free of charge and with zero obligation.
- Heroes and service providers then work together to get the deal done. Affiliate service providers thoroughly understand their profession, local region, and any special services available for their Hero clientele.
- The closing process involves all the affiliates involved in the deal. They ensure that everything has gone correctly.
- Once the deal is closed, Homes for Heroes will send any service rebate checks.
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Are You Eligible?
Homes for Heroes is one of the few programs recognizing that everyday domestic heroes contribute to nation-building.
If you are a firefighter, EMS professional, 911 operator, correctional officer, police officer, pre-K to post-secondary teacher, LPN, CNA, registered nurse, doctor, military reservist, veteran, or active military member, you are one of their Heroes.
Featured Image: Megapixl
