First Step Helps Lenders Put Best Foot Forward

September 17, 2024

With down payment assistance and mortgage interest rates as low as 5.5 percent, AHFA's First Step program has helped lenders provide unforgettable customer service to more than 700 borrowers in Alabama just this summer.

Anna Leigh DeLaire, a mortgage loan originator with First Federal Mortgage, uses First Step to assist homebuyers whose shoes she’s walked in herself.

“When I bought my house, five years ago in October, I was a single mom,” DeLaire explained. “No one told me about down payment assistance, so I just saved up and paid for it all myself.”

Now, as she nears the anniversary of her own home purchase, DeLaire is able to use her experience to help potential borrowers build equity through homeownership.

“It’s a passion of mine to help people who want to be homeowners and give them opportunities that I didn’t have,” she said. “I was in their place at one time. Mortgage loans can be challenging, not just for single parents, but for anyone in a one-income household.”

That enthusiasm led DeLaire to contribute to First Federal Mortgage’s recognition as AHFA's Top Participating Lender for the third quarter of 2024.

“I wouldn’t be successful if I didn’t have AHFA products,” she said. “All of my clients are special to me, and everybody has different needs. We have to keep the lines of communication open with the buyer and Realtor, and always have a backup plan. But feeling like a superhero at the end of the day is so rewarding!”