Stewart Family, Cordova

After renting for many years, Desmond Stewart and wife Samantha Simon decided they wanted to put down roots in Cordova. That meant purchasing a home for them and their three children, Xavier, Trinity, and Erion. They talked to Renee Green-Jones at ServisFirst Bank in Birmingham and she told them how AHFA’s Step Up down payment assistance program could help them find their way home.

Step Up provides down payment assistance and a competitive 30-year, fixed interest rate for homebuyers who earn less than $97,300 and meet standards for creditworthiness. The down payment funds are secured by a 10-year second mortgage and are combined with a 30-year, fixed-rate first mortgage.

For even greater savings, Step Up can be combined with a Mortgage Credit Certificate -- a tax credit that frees up income to qualify for a mortgage.