Initiative aims to boost Hispanic homeownership
First Community Mortgage has launched a new program designed to help “break down barriers to homeownership for Hispanics.”
Called HOLACASA, the mortgage loan program uses other non-traditional qualifiers such as ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) to assess a mortgage applicant’s creditworthiness. FCM said that the program is in line with its mission to “build a community of prospective multicultural homebuyers.”
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“The Hispanic housing market is currently the main driver of homeownership growth in America. Hispanics have accounted for 62.7% of net US homeownership gains in the past decade, and leading indicators suggest this trend will continue for the foreseeable future,” said Miguel Vega, executive vice president of multicultural business development and chief diversity officer of FCM. “The American dream of owning a home should be a reality for everyone. Homeownership offers a sense of stability, pride of ownership and the opportunity to build equity and wealth for future generations.”
Self-employed individuals, including seasonal workers or those who derive income from multiple jobs, may qualify for the program. HOLACASA is also open to foreign nationals and non-resident immigrant status with ITIN/W7 US tax return filings (applicants must have filed taxes in the US for the previous year).
The loans – up to $6 million – may be used for primary residence, second home and investment properties and are also available for non-warrantable condos, manufactured homes, 1–4-unit properties, townhomes/PUDs, and vacant land.
Additionally, HOLACASA offers educational resources for homebuyers and provides real estate professionals with translation support, education programs, bilingual mortgage marketing resources, and lending products (including ITIN home loans and other specialized programs).
“We are honored to be recognized as one of America’s leading companies for Multicultural Market Outreach,” says Keith Canter, CEO of First Community Mortgage and one of the company’s co-founders. “Our expertise offers real estate professionals, including realtors and brokers, a unique competitive advantage in the Hispanic market, the largest multicultural segment and second fastest-growing ethnic group in the US.”
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“This is the branding and consolidation of the many initiatives we offer for the Hispanic and Latin communities,” Vega said. “We wanted to wrap everything we’ve been doing under an official name as we continue to refine and expand the initiative.”
