Governor Shumlin signed legislation last week that provides up to $5,000 to qualified buyers for closing costs and down payments. Sarah Carpenter, VHFA's executive director, was interviewed by VPR yesterday to talk about the program.

NORTHFIELD—Governor Shumlin signed legislation today that will help Vermonters buying their first home through VHFA by providing up to $5,000 for qualified buyers to cover the costs typically faced at closing due to down payment and closing costs. 

The new down payment assistance program is part of a larger economic development bill, passed by the Vermont Legislature in the final days of the session.  The program will be available through VHFA’s network of participating lenders late this summer.

The average student loan balance is $30,000 among Chittenden and Windsor county residents between the ages of 18 and 44. Only three counties in New England rank higher, according to recent research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston--Suffolk and Norfolk counties in MA and Grafton County in NH.  

We updated hundreds of estimates pertaining to the housing in Vermont’s communities on the Vermont Housing Data website last week.  Many of these estimates originate from the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey.