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68 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, March 31, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 30, 2005 First-time home buyers in quandary By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Thanks to a federal grant, first-time home buyers in Medford can receive up to $15,000 in a no-interest, no-payment loan. Trouble is, housing prices are so high that no one who qualifies for the grant can afford to buy a home in the first place. "It is mainly the gap between the income and the housing prices," said Louise Dix, neighborhood resource coordinator with the city of Medford. Not one person has been able to take advantage of the $70,000 in U.S. Housing and Urban Development grants and other funds since they became available in May, Dix said. The grant allows up to $15,000 for a down payment that doesn’t have to be paid back until the homeowner sells or refinances. Advertisement Donna Trembley, housing resource specialist with ACCESS Inc., which administers the grant, said she’s interviewed first-time home buyers who qualify for the program. But none so far have been able to find a house in their price range. Under HUD requirements, qualifiers’ income cannot exceed $29,200 for a single-person household or $41,700 for a family of four. Medford appraiser Roy Wright, who has been tracking the local housing market since 1978, said the median price for an urban home in Jackson County is $236,820, far more than HUD qualifiers can afford. His advice for someone seeking affordable housing? "Move to the Midwest," he said. Wright said the median price for a home in west Medford, considered more affordable than other areas, has climbed 40 percent from $152,950 a year ago to $215,450 this year. "Do you know anybody’s pay that went up 40 percent in that time?" he said. Medford City Councilwoman and real estate agent Claudette Moore said though new construction of larger homes in west Medford has skewed that figure, it’s still a grim scene for first-time home buyers. "Most of these people could maybe qualify for a $150,000 loan," said Moore, who lobbied for the HUD grant. "I can’t find them a $150,000 house." She said that amount does not get a house with heating in every room, a decent roof or a solid foundation. Dix said the future of the first-time home buyer grant is unknown. The city and ACCESS are talking about other options, including rolling the money into another program. Those wanting more information on the HUD grant may attend the annual Home Buyers Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdayat the McLoughlin Middle School Cafeteria, 320 W. Second St., Medford. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Fasa Advertisement s