The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) has teamed up with the Iowa Association of Realtors, is sponsoring a contest on the meaning of home ownership. IFA communications director, Ashley Jared, says they want keep the upward momentum of home sales that’s been spurred in part by low interest rates.
“Now is really just a good time to buy, home sales are up throughout the state,” Jared says. The contest seeks your definition of home ownership. “If you look into Webster’s Dictionary or another source, you find kind of a bland definition of home ownership and we think Iowans can do better than that,” Jared says.
“We are asking Iowans to visit a lender or realtor in their area and we’ll just ask them to write on a black memo board their definition of home ownership. So whether it’s back yard barbecues or room to grow, some kids have been telling us ‘a room of my own’ through the contest.”
They will take entries throughout the month of June and then hold a Facebook vote on the best entry in July. The entry with the most votes will be deemed the new definition of home ownership in Iowa. That winner will receive a $1,500 Menard’s gift card. In addition, the lender and Realtor will receive a $2,500 community betterment grant,” according to Jared.
You don’t have to currently be in the market for a home to enter the contest. “That’s kind of the fun part about it, there really aren’t a lot of restrictions on this at all. We wanted to open it up to all Iowans, because a lot of Iowans have aspirations. Maybe it’s not this year, maybe it’s not this summer, just to know the benefits of home ownership,” Jared says.
“You don’t have to be going through he process, you can just be talking with your lender or realtor in their office, and go ahead and participate.” You can find out more about the contest at: www.iowafinanceauthority.gov/Contest.