Your guide to buying your first home

Practical guides on down payment assistance, mortgage rules, and how to bring your community together to make homeownership happen.

Policy and Advocacy

Policy and AdvocacyAugust 12, 2026 · 8 min read

Introducing the Dream Score: A New Way to Measure Homebuyer Readiness

The Dream Score is a 5-factor homebuyer readiness model built for the ROAD Act era. Here is how it works and why it changes the homeownership conversation.

Policy and AdvocacyAugust 10, 2026 · 7 min read

The $19,000 Gift Tax Strategy Inside the ROAD Act Nobody Is Teaching

The annual gift tax exclusion lets families contribute $19,000 per donor per year toward a down payment. Here is the family gifting math and how to structure it.

Policy and AdvocacyAugust 7, 2026 · 7 min read

Nine Provisions. One Community Bank Opportunity: Title IX of the ROAD Act

Title IX of the ROAD Act delivers nine deregulation provisions targeting community banks under $10 billion. Here is what changes and why it matters for local lending.

Policy and AdvocacyAugust 5, 2026 · 7 min read

CDBG Gets Teeth: Sections 205 and 206 and the Supply Performance Mandate

Sections 205 and 206 of the ROAD Act introduce performance metrics for CDBG grantees. Here is what municipalities and PHAs must now track and report.

Policy and AdvocacyAugust 3, 2026 · 7 min read

24 Percent of Buyers Use Family Help: Community Gifting Is Already How Homes Get Bought

Nearly a quarter of homebuyers already receive family financial help. Here is how structured community gifting works, what compliance requires, and how Dreamfund automates it.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 29, 2026 · 7 min read

What Veterans Need to Know Now: VA Loan Improvements in the 21st Century ROAD Act

Sections 601-603 of the ROAD Act deliver three specific improvements to VA loan programs. Here is what 23.5 million veterans need to know.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 27, 2026 · 7 min read

HOME Gets Reauthorized: Section 502 and the Infill Housing Opportunity

Section 502 of the ROAD Act reauthorizes HOME funding and streamlines environmental review for infill development on 8,000 identified sites. Here is what changes.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 24, 2026 · 7 min read

43.6 Percent Eligible. Only 15 Percent Use It: The Down Payment Assistance Gap

Nearly 44 percent of buyers qualify for down payment assistance, but only 15 percent actually use it. Here is why the DPA awareness gap exists and what closes it.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 22, 2026 · 7 min read

Where CRA Meets Opportunity Zones: Section 202 and the Community Banking Convergence

Section 202 creates dual CRA and Opportunity Zone credit for qualifying investments. Here is how banks and credit unions can capture both credits simultaneously.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 20, 2026 · 7 min read

The Next 401(k): Employer Housing Benefits Are About to Explode

Forty percent of employers are considering housing benefits. The ROAD Act accelerates this trend. Here is what employer-assisted housing means for employees and HR teams.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 17, 2026 · 7 min read

HUD Counseling Gets an Upgrade: Section 101 and Outcome-Based Performance Standards

Section 101 shifts HUD housing counseling from process metrics to outcome metrics. Here is what changes and why counseled buyers have 33 percent lower default rates.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 15, 2026 · 7 min read

No Additional Funds Authorized: The Biggest Execution Gap in the ROAD Act

The ROAD Act mandates sweeping changes but authorizes zero new federal appropriations. Here is why technology infrastructure is the only way to execute the law's intent.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 13, 2026 · 7 min read

From 15 Percent to 20 Percent: Section 204 and the Community Investment Expansion

Section 204 raises the public welfare investment cap from 15 to 20 percent. Here is what that means for banks, credit unions, and community investment capacity.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 10, 2026 · 7 min read

38X: The Homeowner vs. Renter Wealth Gap Is Not a Coincidence

Homeowners carry median net worth of $400,000. Renters carry $10,400. That 38-fold gap is structural, not coincidental. Here is what drives it and what the ROAD Act changes.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 8, 2026 · 7 min read

The Hidden Homeownership Tax: Appraisal Bias and the Fight for Fair Value

Freddie Mac data shows 48 percent lower valuations in Black neighborhoods. Sections 703 and 704 of the ROAD Act give buyers a 30-day Reconsideration of Value right. Here is how to use it.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 6, 2026 · 7 min read

Section 404: 5,000 Families and the FSS Escrow Expansion Pilot

Section 404 creates a 5,000-family pilot to expand Family Self-Sufficiency escrow access. Here is how 2 million eligible households can use it to build a down payment.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 3, 2026 · 7 min read

The 3 Percent Problem Is Fixed: Sections 401 and 402 and the Small-Dollar Lending Revival

The flat 3 percent points-and-fees cap made small-dollar lending unprofitable. Sections 401 and 402 replace it with a tiered structure. Here is what changes for lenders and buyers.

Policy and AdvocacyJuly 1, 2026 · 7 min read

The $100K Opportunity: Inside the FHA Small-Dollar Mortgage Pilot Program

Section 105 creates an FHA pilot program for mortgages under $100K. Here is why small-dollar lending stopped, which markets it targets, and what it means for legacy city buyers.

Policy and Advocacy

Policy and AdvocacyJune 30, 2026 · 7 min read

Community Homeownership and the Racial Wealth Gap: What's Changing in 2026

The racial homeownership gap in America is wide and persistent. Here's how community-backed models are creating new pathways, and why this matters beyond the numbers.

Policy and AdvocacyJune 29, 2026 · 7 min read

Locking Out Corporate Landlords: How Section 1001 Restores Single-Family Inventory

Section 1001 caps corporate landlord acquisitions at 350 single-family homes and projects 1.3 million divestitures over 15 years. Here is what it means for buyers right now.

Policy and AdvocacyJune 27, 2026 · 8 min read

Why the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Changes Everything for the American Homebuyer

Congress passed the most comprehensive federal housing reform in more than three decades with a 358-32 House vote and 85-5 Senate vote. Here is what the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act means for buyers, lenders, employers, and housing authorities.