POCATELLO, ID – March 29, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Seventy-five Pocatello area REALTORS® are preparing to shine at a luncheon being held in their honor on Thursday, March 31st. The Saluting Top Area REALTORS® (“STAR”) Awards will be given out during the IdaMortgage Appreciation Luncheon. Hosted by Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA), the event starts at noon at the Juniper Hills Country Club in Pocatello. REALTORS® who helped homebuyers utilize the IdaMortgage Home Loan program, along with the program’s top lending partner and loan originators in the Pocatello area, will be awarded for their contributions.
“REALTORS® play a key role in providing information about the IdaMortgage Loan program, and this partnership is important to our program’s success,” Susan Semba, IHFA Vice President of Homeownership Lending said. “Our lending partners originate IdaMortgage loans informing borrowers about our products, which is critical to the success of our program.”
IdaMortgage (www.idamortgage.com) is a homeownership lending and resource center. For nearly 40 years, the lending program has helped more than 71,000 Idaho families – Start Smart! The program helps people get into new homes with low mortgage rates, homebuyer education, down payment assistance and homebuyer tax credits. In the Pocatello area alone, more than 19,042 families have received more than $500 million in IdaMortgage home loans.
REALTOR® Recognition
The REALTORS® being recognized represent 202 buyers who purchased their homes with IdaMortgage home loans in the last two years—representing a collective total of more than $22 million in loan reservations. The following REALTORS® will receive “STAR” (Saluting Top Area REALTORS®) Awards during the IdaMortgage Appreciation Luncheon:
Gold Award – Tami Fairchild, owner of Heartland Real Estate, for representing eight IdaMortgage homebuyers.
Silver Award – Andrew Hasselbring, RE/MAX Preferred Properties, for representing six IdaMortgage homebuyers.
Bronze Award – Gail Bishard, Premier Properties Real Estate Co., for representing six IdaMortgage homebuyers.
Certificates of Appreciation
These REALTORS® will be recognized for representing at least four IdaMortgage home loan buyers: Tracy Bixby, Idaho Homeland Real Estate; Jay Christensen, RE/MAX Country Real Estate; Becky Delbridge, RE/MAX Country Real Estate; Brandon Falter, Riverside Real Estate; Joe Haber, RE/MAX Country Real Estate; Gloria Howell, Gate City Real Estate Company; Pam Maguire, RE/MAX Country Real Estate; Greg McCune, RE/MAX Country Real Estate; TJ Merzlock, Professional Realty Services; Tom Stoddard, Satterfield Realty & Development, Inc.
Lender recognition
In addition to the STAR awards, the area’s top lending partner and loan originators will be recognized for the largest number of loans produced in the past year in the Pocatello area.
Top lending partner – Bank of Idaho; recognized for processing 54 loans totaling nearly $4 million.
Top loan originators – Denise Brower, Bank of Idaho; Selena Wheatley, Bank of Idaho; and Jared Godfrey, Idaho Central Credit Union. Combined, these loan originators are recognized for processing 55 loans totaling more than $6 million.
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IdaMortgage is a homeownership lending and resource center brought to you by Idaho Housing and Finance Association. IHFA, a financial services and housing business organization, improves lives and strengthens Idaho communities by expanding housing opportunities, building self sufficiency, and fostering economic development.
Contact:
Lisa Davis lisad (at) ihfa (dot) org
IHFA Public & Media Relations Officer
208-331-4858
Katrina Thompson katrinat (at) ihfa (dot) org
Public Affairs Manager
208-331-4738
