To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post was provided by Bremer Bank, our major mortgage partner. Bremer has committed to buying nearly $100 million in mortgages, unlocking opportunities for hundreds of local families.

Guest blog written by Meredith Winegar, Mortgage President, Bremer Bank

To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post was provided by Andersen Corporation, which has contributed more than $2.3 million in donations and materials to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity since 1989.

General Window & Door Safety

Window safety is one of the key things to keep in mind as a homeowner. Everyone in a home can be affected by issues that could easily be prevented with our helpful tips, so read through our tips and make sure you are prepared!

To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post was provided by Sunrise Banks. In addition to sponsoring homebuilding projects, Sunrise Banks currently provides underwriting and origination services for new Twin Cities Habitat home loans.

Becoming a homeowner is an exciting rite of passage. 

But buying a house is also a complicated process that includes reams of paperwork, legal jargon and a formidable test of one’s financial stability.  

To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post was provided by the Minnesota Homeownership Center, which promotes and advances successful homeownership in Minnesota.

Guest blog written by Bill Gray, Stakeholder Relations Director, Minnesota Homeownership Center

Homeowners Insurance

Understanding how homeowners insurance works is an important part of successful homeownership.

To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post is based on a Homebuyer Education class held by one of our Regular Volunteers, Steve Brown.

To celebrate National Homeownership Month, we're sharing educational resources for homebuyers and homeowners written by some of our closest partners. This post was provided by Thrivent Federal Credit Union. Thrivent Financial is the largest sponsor of Habitat for Humanity nationally and here in the Twin Cities. Over 14 years, Thrivent has contributed more than $10 million to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

When it comes to taking out or refinancing a mortgage, there’s a lot to consider. Review this list of 10 tips to make sure your loan process will go smoothly, and remember that the best policy is to always consult your loan officer.

One of the perks of owning your own home is making it your own. Home rehab and choosing which projects you want to do is half the fun, yet it still pays to make smart decisions. Many home renovations can add value to your home and increase its resale value. Others may not change the value all that much, yet they're still worthwhile because they give your home that personal feel. 

But beware, some home rehab projects can actually decrease both your home’s curb appeal resale value. Let's take a look at ten home improvement projects you should absolutely avoid, no matter how tempting they may sound. 

Searching for your first home is so exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming, especially if you're not sure what you want. The best thing you can do to find the right home is create a house hunting checklist to narrow down your search. Of course, you want to identify how many bedrooms and bathrooms you need, but we're talking about things like school district, neighborhood, crime rating, etc. 

Before working with a realtor, here are four tips to narrow your search for your online house hunting checklist.

With the extreme snow and cold we've recently experienced here in the Twin Cities, our team of experts wanted to share their tips on what you should do as a homeowner to prepare your house for the worst winter weather conditions.

Twin Cities Habitat recently expanded its homeownership program to include the option of buying with Habitat on the open real estate market. Qualified homebuyers still receive the same education and support to become successful homeowners, and then they can work with a realtor of their choice on the open market. This allows folks to buy a home they love with a mortgage they can afford.

We caught up with a few people who bought homes with Habitat on the open market. They shared how long their home search took and some of their top tips.