Mortgage Matters

Most people were never taught how money actually works. Credit. Budgeting. Debt. Saving. These things shape our financial future, yet many of us grow up learning about them through trial and error. In this episode of Mortgage Matters, Heidi Griffith talks about financial literacy and why understanding your finances can change the direction of your life. Heidi is joined by Jill Avilez, who shares h...

Roland Daniels and Heidi Griffith teach homebuyer education classes across Nevada every month. This episode of Mortgage Matters covers what they're hearing and seeing right now. They spend real time on the Worker Advantage Program , Nevada Housing Division's $20,000 down payment assistance for essential workers in healthcare, education, construction, and public safety. With roughly 600 loans remai...

Roland and Heidi sit down with Meg Pike, Coordinator of Title I HOPE ( Homeless Outreach Program for Education) at Clark County School District. Meg explains how the Title I HOPE Program supports students experiencing homelessness in Southern Nevada, including the federal protections that allow for immediate school enrollment, transportation assistance, and access to essential resources such as sc...

Roland and Heidi are joined by Kathi Thomas, Chief Housing Officer at Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, and Kate Zook, Executive Director at Silver State Fair Housing Council. They discuss the redevelopment of Marble Manor, a historic public housing site in Las Vegas, which received a $50 million Choice Neighborhood Initiative Grant. The project will transform the 235 cinder block units...

Roland and Heidi were joined by Kathi Thomas from the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority and Kate Zook from the Silver State Fair Housing Council. Kathi oversees public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher program, which has 13,000 vouchers in Southern Nevada. Kate focuses on fair housing laws and discrimination. They highlight the need for 80,000 affordable housing units in Nevada and t...

Roland and Heidi discuss the importance of homeownership readiness and the emotional aspects of buying a home. They emphasize the need to prepare financially by saving for future mortgage payments and building reserves for home improvements and emergencies. They highlight the significance of credit checks, noting common errors like name spellings and duplicate student loans. They explain the conce...

Roland and Heidi discuss housing options and the importance of fair housing. They highlight the upcoming 44th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthday parade and the role of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) in promoting fair housing. They emphasize the importance of budgeting, including saving for a mortgage, and checking credit reports for errors. They explain VA loans, F...

A lot of people want to buy a home someday - but many wait too long to start preparing because they think they need to be “ready” first. In this conversation, Heidi Griffith and Roland Daniels talk about what mortgage readiness actually looks like, why waiting can sometimes make the process harder, and the small financial habits that can help future homeowners feel more confident long before they...

Roland and Heidi discuss homeownership opportunities and resources for 2026. They highlight the Nevada Housing Division's $20,000 Worker Advantage program, available to healthcare, construction, education, and public safety workers, offering down payment assistance and interest rate reduction options. They also mention the First Time Home Buyer program and the HIP DPA, which can provide up to 5% d...

Roland and Heidi discuss the Worker Advantage Program in Nevada, which offers $20,000 down payment assistance to essential workers in healthcare, education, public safety, and construction. The program has already reserved 50 of the 900 available loans. They highlight the importance of credit and financial preparation for homeownership, noting that 68% of people cite a lack of down payment as the...

Heidi discusses the challenges of home ownership, particularly the down payment, which takes an average of six years to save. She and her guest, Josie Hatem, Homebuyer Programs Specialist with Nevada Housing Division, highlight the new Worker Advantage Program. The program offers $20,000 in down payment assistance with the potential to buy down the interest rate. This program is available to essen...

Roland Daniels and Heidi Griffith discuss the Ruby Thomas toy drive, which has collected over 700 gifts for children at Ruby Thomas, a school where all students receive free meals and many are unhoused. They also highlight the Silver State Fair Housing Council, which ensures equal housing opportunities. Kate Zook, the council's executive director, explains the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits dis...

Rolandand Heidi discussed the Ruby Thomas Holiday Toy Drive, aiming to provide toys for all 683 students at Ruby Thomas Elementary, a school with many unhoused students. They highlighted the upcoming final Path to Home Ownership workshop on December 6, which covers comprehensive home-buying topics and offers a homebuyer certificate. They also addressed the 50-year mortgage concept, noting it doesn...

Roland and Heidi discuss upcoming events and opportunities for Nevada home buyers. They highlight the Path to Home Ownership workshop on December 6, which covers budgeting, credit maintenance, and various down payment assistance programs. This workshops provides attendees with their Homebuyer Certificate, making them eligible for the down payment programs offered. The Nevada Housing Division's new...

Heidi sat down with Starla Jordan, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Premier Realty, to discuss the upcoming Nevada Housing Division Home is Possible class on Monday, November 17, which will cover all the Nevada Housing Division down payment assistance programs. They highlighted the brand new Worker Advantage Program, starting December 1, offering up to $20,000 in assistance for down payments or inte...

Roland and Heidi talk about how the Home Is Possible down payment assistance programs and other homebuyer programs are helping families achieve affordable homeownership. They share how two recent buyers used these programs to purchase their homes with seller credits and minimal out-of-pocket costs, one spending less than $1,000 and another under $3,000. They highlight their upcoming online homebuy...

Roland and Heidi launched a toy drive for Ruby Thomas Elementary, a school in Las Vegas serving nearly 700 students,  many of whom are experiencing homelessness or living in severe hardship, 100% of whom receive free breakfast and lunch. The school represents more than 20 languages and cultures, reflecting the true diversity of Clark County. Joining Roland and Heidi is Melissa Marzan, Student Succ...

Roland and Heidi speak with Kevin Hickey, Homeownership Program Manager at Nevada Rural Housing, about programs that help Nevadans buy homes. Kevin explains the Home At Last and Launch Pad programs, which provide down payment support and affordable interest rates, as well as the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) that offers buyers a 20% annual tax credit on mortgage interest. He also shares detail...

If your credit score has ever felt like a wall between you and homeownership, this episode is for you. Eric Chavez, Associate Director of Housing Programs at Chicanos Por La Causa, joins Roland and Heidi to share no-cost, practical ways to build or rebuild credit, including secured credit cards, credit builder loans, and avoiding common traps like paid credit repair services. Plus, Eric breaks dow...

Roland and Heidi discuss the Nevada Housing Division's homebuyer programs with Josie Hatem. They highlight success stories, including a 79-year-old grandmother, a young teacher, and a ride-share driver who improved his credit score. The programs, like the Home Is Possible and Teacher Homeownership Assistance, offer down payment assistance and credit counseling. Upcoming online classes on October 1...

Roland Daniels and Heidi Griffith discussed upcoming education workshops, including a path to home ownership workshop on the first Saturday of each month and a Nevada Housing Division class on October 13. They highlighted the impact of the recent Fed rate cut on short-term rates, noting that mortgage rates actually increased post-announcement. They also addressed the government shutdown's potentia...

Roland and Heidi welcome Josie Hatem from the Nevada Housing Division to talk about the Home Is Possible programs. From first-time buyers to teachers, veterans, and essential workers, Josie explains how these options make homeownership more attainable for Nevadans. Tune in and learn how these programs can help you move forward, and don’t miss our next online Home Is Possible class on Monday, Octob...

Roland and Heidi discussed down payment assistance programs in Nevada, highlighting an upcoming online class on September 22 at 3:30 PM. They emphasized the importance of these programs in overcoming the barrier of saving for a down payment. They also talked about the Fed's recent decision to reduce short-term rates by 0.25%, but it may not immediately impact long-term mortgage rates.

Roland and Heidi discussed an upcoming Nevada Housing Division class on September 22, 2025, from 3:30 to 5:00 PM, which will cover down payment programs and first-time homebuyer assistance. They highlighted a $7,500 down payment program for K-12 public school teachers and a zero-down payment VA loan for veterans. Aprille Noble, a retired US Air Force Major and mortgage loan officer, emphasized the...

Roland and Heidi discussed their upcoming events and services. They highlighted the "Path to Homeownership" class on September 6, covering home buying and living, including credit and budgeting. They also mentioned a session at the Center on September 13, focusing on homeownership for the LGBTQIA+ community. Additionally, they noted a packed online class with the Nevada Housing Division, which cov...