From the press release:

Owning a home isn’t out of reach for thousands of Asheville residents, and on August 20th they’ll have the chance to talk to experts about how they can accomplish home ownership.

The Affordable Housing Fair will take place downtown at the First Baptist Church of Asheville. REALTORS®, lenders, housing specialists and other experts in home buying will be on site to answer questions and help Asheville area residents understand how they can purchase a home.

“We’re trying to educate people and help individuals like firefighters and police officers find a way to afford a home of their own. There actually are homes in their price range,” said one of the fair organizers, realtor Cynthia Gaddy.

The Affordable Housing Fair is organized by the NC 4 Homes initiative, with a goal of educating people on the programs available. For example, in Buncombe County, if your household income is 57- thousand dollars or less you can qualify for several programs including a 30-year fixed rate loan of 4,375- percent. There are also tax credits and other assistance available.

On average there are about 400 properties in Asheville with a price of $165,000, which is considered "affordable housing".

Among those present, there will be dozens of realtors who have become certified NC Workforce Housing Specialists to help coach people on what options are available to them.

On Saturday, August 20th, from 10am to 2pm, people will be able to attend the FREE event where there will also be food and drinks available, as well as activities for children to enjoy.

It’s all to accomplish the goal of educating Asheville residents on how they can afford a home of their own explains Gaddy.

“They will walk away with a true understanding of what’s going on in the current housing market, that there is money available. There is help available and there are houses for them. They’ll leave with an understanding of what to do next when it comes to owning a home,” she said.

The event is sponsored by the Asheville Board of REALTORS®, Bank of America Home Loans, OnTrack Financial Education & Consulting, the city of Asheville and Buncombe County. For more information, contact 828.255.8505, ext. 4702.

Originally posted Aug. 10.