Free technical advice
and low interest loans now available to Historic District residents
The
City of Elyria is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Cleveland
Restoration Society Heritage
Home Programsm and Northwest Bank.
This new partnership will make available FREE technical assistance and low interest loans to owners of homes
50 years or older in the West By The River Historic District. Interested parties are invited to an
informational meeting to learn more about the program set for June 27 at 6:00pm in Council Chambers, on
the second floor of Elyria City Hall – 131 Court Street.
The most important feature of the Heritage Home
Programsm is that it offers FREE
Technical Assistance and advice to the owners of houses that are over 50
years old. An employee of Cleveland
Restoration Society (CRS) will come out and visit your house and evaluate the
types of repairs that are necessary and appropriate for the house. The CRS employee will help identify the
proper materials to be used for repairs and replacements that will be
consistent with the architecture and style of the home.
The free Technical Assistance and advice offered by
the Heritage Home Programsm is completely impartial and independent. Among some of the other Free services
include:
- Site visits to answer home repair, improvement and maintenance questions
- Advice about increasing energy efficiency
- Access to information on qualified local contractors
- Evaluation of contractor bids and estimates
CRS does not have any products or services that it
sells to the homeowners and does not charge the homeowner for the advice. Sometimes CRS may advise the homeowner that
replacement products being recommended by salesmen or contractors are not necessary
and that simple repairs are all that are needed. CRS can also provide a homeowner with a list
of contractors that do the type of work that the homeowner needs. CRS will even review contractor bids and
advise the homeowner on the bids. Under this Program, CRS has provided
technical advice and assistance to over 12,000 homeowners in Cleveland and
Northeast Ohio on projects having a value of over $257 Million.
Another feature of the Heritage Home Programsm
is its low-interest equity loan program.
These loans are made by Northwest Bank
to homeowners that are improving their houses as certified by CRS. The
interest rate on these loans is a fixed rate of 2.375%/3.065% APR for up to 10
years. Heritage Home Programsm
loans can be for interior as well as exterior repairs, maintenance, additions
and modernization projects. Kitchen and
bath remodels are two popular uses of Heritage Home Programsm
loans. The only things that cannot be
done with a Heritage Home Programsm loan are luxury items such as
swimming pools or hot tubs, and vinyl siding or windows.
The Heritage Home Loan is based on equity in the
house. An After-Rehabilitation Loan
product is also available. There are no
income guidelines, but homeowners must meet Northwest Bank’s standard credit
evaluation to obtain a loan. There are
no out-of-pocket costs for the loan, no closing costs and no points. The interest from the loan is also tax
deductible. Additional information can
be mailed directly to residents’ homes, upon request, by the Heritage Home
Program or can be found online at www.heritagehomeprogram.org.
For more information about the program or to
schedule a FREE personal appointment with a Heritage Home Program
representative please call (216) 426-3116 or visit the Heritage Home website at
www.heritagehomeprogram.org. You can also email them at hhp@heritagehomeprogram.org.
The City of Elyria Mayor’s Office would like to
express our sincere appreciation to the Cleveland Restoration Society and
Northwest Bank for helping to make this program possible.
