Will County recorded 1,024 single-family sales in the first quarter, up 9 % year-over-year, yet Joliet’s median only ticked 2.4 % higher—proof that inventory is finally loosening. Entry-level homes in the 60432 and 60433 ZIP codes are appreciating fastest (5–6 % annually) because commuters like the direct Metra stop at Union Station and the new $60 million BNSF logistics park adding 1,800 jobs. Investors are snapping up duplexes in the 4th District near downtown lofts, so if you’re house-hunting under $225,000 expect multiple-offer scenarios;NMHL’s pre-underwritten approval carries the weight of cash because we verify income, assets, and credit up-front.

• Cathedral Area Victorian homes: $180k–$260k, 25 days on market
• Westfield/Raynor Heights: $240k–$290k, top-rated elementary schools
• Larkin-Oakland duplexes: $170k–$210k, popular with first-time landlords

Because we track micro-data, we’ll tell you which subdivisions are still waiving inspection and where sellers are conceding 2–3 % in closing credits—intelligence that saves our clients an average of $3,700.

Illinois’ @HomeIllinois program just boosted income limits to $126,000 for Will County, pairing a 30-year fixed rate that’s 0.75 % below market with a $7,500 forgivable second mortgage. Combine that with Joliet’s Neighborhood Stabilization grant—up to $20,000 for homes in targeted census tracts—and you can potentially purchase with zero down and still walk away with equity. NMHL is an approved participating lender, so we layer these incentives on top of FHA 3.5 % down or our 1 % down conventional product, dropping your cash-to-close to as little as $1,500 on a $240,000 purchase.

We also front the $500 appraisal cost and roll the up-front mortgage insurance into the rate so you keep more cash for paint and new locks. Our average first-time buyer in Joliet closes with $4,200 total liquid expense—about half the national norm.

Traditional banks in Joliet still balk at credit scores under 660—our sweet spot is 550–620. The NMHL Fresh-Start loan allows a 550 mid-score with 10 % down, two months of reserves, and a 43 % back-end ratio. We’ve closed on houses on Richards Street and on the bluffs above the Des Plaines River with prior bankruptcies discharged only 12 months ago.

Veterans have even more leverage: zero down to $766,550, plus we waive the 1 % VA funding fee for any service member with a 10 % or greater disability rating—common among Joliet vets treated at the nearby Edward Hines VA hospital. Our staff includes a retired Navy CPO who knows how to convert BAH into qualifying income and can issue a VA loan pre-approval letter during your lunch break at the Joliet Armory.

Will County small-business filings jumped 18 % last year, yet most Joliet entrepreneurs still think they need two years of increasing net income to qualify. NMHL’s 12-24 Month Bank-Statement loan fixes that: we deposit 50 % of gross business receipts (or up to 85 % for sole-props) and add back depreciation, one-time equipment purchases, and even the Section 179 truck deduction you took for your landscaping trailer.

Recent Joliet borrowers include a food-truck owner on Jefferson Street who showed $42,000 in deposits over 12 months; we qualified him at $6,100 monthly income and closed a $265,000 purchase with 15 % down and no PMI. Another client operates a tattoo studio on Ottawa Street—traditional lenders averaged her last two years of tax returns at $28,000. Using 24 months of business statements, NMHL calculated $84,000 and approved her for $375,000 with 10 % down at a 7 % fixed rate.

Will County’s equalized assessed value (EAV) is 33.33 % of market value, but exemptions can slash the bill. Owner-occupants receive a $6,000 homestead exemption, seniors 65+ get an extra $5,000, and veterans with service-connected disabilities can wipe off up to $100,000 of assessed value. On a $240,000 home that drops the taxable figure to about $174,000, trimming roughly $1,100 off the annual tax bill.

NMHL builds a 5 % annual tax-escalation cushion into every pre-approval so you’re still qualified if the assessor hikes the levy after the next triennial reassessment. We also monitor the county’s tax-sale calendar; if your dream house has delinquent taxes, we can roll up to $3,500 of the past-due amount into the purchase loan so you don’t lose the deal.