Hattiesburg’s inventory turns over in about 32 days—faster than Gulfport or Jackson—because retirees from Louisiana and Texas keep drifting in for the lower taxes and hospital corridor along Highway 98. Expect multiple-offer scenarios under $200K, especially in Oak Grove where new construction starts at $175 per square foot. If you’re flexible on school districts, target the historic districts south of USM; values have climbed 6.4 % year-over-year but still lag replacement cost, so you can snag a 1920s Craftsman for $130K and add equity with minor updates.

• Price per square foot: $115 city-wide, $142 Oak Grove, $98 historic core
• Days on market: 32 city-wide, 19 for sub-$175K listings
• Share of cash investors: 18 %, down from 27 % in 2022 as financing loosens

Oak Grove feeds the top-rated school system and has the highest resale velocity—homes here recoup 96 % of renovation costs at sale. Expect Covenants & Restrictions that cap roof colors and fence heights; HOA fees run $250–$400 a year.

Historic Downtown/The Avenues offers walkability to breweries like Keg & Barrel and the Saenger Theatre. Design-review rules apply, but NMHL’s 203(k) renovation loans let you roll purchase plus rehab into one low-rate mortgage—perfect for the $125K fixer-uppers on Main Street.

Petal (technically across the Leaf River) is Hattiesburg’s bedroom community for families. You’ll find larger lots—0.3–0.5 acre—and lower homeowners insurance because it’s out of the flood plain.

University Area is cash-flow central for landlords. A 3-bed house at $150K rents for $1,350/month to three students; we pre-qualify you using market rents, not just your W-2 income.

Mississippi Home Corporation’s MRB7 program offers a 30-year fixed rate 0.375 % below market and up to $7,000 in down-payment assistance for households earning under $86,700 in Forrest County. The loan is a true grant after five years of occupancy.

The City of Hattiesburg’s Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP) provides a $5,000 forgivable second at 0 % interest; 20 % is forgiven each year you live in the home. Stack it with MRB7 and you can walk to closing with zero cash beyond earnest money.

Smart6 covers 3 % of the purchase price as a 10-year second mortgage at 1 %; we routinely pair this with FHA or conventional 97 % so your total out-of-pocket is under $2,000. Teachers, nurses, and active-duty military at Camp Shelby qualify for an extra $1,000 toward closing costs.

Hattiesburg’s gig economy—food trucks at Town Square Park, traveling nurses at Forrest General, and oil-field consultants—means traditional W-2 underwriting often fails. NMHL’s Bank Statement Advantage uses 12 or 24 months of personal or business statements to calculate income instead of tax returns. We add back depreciation and one-time expenses so your qualifying income jumps 20 %–35 % higher than a conventional lender shows.

1099 Contractor Program allows you to qualify with only a year of contracting history—huge for USM adjunct professors or touring musicians who call Hattiesburg home base. Credit scores down to 600, loan amounts to $1.5 million, and you can finance up to 90 % LTV with no PMI. We recently closed a $285K purchase on Toney Drive for a touring ventriloquist who hadn’t filed last year’s return; we used 24 months of bank statements and closed in 19 days.

With the recent removal of county loan limits, eligible veterans can buy above $1 million with zero down—perfect for luxury builds in Bellevue or sprawling acreage in Lamar County. NMHL waives the 1 % origination fee for any borrower receiving VA disability income, saving roughly $1,650 on a $165K loan.

VA IRRRL (Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan) lets you drop your rate with no appraisal or income docs; we’ve helped 300+ veterans around Camp Shelby shave 1.25 % off their old note last year.

Surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty qualify for the same zero-down benefit; we just closed for a widow on Elks Lake Road at 5.75 % when her prior bank demanded 15 % down because they misread the COE.