Jackson’s housing stock is a tapestry of 1920s Craftsman bungalows, mid-century brick ranches, and new infill Craftsman builds—most trading between $90 k and $180 k inside the city proper. Inventory sits at 2.3 months, technically a seller’s market, yet prices remain flat because entry-level demand is met by abundant older housing. The result: multiple offers on turnkey homes under $150 k in Fondren and Belhaven, while fixer-uppers in south Jackson linger at $40-60 k, perfect for 203k renovation loans.

Key stats every Jackson buyer should know:

• Median DOM: 28 days in 39206 (Belhaven) vs. 72 days in 39209 (west Jackson)
• Price per square foot: $78 city-wide, $115 in 39157 (Ridgeland)
• Share of cash investors: 18 %, down from 28 % in 2022 as higher rates cool Wall-Street buyers
• Typical rehab cost: $35-45 k for full modernization, still leaving 25-30 % equity cushion

Because values are modest, appraisal gaps rarely exceed $5 k—something NMHL covers with a lender credit so you don’t have to bring extra cash.

Fondren—Bound by I-55 on the west and State Street on the east, this walkable enclave has coffee shops, tattoo parlors, and the best po’boys in town. Expect 1,200-sq-ft cottages built in the 1940s selling for $140-160 k. Street parking is tight but the sense of community is huge; neighbors host porch concerts and pop-up art shows.

Belhaven—Home to Millsaps College and sweeping live-oak canopies. Prices run $180-250 k for Victorians and early 20th-century cottages. The Belhaven Improvement Association keeps strict architectural guidelines, protecting values and aesthetic charm. Crime is lower than many other intown neighborhoods thanks to an active private-security patrol.

Northeast Jackson—Family-focused streets like Whitfield and Hanging Moss offer 1970s brick 3-bedrooms on quarter-acre lots for $130-150 k. You’re zoned to some of the best public elementary schools in the district, and groceries at the new Target on I-55 are five minutes away. Resale velocity is strong because young families cycle in as older owners downsize.

Ridgeland & Madison—Technically suburbs, but commute times to downtown Jackson are 15-20 minutes on the Natchez Trace or I-55. Median prices hover around $320 k and public schools score 9/10 on GreatSchools. If you crave new construction, Madison’s Reunion Parkway has $350-450 k Craftsman-style builds with HOA pools and walking trails.

Mississippi’s programs are unusually generous for a low-cost state. The Smart6 Second Mortgage gives 10 % of the purchase price (up to $15 k) at 0 % interest, forgiven after you occupy the home for six years. Income caps are $85 k for a 1-2 person household in Hinds County—well above Jackson’s median household income of $40 k—so most buyers qualify. Layer it with NMHL’s FHA 3.5 % down requirement and you can purchase a $150 k Fondren cottage for roughly $4,000 out-of-pocket, including appraisal and inspection.

City of Jackson HOME Funds: An additional $10 k forgivable loan for properties inside city limits. Must complete a HUD-certified homebuyer course (we host them online every Tuesday). Funds are released at closing, so you can use them for down payment, closing costs, or prepaid escrows.

Hinds County Teacher & Veteran Grant: $7 k that never has to be repaid if you remain in the home for five years. Valid for K-12 teachers, first responders, and veterans of any era. We routinely stack this with VA zero-down financing so military buyers literally walk in with zero cash and still pick up a $3 k lender credit for the funding fee.

Because loan amounts are low, risk thresholds are more flexible. We recently closed a $118 k purchase on N. State Street with a 595 credit score, 4 % rate, and only $2,900 total cash from the buyer thanks to the Smart6 grant. The key is keeping your debt-to-income under 57 % on FHA’s manual underwrite—and Jackson’s sub-$1,100 total payments make that math work even if you have a car loan or student debt.

Our Fresh-Start Program accepts one of the following in lieu of traditional credit:

• 12 months verified rent plus three alternative tradelines (utility, cell phone, car insurance)
• 24 months of bank statements showing positive cash flow with no nonsufficient-funds days in the past 90 days
• Non-traditional credit report we build from your Netflix, daycare, and rent receipts

If your score is below 580, we’ll rapid-rescore you for free; we’ve seen 40-point jumps in two weeks just by paying down credit cards under 30 % utilization.

Jackson’s economy runs on side hustles—food trucks, catering, blues bands, Etsy crafts, and independent insurance agents. Traditional lenders balk when Schedule C shows $18 k net, but NMHL looks at gross deposits. Our 12-month bank-statement program qualifies you at 100 % of deposits minus a 25 % expense factor, no tax returns required.

Case study: Local food-truck owner showed $145 k in deposits, yielding $108 k usable income. We approved a $275 k new build in Madison at 10 % down, 30-year fixed, 6.75 % rate—well within conventional pricing because the loan-to-value was 90 %.

Program quick hits:

• Loan amounts: $100 k – $1.5 million
• Credit scores: 580+ (no score? We’ll use non-traditional)
• Down payment: 10 % on purchase, 20 % on cash-out refi
• DTI: up to 50 % with compensating factors

If you’re a realtor, consultant, or truck driver paid via 1099, keep two months of business bank statements separate from personal and we can close in as little as 21 days.

We’re not a faceless call center. Our Mississippi operations team sits in Flowood, ten minutes from the airport, so you can walk in, sign papers, and pick up keys the same afternoon. Every pre-approval letter is reviewed by an actual underwriter, not an algorithm, so when you’re competing against cash investors for that perfectly renovated Belhaven bungalow, your offer carries the same weight as a bank’s.

Local perks you won’t find on Rocket sites:

• Preferred appraisers who know the difference between Belhaven historic overlay and west Jackson flood zones
• Relationship with Mississippi Home Corporation to reserve assistance funds before they’re gone
• Builder partnerships with Madison’s Reunion, Ridgeland’s Highland Colony, and downtown’s new lofts for quick move-ins
• Same-day underwriting turn for VA, FHA, and bank-statement loans

We also service most of our Mississippi loans in-house, so if rates drop you’ll get the modification call from the same local loan officer who closed you, not a 1-800 number.