Over the last 12 months the median list price in Provo rose 6.8 % to $440,000, while active inventory sits at just 1.4 months—half of what economists consider balanced. Single-family homes east of University Avenue (Rock Canyon, Edgemont) are appreciating fastest at 9 % annually, driven by hiking-trail access and top-rated Provo High boundaries. Conversely, town-homes around 500 W in Joaquin trade closer to Utah’s statewide 5 % trend, giving first-time buyers breathing room.

Local lenders sold 71 % of their purchase mortgages to Fannie/Freddie last year, but NMHL kept the majority portfolio so we can offer alternative programs like the 24-month bank-statement loan for entrepreneurs powering Silicon Slopes startups. Cash offers still account for 18 % of closings, yet our 3 % down Conventional Plus with $5,000 seller-paid closing-cost credit levels the playing field.

• Average days on market: 9 city-wide, 5 for homes under $400K
• List-to-sale ratio: 101.1 % (sellers netting 1 % above asking on average)
• Share of new construction: 14 %, concentrated near North Tech Corridor and west Provo

Joaquin: Walkable, tree-lined streets minutes from downtown and the new Provo Central Station. Median price $385K; perfect for FHA 3.5 % down. Watch for 1920s bungalows needing only cosmetic work—NMHL’s FHA 203(k) rolls purchase + $35K rehab into one loan.

Rock Canyon/Edgemont: Mountain views, trailheads in your backyard, and some of Utah County’s top elementary scores. Plan on 10 % down or more; condos start at $350K, detached homes $550K. Our Jumbo Advantage goes to $1.2M with only 10 % down and no PMI if you have a 720 score.

Grandview: Established 1970s ramblers on quarter-acre lots. Great for VA no-down buyers—median $420K and stable appreciation. NMHL waives the 1 % VA funding fee for veterans rated 10 % disabled or higher.

North Park: Provo’s most affordable pocket with newer town-homes under $300K. Utah Housing Score loan allows 100 % financing plus 6 % down-payment assistance; we can layer a seller credit to cover closing, so you bring zero to close.

Provo Bay (west of I-15): Master-planned developments popping up around Lakeview Parkway. Prices from $450K to $600K; expect CDD fees but lower property-tax rate. Our 5 % Conventional with lender-paid MI keeps payments under $3,000 on a $500K home with 760 credit.

Utah Housing Corp (UHC) runs four major programs statewide, and because Provo remains a targeted area, income limits stretch to $117,900 for a two-person household—well above the county median.

1. FirstHome: 30-year fixed at market rate + 0.25 %; 660 credit; 3 % down; 4 % grant that never has to be repaid.
2. HomeAgain: Same grant but allows up to $647K purchase price—handy for Rock Canyon.
3. Score: 100 % financing plus 6 % assistance; 700 credit; cheaper monthly MI.
4. NoMI: 100 % with no monthly PMI; 700 credit; rate 0.75 % higher.

City of Provo layers two local grants: Down-Payment Assistance (DPA) up to $10,000 at 0 % for 15 years, and Community Development’s $5,000 closing-cost grant forgiven after five years of owner occupancy. Because NMHL is a Utah Housing Preferred Partner, we can reserve funds the morning you go under contract—critical because UHC allocations historically exhaust by early August.

Have student loans? UHC allows IBR payments, and NMHL can exclude deferred loans if repayment starts more than 12 months post-close—huge for recent BYU grads.

Utah County’s gig economy and startup culture mean traditional W-2s aren’t the norm. Our Second-Chance FHA accepts 550–619 scores with 3.5 % down and two years after bankruptcy or foreclosure. Recent credit hiccups? We’ll use non-traditional credit—utility bills, BYU alumni association memberships—to meet FHA’s 12-month housing-payment history.

Self-employed founders love our Bank-Statement Advantage: qualify off 12 or 24 months of statements, count 100 % of deposits after removing NSFs, add back one-time equipment purchases. Approval up to $1.5M with 15 % down and 660 score. Because we service the loans, you can recast once tax returns show two years of rising income—no refinance needed.

Veterans with service-connected disability ratings get the NMHL Freedom VA: 580 minimum, 100 % financing to $647K, no funding fee, and we reimburse the $895 VA appraisal cost at closing. In Provo’s competitive market we’ll issue a fully underwritten TBD approval so your offer looks like cash.

If you’ve had a short sale or foreclosure in the last two years, our Fresh-Start ITIN product lets qualified borrowers finance 80 % of a primary residence using only an ITIN—perfect for the Latino community that calls Provo’s Grandview neighborhood home.

Utah County’s 2024 certified rate for Provo is 0.55 % of fair market value—one of the lowest in the nation. On a $440K median home that’s $2,420 annually, paid in two installments (Nov 30 & May 31). You can appeal valuations in September; NMHL’s escrow department automatically requests the county’s online comparables if your assessment jumps more than 8 %.

Because Provo sits on the Wasatch fault, earthquake coverage isn’t mandatory but highly recommended. A standard 10 % deductible policy runs $420 a year on a $440K replacement-cost dwelling; we can roll the premium into your monthly escrow so you’re not hit with a lump sum.

PMI ranges: Conventional 3 % down < 680 score costs 1.15 % annually; once you hit 20 % equity you can request removal. FHA permanent MI still beats Utah Housing’s NoMI rate bump if you plan to stay under seven years.

HOA fees pop up in newer town-homes west of I-15—typically $90–$150/month covering snow removal and common-area insurance. Underwriters count this in your DTI, so we pre-qualify you with the exact HOA number before you write an offer.

In a market where Rock Canyon bungalows receive three offers before dinner, window shopping is a thing of the past. Upload your last 30 days of paystubs, two months of bank statements, and a driver’s license to the NMHL Provo Portal; our local underwriter issues a same-day pre-approval letter that holds weight with listing agents who’ve seen too many out-of-state internet lenders collapse at the five-yard line.

Prefer to talk it out? Our Provo branch at 1 E Center St (across from City Hall) hosts free Home-Buying 101 workshops every Tuesday at 6 p.m.—dinner provided by local favorite Station 22 Café. RSVP locks your rate for 90 days while you house-hunt, protecting you from the spring bump.

Whether you’re rebounding from credit hardship, launching your third startup, or simply chasing mountain sunsets from a Joaquin porch, National Mortgage Home Loans has the programs, people, and local expertise to make Provo homeownership happen. Click Apply Now or call (801) 555-PVO-NMHL and speak with a Provo-native loan officer tonight.