BOISE—Eleven Idaho Falls-area REALTORS® have been honored for connecting homebuyers to affordable loans through Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA). In the past two years, they and other REALTORS® in the area have helped 170 homebuyers purchase homes with Idaho Housing Home Loans worth more than $20 million.

 

Susan Allred-Richey (Gold Award), Martha Bermudez (Silver) and Garth Jones (Bronze) earned the top STAR Awards for representing the most southeast Idaho homebuyers who purchased homes using Idaho Housing’s Home Loan program. They will be recognized along with Bank of Idaho, IHFA’s top lending partner in the Idaho Falls area, and more than 65 other REALTORS® at IHFA’s biennial STAR Awards luncheon at noon, June 7, at The Cellar in Ammon.

 

“IHFA has invested more than $700 million in home loans in the Idaho Falls area in the past 35 years,” IHFA Vice President of Homeownership Lending Susan Semba said. “We’re proud that we’ve been able to work with area REALTORS® to help more than 9,000 families attain affordable home loans.”

 

To date, the association has invested more than $5.9 billion to help more than 75,000 Idaho families.

 

Learn more about Idaho Housing Home Loans at www.idahohousing.com.

About the winners
Susan Allred-Richey, of Keller Williams Realty East Idaho, has been a REALTOR® for more than 13 years. Richey helped 13 homebuyers who bought their homes with Idaho Housing Home Loans. The longtime southeast Idaho resident is an Accredited Buyer’s Representative, Certified Residential Specialist, Certified Distressed Property Expert and has achieved the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute designation. “IHFA loans have allowed my clients to live the American Dream and helped them become homeowners when they otherwise would not have been able to,” she said.

 

Martha Bermudez, also of Keller Williams Realty East Idaho, has been a REALTOR® for more than 15 years. She represented 11 Idaho Housing Home Loan buyers in the past two years. “The IHFA Home Loan program is great, especially for the Latino community, because of the interest rate and low down payment required,” said Bermudez, a member of the Greater Idaho Falls Association of REALTORS®.

 

Garth Jones rounded out the Keller Williams Realty East Idaho trifecta. Jones represented 10 Idaho Housing buyers. Jones earned the STAR Silver Award in 2008 and a certificate of appreciation in 2010. During his 17-year career as a REALTOR® he has achieved the Graduate, REALTOR® Institute designation and is an Accredited Buyer’s Representative, Certified Residential Specialist and Certified Distressed Property Expert. “Although awards are great, my greatest reward is the gratitude buyers show me when I help them get into the home of their dreams,” he said.

 

Certificates of appreciation: Shawn Anderson, Keller Williams Realty East Idaho; Steve Anderson, Keller Williams Realty East Idaho; Spencer Barnard, Keller Williams Realty East Idaho; Mike Hicks, Keller Williams Realty East Idaho; Judy Hobbs, Realty Quest; Jed Lowder, Keller Williams Realty East Idaho; Brian Thompson, Voigt Davis Realtors; and Julie Winn, Century 21 High Desert each represented at least six Idaho Housing Home Loan buyers.

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Eds. Mug shots of Susan Allred-Richey, Martha Bermudez and Garth Jones are available upon request. Email jasonl@ihfa.org.

 

Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and housing business organization, improves lives and strengthens Idaho communities by expanding housing opportunities, building self-sufficiency and fostering economic development.