Invest in Homewise
Investors in Homewise know they are putting their capital to work, earning a financial return on their investment while contributing to the economic, social and environmental well-being of New Mexico.
Homewise offers socially responsible investment opportunities that help to improve the financial well-being of low-to-moderate income New Mexicans through affordable homeownership. Some investors work with us directly, while others work with us through their financial or wealth advisors.
Homewise is a New Mexico-based nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded in 1986. Our mission is to help create successful homeowners and strengthen neighborhoods so that individuals and families can improve their long-term financial well-being and quality of life. Our services include financial literacy education and coaching, real estate services, affordable mortgage lending and down payment assistance, loan servicing, refinance, and home improvement lending. We also strengthen neighborhoods by increasing homeownership through real estate development, property rehabilitation, and revitalizing communities to benefit existing residents.
Since Homewise was founded in 1986, more than 17,000 New Mexicans have attended our financial capability and homebuyer education workshops. During that time, Homewise has helped more than 6,000 New Mexicans purchase homes, 2,300+ make energy efficient home improvements, and over 800 refinance their mortgages. We’ve also built more than 800 high quality, energy-efficient, and affordable homes.
As of March 2022, Homewise has a rating of AA in financial strength and performance from AERIS, an independent rating and information service for impact investments.
FY24 Impacts and Outcomes
360
new homeowners created
who are building wealth and improving their financial well-being.
$8.6 million
down payment assistance received
by 130 low-to-moderate income families to help them overcome financial barriers to attain their dream of homeownership.
1,040
financial literacy and homebuyer education class participants
who learned to proactively manage their finances and become successful homeowners.
766
clients worked with a Homewise coach
to become financially ready to buy a home.
57
built to increase the inventory of high-quality affordable housing in New Mexico.
8
disinvested properties
that Homewise acquired, renovated, and sold to individuals and families with modest incomes.
$736.8 million
that Homewise processed and services.
85
refinance and home improvement loans
made so that existing homeowners can save money and make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes.
How do we improve clients’ financial well-being?
+79
average increase in credit score for clients who started with a score under 640*
$3,400
median increase in savings for clients who started with less than $5,000 savings*
-$262
monthly decrease in debt for clients who started with 10% or more debt ratio*
*clients who successfully completed the steps in their financial action plan
The Homewise Community Catalyst Fund
Our Community Catalyst Program advances high impact and much-needed community development initiatives in Northern New Mexico by financing affordable housing and mixed-use developments, creating new homeowners, helping homeowners make home improvements, creating low-impact rental housing, and helping seniors make necessary home modifications to age in place. Community Catalyst Program initiatives are intended to benefit the entire community by catalyzing development projects and creating new financial products and tools to make these development projects affordable and accessible, positioning New Mexico communities to make a meaningful and lasting impact on affordable housing while helping to create a healthier and more equitable future.
The Homewise Community Investment Note
The Homewise Community Investment Note promotes affordable housing, energy efficiency, financial literacy and asset building, community revitalization, and economic development. Investments directly impact community vitality and the financial security of families in our communities in New Mexico. This impact investment opportunity is available to accredited and non-accredited investors who wish to align their personal finances with their values. The Fund delivers fixed rate financial returns to investors using a triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial) investment model.
Minimum Investment
$1,000 with additional $100 increments
Terms
1 to 10 years
Interest Rate
1% to 4%, depending on the term length
Targeted Programs & Investments
The New American Lending Program
Many of those in the immigrant population do not have a Social Security number and most have limited credit history. With most banks and mortgage lenders, this often disqualifies them from obtaining an affordable mortgage loan. Often the only creditors who will lend to these borrowers are those with portfolio products offering high interest rates and unfavorable terms. Without access to affordable financing, homeownership remains an out-of-reach dream. Homewise offers a special New American Lending Program for clients with an ITIN (Individual Tax Identification number) instead of a Social Security number, helping to break down barriers to homeownership for this underserved population.
Energy-efficiency and Solar Lending Programs
Homewise provides special lending programs that help make energy-efficient home improvements feasible for low- and moderate-income homeowners who historically have not had adequate access to credit, capital, and financial services. These loans are focused on energy and water saving improvements and repairs to address the rising cost of energy and the conservation of natural resources in our community. Additionally, Homewise offers loan programs to help make solar energy affordable and accessible to low- and moderate-income homeowners. Homewise finances the up-front costs of converting to solar electricity including system purchase and installation with fixed-rate, long-term financing. The program is designed to remove barriers that exist in the current marketplace that prevent many homeowners from reducing their use of non-renewable energy sources by converting to solar. These existing barriers are especially burdensome for low- and moderate-income homeowners who lack the liquid savings to pay the upfront equipment and installation costs associated with converting to solar energy.
Ready to take the next step?
The Notes are offered to both individual and institutional investors who reside in states in which our Notes are registered or exempt from registration. This currently includes: Alaska, New Mexico, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming.
Past performance is no guarantee of future performance or success. There is no suitability or fiduciary obligation performed for an investor by the issuer or any of its representatives. Investors should consider diversification in their investments. This notice is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation, or sale is not authorized. The offering is made solely by the Prospectus, which more fully describes certain risks involved in a purchase of securities. The securities are not FDIC or SIPC insured, are not bank deposits, and are not guaranteed by any federal agency.