For those of you who couldn’t make it, no sweat. We captured several moments throughout the day.

Thanks, again, for coming out to Howard County. See you at next year’s Housing Fair!

Chase representatives talked one-on-one with Fair visitors about finding the right home loan.

BB&T was one of our Fair's sponsors. Roger was looking forward to sharing banking tips with booth visitors!

Balloon animals and face painting were just 2 of the many fun activities for kids!

Fair attendees hopped aboard the BBT&Bank Bus and got free credit checks!

Our narrated bus tour participants toured Ryan Homes in Elkridge.

Nancy Cummins from Long & Foster taught an education session on working with Realtors.

• Pre-registration grants you instant access to information and resources about our Fair. (It also means you won’t have to wait in line when you get there.) If you are not able to pre-register, it’s okay; you can still come!

• For the first time EVER, we have completely SOLD OUT of exhibitors and sponsors. With over 50 top real estate professionals, mortgage representatives, local businesses, housing specialists, and Howard County personnel, all your questions will get answered. Even questions you didn’t know you had– they’ll be answered too.

• With 23 education sessions offered throughout the day, you can learn everything about finding your dream home in Howard County, the home buying process, property management and more. We’re really excited about the Financial Literacy Workshop for teens!

• The fair offers bus tours of local neighborhoods so you can get a feel for the different communities around Howard County.

• We’re giving away awesome prizes, including two Amazon Kindles, an Apple iPod, and two $100 Wegmans giftcards. In addition, we’ll be giving away gift cards to local retailers, and prizes in golfing, shopping, restaurants and more! You must be present at the Fair to win.

We can’t wait to meet you tomorrow! If you can’t make it, be sure you follow our twitter account (@HoCoHousing) and check our Facebook page  throughout the day as we’ll be posting photos of the event, and keeping you updated on all of the day’s events.

Reason #1: Fun Activities in the Kids Zone

We’ve got activities for everyone during our Housing Fair. While you’re meeting with housing specialists and attending education seminars, your children will stay entertained in the Kids Zone!

The children’s activity area is located in the hallway at the event entrance – with clowns, games, crafts, face painting, and more! Howard County Dept. of Recreation and Parks will be supervising children and checking them in with wrist bands. You must have ID to register your child.

To learn more about the Housing Fair visit our website. Register today for instant access to information and resources!

Reason #2: Awesome Door Prizes

That’s right: coming to the Fair not only grants you one-on-one access to top housing specialists and experts, but also gives you the opportunity to win some fabulous door prizes!

Prizes include:

TWO Amazon Kindles

An Apple iPod

TWO $100 Wegmans Giftcards

Giftcards to your favorite local retailers, including:

• The Home Depot
• Giant Food
• BP Gas
• Target

Don’t miss your chance to win these and other cool prizes this Saturday, April 14th, at our 6th Annual Housing Fair. Live drawing begins at 1:00 PM.

Reason #3: Narrated Bus Tours

One of the unique benefits of our Housing Fair is that you can actually tour some of the neighborhoods and communities Howard County has to offer! This year, we have two narrated bus tour options for fair attendees.

Tour #1

Tour #1 will take you through Ellicott City and Elkridge areas. Explore Shipley’s Grant,Mission Place, and Howard Square developments. While on this tour, you can check out the Howard Square lottery home!

Tour #2

Tour #2 will take you through the Laurel and Jessup communities including Riverwalk, Cottages of Greenwood, and Housing Fair sponsor Monarch Mills.

Click below to see the schedule, and more information about the 2012 Narrated Bus Tours!

2012 Bus Tour Schedule!

Click here to learn about what you expect to see at the housing fair. Also, if you haven’t already, skip to the front of the lines and pre-register for the Fair. See you on Saturday!

Reason #4: The Housing Fair is Free!

That’s right: completely FREE. As in, you pay nothing, zilch, zip, nada, zero. The fair is chock-full of useful information for anyone who is curious about living in Howard County. This is the ONLY event where you can talk one-on-one with more than 50 mortgage lenders, real estate experts, home builders and remodelers, and more. All. For. FREE.

Other free stuff at the fair:

• Free kid’s activities
• Free educational seminars for homebuyers
• Free bus tours of Howard County neighborhoods and communities
• Free drawings for great doorprizes

There’s no reason to wait. Register TODAY!

Reason #5: Talk 1-on-1 with DHCD!

In the weeks leading up to our Housing Fair, we’re spotlighting some of our sponsors who will be at our April 14th Housing Fair.

We are proud to say that this year, we’re completely SOLD OUT of sponsor and exhibitor space! This year’s Fair will feature the best of the best when it comes to Housing in Howard County.  Our sponsors are bringing you more resources than ever, and giving you all the reasons why you should Come Home to Howard County.

One of our sponsors is the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

The DHCD is committed to working with partners to finance housing opportunities and revitalize great places for Maryland citizens to live, work and prosper. Through its work in revitalizing communities, assisting families in buying and preserving their homes and creating safe, affordable rental housing, DCHD continues to enhance the quality of life for families throughout the state of Maryland.

The DHCD is a great resource for anyone looking to purchase a home or learn more about the renting process. Additionally, DCHD has a wealth of knowledge regarding resources for small businesses, community grant programs, sustainable communities and more.

Visit their booth at the 6th Annual Come Home to Howard County Housing Fair to talk one-on-one with DCHD about all things housing and community related in Howard County and Maryland. Let DHCD know you’ll be at our Fair by reaching out on Twitter to @MDHousing!

See you on the 14th!

Click Here to Learn More about the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Reason #6: Learn about Rental Opportunities in Howard County!

We’re excited for our Housing Fair coming up on April 14th, but we couldn’t make it happen without our awesome sponsors and exhibitors.

We are proud to say that this year, we’re completely SOLD OUT of sponsor and exhibitor space! This year’s Fair will feature the best of the best when it comes to Housing in Howard County.  Our sponsors are bringing you more resources than ever, and giving you all the reasons why you should Come Home to Howard County.

There are a lot of rental opportunities available in Howard County. One of our valued sponsors knows all about those opportunities: Monarch Mills.

Monarch Mills is an apartment community just minutes from both Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Situated in Howard County, Monarch Mills residents can take advantage of all that the County has to offer, including a top-rated school system, musical entertainment at Columbia’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, and a variety of shopping and restaurants that are sure to compliment everyone’s unique style and taste.

Another reason to come home to Monarch Mills? They’ve gone green. The community is committed to being Howard County’s premier sustainable community, which is why Monarch Mills is the first multi-family community in Howard County that meets Enterprise Green Communities criteria in all apartments, complete with Energy Star appliances. Additionally, Monarch Mills achieves a LEED Gold certification in the clubhouse – making green, healthy living a reality.

Other amenities include:

• Fitness Center
• A putting green
• 9′ Ceilings
• Tot Lots for children
• Cyber Cafe
• A community learning center
• and More!

Living Room at Monarch Mills

Outside the Clubhouse

Monarch Mills Interior

Reason #7: Attend our Education Seminars!

Need another reason to come to our 6th Annual Come Home to Howard County Housing Fair?

We’re offering FREE education sessions!

The Come Home to Howard County Housing Fair has an education session for every type of homebuyer. Our workshops will cover understanding your credit report, how to save money for your downpayment, information for the first-time home buyer, how to enroll in the Moderate Incoming Housing Unit Program, and much more. Whether you’re an experienced home owner or a first time buyer, there’s a session that’s right for you!

Click on the image below to see the full schedule of education sessions being offered at the Housing Fair on April 14th!

2012 Schedule of Seminars

Reason #8: Learn about MIHU Programs!

At the Housing Fair, meet one-on-one with Howard County Housing representatives who can tell you all you need to know about the Moderate Income Housing Unit Program.

Click Here to view the MIHU Application.

See the release below for more details.

Two free MIHU informational workshops scheduled for April 14 and 18

Howard County Accepting Applications for Moderate Income Housing Unit Program

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Housing will begin accepting applications for the April enrollment period for the County’s Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) program on Monday, April 2. The open enrollment period will end Monday, April 30.

The MIHU program is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in certain zoning districts to sell or rent a percentage of the new dwelling units to households of moderate income. The program offers quality new homes at reduced sale prices and rents to income eligible families.

As part of the MIHU program, Housing will hold two “MIHU Buyers and Renters Workshops.” The first workshop will be held during the “Come Home to Howard County” Housing Fair on Saturday, April 14 at 11:30 a.m. at Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia. Housing will hold a second workshop on Wednesday, April 18 at 6 p.m. in the Gateway Building, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia. The workshops are open to the public and will explain the program’s eligibility requirements and application process for prospective homebuyers and renters. For more information or to register for a workshop, contact Housing’s MIHU Coordinator at 410-313-6497.

To purchase a MIHU home and be placed on a waiting list, individuals must apply to Howard County Housing during an open enrollment period. The applicant’s household income may not exceed 80% of Howard County’s median income which, as of January 1, 2012, is $101,771 for a family of four. Applicants must also meet minimum credit score requirements and their household income must be sufficient to qualify for a home mortgage based on industry standards. Base sale prices for MIHUs can range from $129,000 for a condominium to $251,000 for a townhome. Actual sale prices vary depending on the size and amenities of the unit. If you were not eligible in the past because of household income, Howard County Housing encourages you to check current eligibility limits.

Available MIHU homes for ownership opportunities are at Overlook at Blue Stream, Riverwalk and Cherry Tree Park. Overlook at Blue Stream in Elkridge will feature townhomes with three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a one car garage. Riverwalk in Laurel will also offer townhomes with three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a two-car garage. Cherry Tree Park, a 55+ active adult community centrally located off Route 216 in Laurel, features condos with two bedrooms and two baths.

To rent an MIHU unit, an applicant’s household income may not exceed 60% of the Howard County median income. MIHUs are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis, with rents ranging from $1,145 to $1,771, including utilities. MIHUs are interspersed throughout each community and residents enjoy all of the amenities of the community life. Alta at Regency Crest, Ashbury Courts, Belmont Station, Mission Place and Penniman Park are currently accepting MIHU rental applications. Prospective renters may apply directly to a participating rental community at any time during the year.

Open enrollment periods for the MIHU purchase program are held quarterly. Interested persons should visit the Housing’s MIHU website at www.howardcountymd.gov/housingmihu.htm or call Howard County Housing at 410-313-6318.

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