We love National Hug A G.I. Day, which happens every March 4. And while we salute the men and women who protect our country on this day—and those who embrace them—every day is Hug A G.I. Day in our world.

Let’s say a benevolent stranger handed you $2,000. (Hey, a person can dream—though if you qualify for our Mortgage Credit Certificate program, that so-called stranger would be Uncle Sam.) Would making an extra mortgage payment be the wisest way to put that money to work for you? The answer is a resounding ‘maybe’—because like fingerprints, every financial situation is unique.

Winning the award for being the country’s #1 state housing agency in 2016 is a big deal. It’s an even bigger deal when you consider that we took top honors for the most mortgages funded through U.S. Bank, though Nevada only ranks 33rd in population by state.

You budget. You plan. You work hard to make ends meet. Good on ya! But if life throws you a curve ball and you find yourself unable to make your mortgage payment, what do you do? Here are four do’s and four don’ts.

Believe it or not, National Home Warranty Day is real, and it happens to be today—February 10. In honor of the day (which was originally submitted for recognition by a home warranty company – go figure!), now’s the perfect time to discuss the pros and cons of buying a home warranty policy. The short answer is, it’s not for everybody, but it can be a wise choice for some.

As we wrapped up 2016, we had a chance to stop and look at the numbers and realized that, with the help of our partners, we have been able to help nearly 10,000 Nevadans into homes of their own through our Home Is Possible program. To be precise, the actual number is 9,654 between when we started the program September 22, 2014 through December 31, 2016.

Last week, we shared some indoor home improvement project ideas perfect for our northern Nevada peeps—indoor because of the cold, wet weather that February and March bring. This week, we are turning our attention to outdoor home improvement projects for our southern Nevada friends—outdoor because it’s not blazing hot yet. 

We set out to share easy, affordable home improvement projects to do during the winter months for our friends in Nevada. There was just one problem: the climate varies throughout the Silver State. A lot. While northern Nevadans are still in the throes of snow, rain and cold—which beg for indoor projects, southern Nevadans would be wise to start doing outdoor projects before the scorching heat of summer.

Las Vegas real estate agent Alison Rachiell was a teacher for 10 years in Las Vegas and she’s also a native Nevadan, so she’s especially excited about NHD’s new Home Is Possible (HIP) For Teachers program.

“I think it’s great when somebody is dedicating their energy and time to teaching,” Rachiell said. “So being able to put them into a home they might have otherwise been unable to get is incredibly rewarding.”

Have you dreamed of owning your own home one day? Well, today’s that day. We don’t mean to alarm you. We just want to help you prepare so you get the best deal possible. That’s how we roll.

Below are three reasons to get this house party started sooner rather than later. (Spoiler alert: thousands in money from Nevada Housing Division is one darn good reason.)

1.Interest rates are on the rise.