Northwest Bank has been named a top mortgage lender in 2020 by the Iowa Finance Authority.

The awards were given to the lending institutions and loan originators who assisted the most homebuyers through IFA programs in 2020.

The Iowa Finance Authority offers mortgage and down payment assistance programs through a network of more than 400 lenders throughout the state. These partnerships allow Iowans both the convenience of working with their local lender and access to down payment assistance programs available exclusively through IFA Participating Lenders.

Nearly 3,000 Iowans purchased a home through the assistance of IFA programs in 2020, the most in any single year in IFA’s 43-year history of offering mortgage programs.

“Homeownership is a leading driver of generational financial stability for families, and I commend our lending partners for assisting a record number of Iowans in achieving this milestone through our partnership last year,” said IFA Executive Director Debi Durham. “Our goal is to assist even more homebuyers this year and we look forward to working with our lender partners to do just that.”

“We are happy to partner with the Iowa Finance Authority which allows Iowans in a wide-range of areas access to their affordable mortgage and down payment assistance programs,” said Sara Frerichs, director of credit administration, EVP at Northwest Bank. “I could not be prouder of the hard work and dedication each of our team members demonstrated during this past year, working hard to get Iowans into their new home is very gratifying. We are excited to continue to help Iowans obtain their homeownership goals this year.”