Nearly 3,500 Iowans became new homeowners in 2007 with the assistance of the Iowa Finance Authority's low-interest loan program FirstHome. The program offers qualified first-time home-buyers affordable mortgage financing with a low, fixed interest rate and charges no discount points or origination fees. In calendar year 2007, a record 3,485 Iowans used FirstHome. This was an increase of nearly 500 loans from 2006 and was almost 1,000 loans greater than in 2005. In Scott County, 217 loans were closed for a total of more than $20 million. For more information, look at (http://www.iowafinanceauthority.gov ).