With the help of down payment assistance and a mortgage loan from MassHousing, Candace Sini and her husband purchased their first home in Baldwinville (a village of Templeton in Worcester County) in 2019.

They worked through Denise Peach, a loan officer at Total Mortgage, one of MassHousing's many approved lending partners.

"Total Mortgage was great to work with, they really know what they are doing," Candace said. "It is so great just knowing that we can do what we want with decorating, landscaping and updating. Now it just really feels like home. We are so thankful."