our mission
We exist to offer homeownership education, inspiration, and resources that leads to equal opportunities to build wealth through homeownership for the next generation.
The Approach
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Online Education.
With the help of industry experts, we are curating the best content on homeownership and financial literacy, designed for engagement.
Our online education courses include short videos and visually compelling education in a digestible format through online courses and social media content.
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Resources.
We are collaborating with existing resources and tools to offer the best available options for students, families, schools, and first-time homebuyers, all in one convenient location.
Resources include payment calculators, down payment assistance programs, and budgeting apps. For educators, resources include presentation materials and curriculums.
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Outreach Efforts.
We are working in partnership with school districts and community organizations to bring on-site education.
Along with presentation materials, handouts, and engaging activities, FirstHome IQ provides training and outreach coordination to help facilitate volunteers to have impact in their local communities.
The Impact
Increasing financial literacy
Building FirstHome IQ involves the basics of financial literacy skills, including understanding credit scores, saving for a down payment, and managing debt. These skills will help them make smart financial decisions throughout their lives.
Avoiding costly mistakes
Homebuyer education should not start after you’ve made major financial decisions like going to college, getting a job, or signing up for a credit card. Decisions that will dictate whether someone buys a home and when are made well before the plan to buy a home.
Reducing financial stress
By providing young adults with the knowledge and tools to manage their finances effectively, they can mitigate high levels of financial stress, which are known to negatively impact mental health, relationships, and overall well-being.
Planning for the future
By building their FirstHome IQ, participants will learn how to set financial goals, such as saving for college or retirement, and learn about the value of building wealth through homeownership.
the founders.
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Kristin Messerli
cofounder, executive director
Kristin is a speaker and researcher on nextgen homeownership and financial wellness. Her background includes social work with unhoused youth, homebuyer education, and developing outreach programs. She founded and sold the digital marketing agency, Cultural Outreach, and authors the NextGen Homebuyer Reports, surveying over 4,000 millennial and gen z homebuyers.
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Dave Savage
cofounder
Dave Savage is the founder of Mortgage Coach, and is now Chief Innovation Officer of TrustEngine, which together created the industry’s first borrower intelligence platform that helps all borrowers achieve financial freedom. Dave is dedicated to sharing best practices and has conducted more than 1,000 interviews with top loan officers and industry leaders, making the Mortgage Coach YouTube channel a “Netflix” for loan officers and is a nationally known speaker.
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Todd Bookspan
cofounder
Todd has 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur and a business leader. For the past fifteen years, as a mortgage originator, Todd has proven successful in cultivating both teams and branch offices. Working alongside his wife Tara, Todd successfully helped grow the Arizona region of a mortgage bank from five to eighty-five employees at four branches. Now he has designed the Win By Noon Planner as a tool to help increase productivity.