Pinellas County's First-Time Homebuyer Program is available for those who wish to buy a home.

The program is open to veterans and anyone in the community who has never owned a home, or who hasn't owned one in the past three years.

The current mortgage rate is 3.99 percent for the Home Key First Mortgage and is available to qualified first-time buyers in Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties.  Down payment and closing-costs assistance is also available.

To be eligible, you must meet certain income eligibility requirements, have a minimum credit score of 640 and take a HUD-approved homebuyer education class.

For information contact the Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County at (727) 223-6419 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/hfa.