Michigan homebuyer resources, straight from the source
When a program figure matters, go to the agency that sets it. This page collects the official Michigan pages Mike sends buyers to most: MSHDA for program rules, the DIFS regulator, USDA's address tool, FHFA loan limits, and your county register of deeds for the transfer tax the seller pays.
Where do the official Michigan links live?
Everything on the network's guide pages traces back to a primary source. Here is the short list, with what each one settles. Bookmark the two you will use most: MSHDA for anything program-related and USDA for anything location-related.
| Resource | What it settles | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| MSHDA | Program rules, county income and sales-price limits | michigan.gov/mshda |
| Michigan DIFS | Lender licensing, consumer complaints | michigan.gov/difs |
| NMLS Consumer Access | Verify a loan officer or company | nmlsconsumeraccess.org |
| USDA eligibility map | Address and income eligibility | USDA eligibility tool |
| FHFA | 2026 conforming loan limits | fhfa.gov |
| County Register of Deeds | Transfer tax, deed recording, Form 2796 | Your county office |
Where can I read MSHDA's official program rules?
MSHDA, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, is the state body behind the MI Home Loan, the MI 10K DPA Loan, and the mortgage credit certificate. Each program has its own page at michigan.gov/mshda, and the county income limits sit on those pages and in MSHDA's lender materials rather than a single statewide table. When a number here and a number on MSHDA disagree, MSHDA is right. Check the effective date too, since a sales-price limit like the $566,355 MI Home Loan figure carries an as-of date and can change.
Who regulates Michigan mortgage lenders?
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services, DIFS for short, licenses mortgage brokers, lenders, and servicers under the state Mortgage Brokers, Lenders, and Servicers Licensing Act. It handles consumer complaints too. It is the office to call if something feels off about a company you are working with, reachable at michigan.gov/difs. For a quick identity check, look the person up on NMLS Consumer Access by name or license number. Mike Certo is NMLS #260555 and Cornerstone First Mortgage is NMLS #173855.
How do I check whether an address is USDA-eligible?
USDA keeps a free map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov. Type in the exact street address and it tells you whether that spot falls in an eligible rural area. Run it early. Eligibility is parcel-specific, not county-wide, so the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor metro cores are out while much of the northern Lower Peninsula and the whole Upper Peninsula qualify. The same tool checks the income cap, near $122,800 for one to four people in standard Michigan counties as of 2026.
Where are the 2026 Michigan loan limits published?
The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets conforming loan limits each year, posted at fhfa.gov. For 2026 the one-unit baseline is $832,750, and it is the same across all 83 Michigan counties because the state carries no high-cost designation. The FHA floor sits at $541,287. A loan above your conforming number is a jumbo. The programs page covers how jumbo underwriting differs.
How is Michigan transfer tax confirmed?
Michigan charges a real estate transfer tax when a deed is recorded, and the seller pays it, not the buyer. The combined rate is $8.60 per $1,000: a $3.75 per $500 state tax plus a $0.55 per $500 county tax. On a $299,000 home that comes to about $2,571. There is a refund worth knowing about. A seller of a principal residence whose state equalized value at sale was not higher than at purchase can reclaim the state portion by filing Michigan Treasury Form 2796 within four years and fifteen days of the sale. The county register of deeds records the deed and collects the tax, so confirm the local process there. The transfer-tax page shows the full math.
Do I need a homebuyer education course in Michigan?
For the MI 10K DPA, yes. MSHDA requires buyers using its down payment assistance to complete homebuyer education and keep a certificate on file, usually online or through an approved counseling agency. The class walks through budgeting, the closing process, and staying current after you move in. Even where it is not required, it is worth a few hours for a first purchase. Ask Mike which approved provider lines up with your program so the certificate counts.
Michigan resources FAQ
Where can I read MSHDA's official program rules?
MSHDA, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, publishes each program at michigan.gov/mshda, including the MI Home Loan, the MI 10K DPA Loan, and the mortgage credit certificate. County income limits and the sales-price limits live on those same program pages and in MSHDA's lender materials. Those pages are the source of record, so when a figure here and MSHDA disagree, treat MSHDA as correct and check the effective date, since the limits update over time.
Who regulates Michigan mortgage lenders?
The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services, known as DIFS, licenses and oversees mortgage brokers, lenders, and servicers under the Mortgage Brokers, Lenders, and Servicers Licensing Act, and it takes consumer complaints at michigan.gov/difs. Every originator also appears on the national NMLS Consumer Access site by license number, which is the quickest way to confirm a loan officer is licensed. Mike Certo is NMLS #260555; Cornerstone First Mortgage is NMLS #173855.
How do I confirm a Michigan address qualifies for USDA?
USDA runs a free eligibility map at eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov. Enter the exact property address and it returns whether the spot sits in an eligible rural area. Do this before you write an offer, because eligibility is parcel-specific rather than county-wide, and the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor metro cores are excluded while much of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula qualify. The same tool checks the household income cap, near $122,800 for one to four people in standard Michigan counties as of 2026.
Who pays the transfer tax in Michigan?
The seller pays Michigan's real estate transfer tax at recording, not the buyer. The combined rate is $8.60 per $1,000 of price, made up of a $3.75 per $500 state tax and a $0.55 per $500 county tax. On a $299,000 home that runs about $2,571. A seller of a principal residence whose state equalized value at sale was not higher than at purchase may reclaim the state portion using Michigan Treasury Form 2796. Confirm details with the county register of deeds that records the deed.
Does MSHDA require a homebuyer education course?
Yes, for the MI 10K DPA. MSHDA requires buyers using its down payment assistance to complete homebuyer education and hold a certificate, which can usually be finished online or through an approved counseling agency. The course covers budgeting, the closing process, and keeping the home after you buy. It is genuinely useful for a first purchase, so ask Mike which approved provider fits your file so the certificate counts toward the program.