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Home is where the heart is. It’s also where a big chunk of your financial responsibility lies. Home ownership is a pillar of the American dream, and while many of those in younger generations either can’t afford to or actively choose not to pursue it, those who buy in to the housing market often see major financial benefits.

There is no doubt that becoming a homeowner is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make in your entire life. It’s also undeniable that simply getting to that point requires a certain degree of financial success. You need to come up with a down payment and closing costs (generally about 3 percent to 4 percent of the total home purchase price for buyers) before you can even turn the key in the door. But among those who take on the big task of home ownership, many see financial benefits that far outweigh their initial investment, especially during tax season. Here are 5 of them:

• Build up a stronger financial future
• Home ownership tax deductions
• Amass equity
• More control over day-to-day housing-related costs
• Positive perks

Millennials are swarmed with investing advice – start saving early, take advantage of your employer's 401(k) match and for heaven's sake, dump those high-interest credit cards! But for many who are looking to build a retirement nest egg, financial advisors say purchasing a home is one of the best investments millennials can make. 

"Buying a home is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make as early as your 20s," says Riccardo Ravasini, managing director of Rava Realty, who handles properties in New York and Florida, "because it is inflation-protected and a physical asset that doesn't disappear like stocks can do."Rent payments go straight into the pocket of the landlord – and at the beginning of the next month, you've got nothing to show for it. 

But mortgage payments are an investment in the future, says Tony Via, an assistant finance professor at Kent State University in Ohio. As the remaining balance on a mortgage is reduced, home equity increases, padding your own retirement account – and not your landlord's. Better to spend your money on your own home than on unnecessary, short-term expenses that won't provide value later, he says.

When a consumer considers purchasing or selling a home, they should consider the fact that there are many tax benefits.  By far, the buying of a home can be one of a consumers biggest investments. Ultimately, the consumer taking advantage of these tax benefits could save a great deal of money either at the time of purchase or the time of sell. Due to the various restrictions and conditions regarding these tax benefits, it is important to consult with one’s financial advisors or accountants.  Two major areas to save money are: 

Interest expense: Homeowners can deduct interest expenses on up to $750,000 of mortgage debt from their income taxes, though when they itemize these deductions, they forgo the standard deduction of $12,000 for individuals or married couples filing individually, $18,000 for head of household & $24,000 for married filing jointly.

Capital appreciation: While the home increases in value during ownership these gains are not taxed at the federal level & then homeowners can exclude up to $250,000 in home appreciation when figuring their capital gains.

Home ownership has become a cornerstone of the American Dream. For most people, their home is their most valuable asset. Mortgages make home buying possible for many Americans. Mortgages are not always easy to secure, however, as rates and terms are often dependent on an individual's credit score and job status. Failure to repay allows a bank to legally foreclose and auction off the property to cover its losses.  In a typical year, most buyers take out a mortgage to finance their home purchase, most commonly 30-year, fixed-rate financing using a conforming loan. That’s a loan that’s packaged into a security by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and sold to investors on Wall Street. The two secondary mortgage market companies guarantee the securities, making them attractive to investors all around the world. Many other buyers use financing backed directly by the federal government through FHA, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Rural Housing Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

FHA loans have been helping people become homeowners since 1934. How do we do it? The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) - which is part of HUD - insures the loan, so your lender can offer you a better deal.

• Low down payments
• Low closing costs
• Easy credit qualifying

What does FHA have for you?

Buying your first home?
FHA might be just what you need. Your down payment can be as low as 3.5% of the purchase price. Available on 1-4 unit properties.

Financial help for seniors
Are you 62 or older? Do you live in your home? Do you own it outright or have a low loan balance? If you can answer "yes" to all of these questions, then the FHA Reverse Mortgage might be right for you. It lets you convert a portion of your equity into cash.

Want to make your home more energy efficient?
You can include the costs of energy improvements into an FHA Energy-Efficient Mortgage.

How about manufactured housing and mobile homes?
Yes, FHA has financing for mobile homes and factory-built housing. We have two loan products - one for those who own the land that the home is on and another for mobile homes that are - or will be - located in mobile home parks.

Ask an FHA lender to tell you more about FHA loan products.

This program assists approved lenders in providing low- and moderate-income households the opportunity to own adequate, modest, decent, safe and sanitary dwellings as their primary residence in eligible rural areas. Eligible applicants may build, rehabilitate, improve or relocate a dwelling in an eligible rural area. The program provides a 90% loan note guarantee to approved lenders in order to reduce the risk of extending 100% loans to eligible rural homebuyers.  Applicants must:

• Meet income-eligibility
• Agree to personally occupy the dwelling as their primary residence
• Be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. non-citizen national or Qualified Alien
• Have the legal capacity to incur the loan obligation
• Have not been suspended or debarred from participation in federal programs
• Demonstrate the willingness to meet credit obligations in a timely manner
• Purchase a property that meets all program criteria