Many people ask me about financing a bale home. I work almost exclusively with a local banker here in Southern Oregon. He has integrated an excellent program and has linked it with other bank branches around the United States. He can therefore fund Straw Bale homes in just about every state in the Union!
He works directly as a loan officer at The Bank of Oregon. He researched it, developed it, and is now selling it to many straw bale builders and home owners. If you are looking for funding, I suggest you call him directly. His name is Jeff Case and his phone number is (541) 842-5602. I hope to have an interview with him on the site some day soon.
7 Responses
At 5:45 PM, Anonymous said…
I agree! I’ve had personal experience working with Jeff Case from Washington Mutual in Medford, Oregon and highly recommend his services. There is no question who the customer is with Jeff! His follow up, communication, and support, is exaactly what makes a good business experience happen. Where other lenders would require 2 loans (and 2 sets of fees, one for construction and one for the conventional loan once you’re in.. AND after very detailed reseached, his company offered the best rates in the country! If you’re looking for financing, this is the place to go. Excellent recommendation Andrew. Thank you, Nancy Farran, Jacksonville Oregon
I was wondering if you have any information on possible financing in Canada?
Vikki,
I am sorry to say I do not have direct resources for financing in Canada. I hope someone else on this blog can fill in the blank on that one.
I am wondering if there is any update on this area given the recent mortage changes? Do you know how tight credit is for straw bale financing now? Is it any different from other types of mortgages at the moment?
Straw bale continues to be harder to get financing for in most areas not because it is an inferior building technique but because banks are often unwilling to look at anything even slightly different than what they “know.” There are some banks in most areas that are willing to learn something new and see the value in green construction that straw bale provides. It’s always a good idea to speak with local credit unions and locally owned/operated banks as well. The more local the source, the better. Sovann Kang, at Chase Bank, has shown that he can lend on unconventional homes in the past and might be a good contact for you to connect with. His email is [email protected]. Good luck.
Hi Andrew,
I have a property and will most likely finish a straw bale home in Southern Idaho. We’ve financed this all on our own but am starting to think about selling it when finish. Do you know of a lender here that could help a potential buyer with financing or is your mentioned Oregon contact the best place to start? Thank you.
James Galleguillos.
Elmore County, Idaho
Congratulations on reaching the final stages of your project, James. Consider initiating inquiries with local banks and credit unions in terms of financing. They typically exhibit greater flexibility when dealing with owner-builders. Unfortunately, we lack updated information on the financing landscape in Idaho, and it remains uncertain whether the loan officer mentioned in the twelve-year-old article is still viable. Double-check that. Given the passage of time and changes in the housing market, exercise due diligence and start your research by approaching small local financial institutions. While it may demand some effort, suitable financing options for straw bale homes do exist.