Many people commute from surrounding communities to work in Marshalltown, Iowa. A unique housing incentive program is encouraging more of those people to live in Marshalltown as well. Make Marshalltown Home asks potential homeowners to build a house in Marshalltown, at which point they would receive a $10,000 incentive if the home is valued at $180,000 or higher at the time of closing.
The City of Marshalltown has a current population of about 27,000 residents, and Mayor Joel Greer has gone on record saying he wants that number to increase to at least 50,000 within the next few years. Besides the city, the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce is also a major backer of the initiative, with chamber officials saying that the $10,000 could be ideally used as a down payment by every potential new homeowner. “Marshalltown hasn’t grown in population over the last decade, and growth is important for any community,” says John Hall, president and CEO of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce. “We want more services, retail, restaurants and employers, and that requires development within a growing and thriving community.” Also see: These 13 cities, states, and countries will pay you to move thereAvailable lots in Marshalltown Hall says Marshalltown has plenty of land to construct new homes, with vacant property lots available in all quadrants of the city. “Houses can be built anywhere in Marshalltown. There are currently about 40 to 50 lots available,” he says. “Things are …