Heartland Heroes Program: Exclusive Home Loan Benefits for Sioux Falls Frontline Workers
If you serve Sioux Falls as a nurse, veteran, teacher, firefighter, law enforcement officer, or first responder, you already know what it means to show up for your community every day. The Heartland Heroes Program, offered exclusively through Fairway Heartland, is designed to give back something meaningful: real, tangible savings when you purchase your next home.
Here's what the program actually delivers and how Jeff Buum helps eligible heroes in Sioux Falls, Harrisburg, Tea, and Brandon put it to work.
Who Qualifies for the Heartland Heroes Program?
The Heartland Heroes Program is built for the people who keep this community running. Eligible professions include:
• Active duty military and veterans
• Medical professionals: doctors, nurses, paramedics, and healthcare workers
• Law enforcement officers and firefighters
• First responders and emergency medical personnel
• Teachers and school staff
If you serve in any of these roles in Sioux Falls or the surrounding Sioux Empire area, you likely qualify. The program applies when you close on a home loan through Fairway Heartland Branch 8350.
What Does the Heartland Heroes Program Actually Give You?
Unlike a vague 'we appreciate heroes' statement, the Heartland Heroes Program delivers two concrete benefits at closing: a financial closing discount and a community welcome package that no other lender in Sioux Falls currently offers.
The $500 Closing Cost Discount: How It Works
Eligible heroes receive up to a $500 lender credit applied directly toward closing costs on their home loan. The credit appears on your Closing Disclosure and reduces your out-of-pocket expenses at the closing table.
This discount applies across multiple loan types, including FHA, conventional, VA, and non-conforming loans, giving eligible borrowers flexibility regardless of their financing situation.
*May not be redeemed for cash. One discount of up to $500 on closing costs per loan. Discount applied as a lender credit at closing. Loan must close and fund with Fairway Heartland Branch 8350. Offer subject to change. Not valid with other incentives or discounts. The borrower is responsible for the down payment.
The Heartland Heroes Welcome Voucher Book
In addition to the closing cost discount, every Heartland Heroes borrower receives a Welcome Voucher Book containing over $10,000 in estimated savings from locally owned Sioux Falls businesses.
The book includes offers from restaurants, coffee shops, home service providers, entertainment venues, and community businesses across the Sioux Falls area, places like Josiah's Coffee Cafe, Dan’s Drain and Duct Service,Landscape Garden Center, Miller Family Painting, Sioux Falls Stampede, Dahlia Kitchen + Bar, and dozens more. It's one of the most community-rooted homebuyer benefits available anywhere in Southeast South Dakota.
Which Home Loan Programs Work with Heartland Heroes?
The closing cost discount stacks with a wide range of loan types. Most heroes in Sioux Falls finance their home purchase with one of these programs:
VA loans: Veterans and active-duty service members can combine their VA home loan benefit with the Heartland Heroes discount. VA loans require no down payment* in most cases and carry no private mortgage insurance, making them one of the most powerful tools available to eligible veterans.
FHA loans: For heroes who are first-time buyers or working with a smaller down payment, FHA loans in Sioux Falls offer a lower barrier to entry with flexible credit requirements.
Conventional loans: Heroes with established credit and a larger down payment often benefit most from conventional financing, which offers the most flexibility across purchase prices and property types.
Not sure which loan type fits your situation? Our guide to mortgage loan programs walks through every option clearly.
*A down payment is required if the borrower does not have full VA entitlement or when the loan amount exceeds the VA county limits. VA loans subject to individual VA Entitlement amounts and eligibility, qualifying factors such as income and credit guidelines, and property limits. Fairway is not affiliated with any government agencies or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Why This Program Exists, and What Makes It Different in Sioux Falls
Most lenders acknowledge the service of frontline workers with words. The Heartland Heroes Program was built on the belief that acknowledgment should show up in dollars.
What sets this program apart from anything else available in Sioux Falls isn't just the closing cost discount; it's the network of local business partners who have committed to supporting heroes beyond the mortgage. These aren't national chain offers. They're Sioux Falls businesses and Sioux Empire community members choosing to invest in the people who protect and serve this area every day.
Jeff Buum at Fairway Heartland has helped veterans, nurses, firefighters, and teachers across Sioux Falls, Harrisburg, Brandon, and Tea navigate the program and use it alongside the best available loan product for their situation. It's not a one-size-fits-all benefit, and neither is the mortgage advice behind it.
How to Get Started with the Heartland Heroes Program
If you think you qualify, the first step is a free consultation to confirm your eligibility and walk through your loan options. Jeff Buum will review your situation, identify the right loan program, and make sure the Heartland Heroes discount is properly applied at closing.
For heroes who are still in the early research phase, our home-buying tips guide is a good place to start.
The Heartland Heroes Program is Sioux Falls' most community-driven homebuyer benefit. If you've earned it, let's make sure you use it.
Book a free consultation with Jeff Buum
*Heartland Heroes closing cost discount: May not be redeemed for cash. One discount of up to $500 per loan is applied as a lender credit at closing. Loan must close and fund with Fairway Heartland Branch 8350. Offer subject to change without notice. Not valid with other incentives or discounts. The borrower is responsible for the down payment. Welcome Voucher Book value estimated at $10,000+; individual offer values vary by participating business.
Jeff Buum is a Loan Officer at Fairway Heartland, serving homebuyers in Sioux Falls, Harrisburg, Tea, Brandon, and across Southeast South Dakota. Fairway Home Mortgage NMLS #2289. Jeff Buum NMLS #400290. Copyright ©2025 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation doing business as Fairway Home Mortgage. NMLS #2289. 4750 S. Biltmore Lane, Madison, WI 53718, 1-866-912-4800. All rights reserved. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. Information, rates, and programs are subject to change without notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Other restrictions and limitations may apply. Equal Housing Opportunity.
