Today, after a long downturn, prices in the Austin home market are beginning to inch up at a time when the inventory of homes is very low. This can make it harder to buy a house. One thing that helps make homeownership the right choice for many is the mortgage interest deduction.

For nearly 80 years, this common sense policy has allowed countless Minnesota families to realize the dream of homeownership. By allowing homeowners to deduct the interest they pay on their mortgage, the state mortgage interest deduction makes it easier for buyers to enter the market and puts money back in the pockets of Minnesota homeowners.

As election season nears, we should make sure our elected officials support the state mortgage interest deduction ­— a policy that makes sense for Austin.

Casey Hatch,

President of the Southeast Minnesota Association of Realtors