Nevada’s governor and HOPE NOW are holding a two-day event for homeowners struggling to keep their homes.

The event is 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Cashman Center. It is free and open to the public. Representatives from some of the largest mortgage companies and banks will be at the event. Homeowners will get a chance to meet face-to-face with their mortgage company and a counseling agency approved by HUD. HOPE NOW is a group created by major mortgage lenders to bring together homeowners and banks to find solutions to the foreclosure crisis.

Those interested in attending should bring the necessary paperwork. For more information about the event, go to hopenow.com.

Mortgage Servicers:

LAS VEGAS -- Foreclosed homes in Las Vegas are being snatched up left and right by investors. But starting this week, Fannie Mae is trying to help homeowners get first dibs. The program is called First Look.

First Look allows first-time home buyers to place an offer first over an investor when buying a Fannie Mae-owned home. The window of opportunity has now been extended from 15 days to 30 days in Nevada.

At least 50-percent of the foreclosure sales in Las Vegas are cash only because banks see it as a hassle-free way to get the properties off their books.

With inventory at an all time low, and competition heating up, the First Look program can help people who don't have the cash to pay up front.

"(The) First Look program was Fannie Mae's program designed to strengthen communities and give first-time home buyers an edge," said Claudia Turcaz with the Nevada Association of Hispanic Real Estate.

LAS VEGAS -- The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors says home sales jumped 33 percent in March as buyers rushed to beat the deadline for the home buyer tax credits.

The group unveiled its latest numbers at a panel discussion on the Las Vegas housing market Wednesday morning.

Panelists say the emphasis in the coming year will be on short sales. GLVAR President Rick Shelton says he also expects there to be more foreclosures on the market because banks are not willing to work with homeowners on reducing their loans. He says that will result in more homeowners opting to do a short sale. Currently, short sales make up about half of the houses that are for sale in the market.

The panel says home prices are beginning to stabilize with the median home price for a single-family home at $136,000 which is up slightly from February. There has been an increase in home sales for the past 15 months.