Buying Into Baltimore is a program that awards $5,000 in down-payment and closing-cost assistance to a few lucky prospective homebuyers who enter a lottery after attending a special Trolley Tour that is held three times a year. (The next one will be in the fall.)

The prize is not limited to first-time homebuyers, but following the event, applicants have 10 business days to make an offer on a home, have the offer accepted, and obtain a contract of sale to be eligible to even enter the lottery.

A special note for remote workers considering making a move: The property must also be used as a primary residence.

Building a house can be expensive, but what if someone helped foot the bill?

Belleville, a small town in north-central Kansas' Republic County, is offering up to $35,000 in grants to attract new residents willing to build homes there.

The incentive includes a $25,000 base grant for anyone constructing a single-family home. An additional $10,000 bonus is available to those whose homes are among the first five built within city limits.

To qualify, you have to apply through Republic County's economic development office or partner with a local bank prior to starting construction. After approval, construction must begin within 30 days.

Belleville, through MakeMyMove, also offers eligible remote workers perks beyond homebuying: up to $1,500 annually for five years toward student loans and up to $3,000 for movers who are employed by Republic County.

Bemidji, a 15,000-person city in northern Minnesota, has a program offering remote workers interested in moving to the area six months of free internet service, a one-year membership to a coworking space, a one-year membership to the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce, and free access to community programs and events.

To qualify, movers must work primarily from home and be relocating from at least 60 miles away.

Nicknamed the "City of Five Seasons," Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is located in eastern Iowa along the banks of the Cedar River. While it's the second-largest city in the state, its closest big town is Des Moines, which is about a two-hour drive northeast.

Cedar Rapids is located in one of the most prominent manufacturing regions in the US and is recognized as the largest corn-processing city in the world, according to its official website. Beyond agriculture, the city also has a strong job market, with several Fortune 500 companies, including Collins Aerospace and Nordstrom calling it home.

In partnership with MakeMyMove, the city is offering $5,000 to non-Iowa residents to relocate there. To qualify, applicants must be willing to move within six months of approval, work remotely, and earn an annual income of at least $55,000.

Columbus, a 200,000-person city on the Georgia-Alabama border, is offering $5,000 to remote workers who move there.

Through MakeMyMove, Columbus also offers relocators other perks, including six months of time at a coworking space, coffee with the mayor, and a two-night hotel stay for a visit before your move.

The total package is worth $8,700, according to MakeMyMove.

In order to qualify for the program, you need to be employed full-time, earn at least $75,000, and live at least 75 miles outside Columbus at the time of the application.

Both first-time and repeat homebuyers moving to Fort Wayne, Indiana, can get help buying a home thanks to Hoosier Homes Plus, a down payment assistance program sponsored by the Fort Wayne Housing Authority.

The program offers buyers up to 5% of the home's purchase price to assist with down payment and closing costs.

To qualify, applicants must work with an approved lender, have a minimum credit score of 640, and have a household income at or below the county-specific limit of $126,000.

Additionally, first-time homebuyers are required to complete a homebuyer education course.

Hamilton, Ohio — a city of 63,000 about 20 miles north of Cincinnati — is encouraging recent college graduates to apply for its Talent Attraction Program Scholarship.

Scholarship recipients can get up to $15,000 a year toward student loan payments. 

In order to qualify for the scholarship, you must have graduated from a STEAM (science, tech, engineering, the arts, or math) program within the last seven years. You must not already live in the city of Hamilton but have plans to move or live in what the city defines as one of its urban neighborhoods.

Applicants must demonstrate employment within Butler County or a full-time remote position. Preference is given to people "with a desire to give back to the community and become engaged in activities."

Hutchinson — a city of about 40,000 people in south central Kansas — is helping its movers achieve the American dream of homeownership.

The city is offering renters who move into one of its qualifying neighborhoods —College Grove, Creekside, Founders, Grace Arbor, Houston Whiteside Historic District, Midtown — up to $2,500 in matching funds to purchase their first home.

Jackson, Michigan, a city of about 31,000 people in south-central Michigan, is attracting residents with newly built homes and down payment assistance.

As part of its 100 Home Program, the city plans to construct 100 one-and two-bedroom homes on vacant residential lots across Jackson, each priced at $175,000.

To help buyers better afford these homes, the city is offering up to $25,000 in down payment assistance for eligible applicants earning up to 120% of the area's median income.

In addition, buyers are encouraged to apply for an extra $10,000 in assistance through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.

The nonprofit Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) was founded to reverse population loss in the rural, mountainous regions of Kentucky.

It offers relocation grants to remote workers, which include $5,000 for the worker who moves, plus an additional $2,500 bonus if their partner secures a job in education or healthcare.

Interested remote workers can move to any of 34 eligible counties in the eastern part of Kentucky; the swath includes a scenic network of canyons called the Red River Gorge and the Country Music Highway Museum, dedicated to artists from the region like Billy Ray Cyrus and The Judds.

Applicants must make $70,000 and currently reside outside Kentucky.

Ketchikan, a scenic coastal city near the southernmost tip of Alaska that is a 90-minute flight from Seattle, launched the Choose Ketchikan program in November 2021.

Applicants over 18 must be "fully employed." To be eligible, an individual or family must currently live outside Alaska while working remotely for a company that is also outside Alaska.

After relocation, all Alaska residents get an annual payment from Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend, which can be as much as $3,000 a year or more.

Ketchikan, which touts its clean air and drinking water, is also offering new residents three months of free high-speed internet.

Macon-Bibb, Georgia, is one of the newest cities to launch a relocation program through MakeMyMove.

The central Georgia city is offering qualifying out-of-state remote workers $2,500 to make it their home. Additionally, new residents will receive a three-month coworking membership at The Office, a local workspace, and a three-month family trial membership at One Life Fitness, a local gym.

Maine has said it can reimburse residents who graduated after 2007 through its student loan repayment tax credit program.

If you live in Maine during the tax year, you are likely eligible for a tax credit that could total up to $2,500 annually, up to $25,000 lifetime, toward student-loan payments.

Additional perks are available for graduates with STEM degrees, including the possibility of refunding the entirety of their state tax payments.

Manilla — a small city in western Iowa — is offering free lots of land to anyone looking to build a single-family home.

Manilla is also eliminating taxes on the homes built on the "no cost lots" for the first five years.

West Virginia launched a program named Ascend WV to attract out-of-state remote workers to Morgantown, a vibrant college town home to West Virginia University.

To be eligible, potential residents must be 18 years or older, able to verify remote employment, and willing to move to the city of 30,000 for two years.

Those accepted to the program are expected to relocate to Morgantown within six months and receive $12,000 in cash in monthly installments. If people choose to purchase a home in West Virginia, they can get the remaining cash payments in a lump sum.

Other perks of the program include a coworking-space membership and free outdoor-gear rentals.

In addition to Morgantown, Ascend WV also incentivizes moves to other parts of West Virginia: the Greenbrier Valley, the Eastern Panhandle, the New River Gorge area, and Greater Elkins community.

Newton, Iowa, about 30 miles east of Des Moines, wants to give relocators who purchase a home there cash upon closing.

The city is offering $10,000 in cash to buyers of homes valued at more than $240,000 and a five-year tax abatement for homes below that value. Eligible homes include single-family new builds that started construction in 2020 or 2021.

There's also a "Get to Know Newton Welcome Package" that includes gifts from local businesses and opportunities to attend local events, including at the Iowa Speedway.

Located just 30 minutes from downtown Indianapolis, Noblesville is home to the Ruoff Music Center, the region's most significant outdoor concert venue.

The town is offering new residents a package that includes a $5,000 relocation grant, a $500 health and wellness stipend, and a one-year membership to a local coworking space, among other incentives.

Remote workers interested in the program must make at least $80,000 annually and be able to relocate within six months of applying.

Quincy, Illinois, a town of 40,000 on the Missouri border, has also launched a program to incentivize Americans to relocate there.

The Quincy Workforce Relocation Assistance Program, also called Quincy's Calling, offers movers who can get a job within the county a property-tax rebate of up to $5,000 after one year of living and working in the area.

If you would prefer to rent, you can get a rental rebate of up to $3,500 after six months of residency and employment.

Remote workers aren't eligible for the program. New residents must work in Adams County, where Quincy is.

Since 2023, Perry County has offered a cash incentive of $7,000 to qualifying remote workers and their families who move to the rural community. Located between Evansville, Illinois, and Louisville, Kentucky, along the Ohio River, Perry County has fewer than 20,000 residents, according to the most recent census data.

The $7,000 payment is split into two installments — one when families first move and another after 12 months. Families also receive a welcome basket that includes freebies from local fudge to discounted WiFi.

Eligible applicants must make $50,000 at a job they can retain when they move and be able to relocate within 6 months.

Shiraz Mukarram, manager at the Perry County Development Corporation, told BI that families have moved to the county from states including Florida, Georgia, California, and Massachusetts with great success.

Switzerland County, Indiana, about an hour southeast of Cincinnati, is home to the towns of Patriot and Vevay.

The latter was once home to the first successful wine vineyard in the US, though wine production has since ceased.

Still, each year, people from across the country gather to celebrate the county's wine heritage and sample wines at its annual Swiss Wine Festival.

To encourage relocation to the area, the city has partnered with MakeMyMove to offer $5,000 to eligible out-of-state remote workers who relocate there.

The Shoals in Alabama — a cluster of municipalities including Florence, Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia that straddles the banks of the Tennessee River — is offering remote workers $10,000 to move to the area.

Near the border with Tennessee and Mississippi, the four cities are just a few hours from hubs including Memphis, Nashville, and Birmingham. 

The program offers $2,500 upfront for relocation costs, an additional $2,500 six months after moving there, and $5,000 at the end of the first year of residency.

Eligible applicants must be over 18 and able to move to the region within six months. They must also be employed outside the area and have a minimum annual income of $52,000.

Texarkana is a pair of neighboring twin cities with the same name in both states it straddles: Texas and Arkansas.

The cities have separate municipal governments but often operate as one metropolitan region. It has a joint offer for remote workers moving to either city.

Texarkana is offering a $5,000 relocation bonus along with other incentives, including free tickets to the Texarkana Symphony Orchestra and a 25% tuition discount at Texas A&M at Texarkana, the local four-year public university.

Eligible applicants must make at least $75,000 a year. They must reside outside the state of Arkansas or, if a Texas resident, at least 75 miles from Texarkana.

Kansas' state capital has teamed up with employers to offer cash to those willing to move there.

Participants of the program, called Choose Topeka, can receive up to $15,000 if they purchase a home in Topeka and secure a job in the area. Remote workers with employment outside the area can earn up to $5,000 toward rental costs or $10,000 toward a home purchase.

As an added bonus, Jimmy John's, the sandwich franchise, throws in an extra $1,000 for anyone who moves within delivery range of one of its shops.

A local economic-development organization launched Remote Tucson during the COVID-19 pandemic to lure remote workers to the area.

The program offers relocators $1,500 toward moving costs, one year of free internet, free trials at local coworking spaces, membership to a local cultural institution, networking opportunities, and more.

Eligible applicants must be over 18 years old, have full-time remote employment outside the area, and be able to move to Tucson within six months.

Tulsa Remote, a program that started in 2018, is designed to draw new residents to Oklahoma. Since 2018, the program has helped more than 1,400 people relocate to Tulsa.

The program offers $10,000, which people can put toward purchasing or renting a home in Tulsa. It also offers $500 travel reimbursements and a $150 Airbnb credit for applicants to familiarize themselves with the area.

BI previously interviewed four people who hailed from major cities on both US coasts and made the move to Tulsa — most said it was a fantastic decision.

To qualify for the program, applicants must be over 18 and live outside Oklahoma. They must also prove a consistent stream of income and the ability to work remotely. Applicants must also promise to commit to moving to and living in Tulsa for at least one year.

Sitting just across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee, is West Memphis, Arkansas, which is working to attract more residents.

The city is offering housing incentives for movers. Homebuyers can receive up to $10,000 in cash, while renters may qualify for up to $5,000.

Through MakeMyMove, new residents also receive a two-night stay at West Memphis' Southland Casino Hotel and an opportunity to have dinner with the mayor.

Taylor Borden, Libertina Brandt, and Leanna Garfield contributed to previous versions of this story.

Unlike fast food giants like McDonald's and Burger King, which have embraced modernity in both their branding and menu presentation, Braum's has done the opposite. It has retained its cozy, classic vibe, making it feel both familiar and comforting.

Maybe that's what makes it special.

When I visited the store, I spent a lot of time reminiscing about the times my dad and I shared there. It all felt so nostalgic.

Braum's has dozens of ice cream flavors to choose from. But it is also a grocery store with a small market. Customers can buy everyday items like bananas, tomatoes, onions, and even hamburger buns if they'd rather grill their own at home.

Braum's sells its ice cream in various sizes, but most tubs contain three pints. Each tub is typically priced under $5 — a steal compared to other brands.

A single pint of Blue Bell ice cream is sold for $3.97 (excluding tax) at Walmart, and a single pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream at Target is $4.99, according to both companies' websites.

The company sells traditional flavors like vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, but it also has quirky options like bubble gum and Mother's Circus animal cookies.

I wouldn't recommend the latter — it was too sweet for my taste buds, and didn't have enough animal crackers.

Ice cream is typically made with dairy from cream, whereas frozen yogurt is made from cultured milk. On most days, I'd choose frozen yogurt — which might be a controversial opinion.

While I haven't tried all of Braum's frozen yogurt flavors, their vanilla cone always hits the spot. I doubt I'll ever get around to trying the pineapple upside-down cake flavor, though.

Sugar-free ice cream isn't really my cup of tea, but I understand why some people prefer it or choose it for dietary or medical reasons.

If that's you, then you're in luck — Braum's offers many sugar-free flavors.

I have to admit the vanilla chunk chocolate tub looked pretty tempting.

To get the full Braum's experience beyond ice cream, we ordered about 10 different items from the menu:

• A double quarter pound sweet 'n spicy Gouda burger combo meal with medium fries and a large sweet tea — $8.89
• A cheeseburger combo meal with medium fries and a large strawberry shake — $8.29
• Four-piece chicken strips — $5.19
• A grilled chicken sandwich — $4.79
• Medium chili cheese fries — $4.64

• A medium strawberry malt shake — $1.99

In the chicken strips war, restaurants like Chick-fil-A and Zaxby's usually reign supreme. But I'm throwing Braum's into the fight.

Braum's strips were crispy on the outside, yet still soft inside. I also appreciated that they weren't overly salty — just the right amount. For me, they rivaled Chick-fil-A's.

I was probably most excited to try the chili fries. Crispy potatoes dressed in perfectly melted cheese and sauce— what more could anyone ask for?

Well, in my case, a bit more seasoning. Ultimately, they tasted bland, and it felt more like I was eating canned beans on fries than actual chili.

My husband and I split the double quarter pound sweet 'n spicy Gouda burger and the cheeseburger.

While I thought the Gouda burger was good — and a bit spicy — it didn't quite compare to Braum's traditional cheeseburger.

It wasn't fancy — just meat, buns, lettuce, tomato, and cheese — but it felt classic, exactly what I imagine when I think of a good burger.

The grilled chicken sandwich was all right. It didn't quite compare to a sandwich I'd get at Chick-fil-A, but I had no trouble finishing it. For $4.79, I'd say it's worth the price.

After dinner, my husband and I went back to the counter to order ice cream.

He bought a double scoop sopapilla cheesecake sundae for $3.79, and I got a small chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt cone for $1.45.

His sundae tasted like the real deal. The cinnamon-flavored ice cream sat on top of a spongy cake, draped in golden caramel. I think it's perfect for someone with a sweet tooth.

However, the frozen yogurt cone was right up my alley. It was simple and sweet, and the flavors weren't too overpowering.

I left the restaurant full, but not without taking a to-go bag. The next day, my husband and I devoured our leftovers for lunch.

While the burgers and sandwiches at Braum's were good, the ice cream and frozen yogurt were what made the visit stand out among other chains.

Overall, going back to Braum's was a sweet experience. It was nice to try new-to-me foods, reminisce about my childhood, and create new memories with my husband.

Residents of the 45 states that don't have a Braum's are definitely missing out.