Buying a house can be stressful, especially understanding the complexities of down payments, credit checks, insurance, etc. But with HOME, Inc.’s Homebuyer Education courses taught by our very own Diana Rezac, it has certainly made this process much more manageable.
Since HOME, Inc. is HUD-certified and happens to be the only certified agency in Central Iowa, many banks and organizations look to us to provide the counseling and education to their clients.
Curious why HUD Homeownership Certification is worth the investment? The bottom line is that homeowners counseled by HUD-certified agencies are successful. Pre- and post-purchase housing counseling performed by HUD-certified professionals leads to better-performing loans made to better-qualified borrowers in practically every economic class, and stronger communities with healthier economies and far fewer foreclosures.
HOME, Inc.’s eight-hour course, eHome, allows potential homeowners to register, pay, and take the course as their time permits, in their place, and at their pace. Participants may log in and out as many times as necessary. Topics covered include:
- Are You Ready To Buy A Home
- Managing Your Money
- Understanding Credit
- Getting A Mortgage Loan
- Shopping For A Home
- Keeping Your Home and Managing Your Finances
Our staff will then monitor these courses and be available for questions. At the end of the course our counseling staff schedule a one-on-one counseling session with participants. Prior to receiving a certificate of completion, participants speak with a counselor to answer any questions or concerns about homeownership.
Why is this certification important? Lenders will often require homeowners below a certain income level to attend a homeownership course as a requirement to qualify for a mortgage. The e-Home course makes it easy for an individual to meet this requirement.
In 2018-2019 through the collaboration with Wells Fargo and Polk County, HOME, Inc. managed to help close to 600 families. There was 7.6 million dollars dispersed in down payment assistance resulting in 85.1 million dollars invested into homes throughout the year.
Let that sink in. HOME, Inc. contributed to an $85.1 million investment in our community!
So please, take advantage of our education and/or counseling services and spread the word. The more educated the client, the more successful they will be.