Homebuyer Education and Counseling

Pennsylvania Interfaith Community Programs, Inc (PICPI) is working in partnership with the Housing Council of York (HCY) to provide Homebuyer Education Classes and Counseling as part of an overall strategy for the Adams County Homeownership Program.  The classes are being held to provide a needed understanding of the home purchasing process for low to moderate-income families and to provide counseling services to those individuals who require additional assistance.

The potential homebuyers who participate will attend four classes, each lasting approximately three hours.  Throughout this process a certified counselor will work with the homebuyers providing counseling and helping in overcoming any obstacles to their purchasing a home.  More intensive counseling will be available in cases where extensive credit problems may have to be dealt with and the family will not be ready to purchase until their financial and credit problems are eliminated.

PICPI and HCY have been providing Homebuyer Education classes since August of 1998 and will continue on a regular basis.  The homebuyer education class provides not only an understanding of the buying process but also prepares the individual to be a successful homeowner. 

The Homebuyer Education and Counseling Program will consist of the following components:

Core Curriculum: The training entails a minimum of 12 hours of group training and individual counseling sessions as needed.

1. Assessing Readiness to buy a home
2. Selecting a home
3. Financing a home
4. Budgeting and Credit
5. Maintaining a home and finances
6. Protecting your investment
7. Home Repair
8. Being a Good Neighbor
9. Community Involvement
10. Developing a “corrective action plan”

Desired results for participants:  Homebuyer education using the above mentioned core curriculum is enabling the participants to:

1. View home ownership as a viable option, at some point in the future
2. Prepare for the loan application and approval process
3. Understand the issues involved in qualifying for a loan
4. Review and repair, if needed, their credit history
5. Identify the important elements of home selection
6. Know the financing and closing process

Reduce delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures

Public impact: The program will have an impact on several groups throughout the community.

1. The program is improving the understanding of the home buying process for low to moderate-income families.
2. The program is building the capacity for non-profit partners and local governments who participate with ACIHC and ACHA to provide quality housing services.
3. The program links housing and supportive services.
4. The program will assist families to become first time home buyers.
5. Participants are being pre-screened and pre-qualified.
6. Those participating are required to attend Pre and Post-settlement classes.  This is to insure success for those participating in the program.

    
Each session is comprised of approximately 15 to 20 families with incomes of 60% to 80% of the median family income in Adams County.  It is not the partnership’s policy to deny this education to families that are not income eligible.  The project goal is to provide the training needed to become an informed successful homeowner.          

Lenders are able to reach a broader base of customers, neighborhoods benefit form the stability that comes with increased levels of homeownership, and communities are improved with homeowners who have more invested in the community than renters.