New Class Aimed at Potential Home Buyers

Housing Assistance is offering a new class aimed at renters who are considering whether they are ready to purchase a home. First Steps to Home Ownership is a one-hour, preliminary class that will help attendees understand the early steps they can take to prepare for purchasing a home in the future. The course will serve as a precursor to a multi-session First Time Homebuyers (FTHB) workshop.

“This new educational opportunity is being offered to complement our education course offerings and make the process more accessible to those just getting started,” said Catherine Clark, Housing Assistance’s vice president of community engagement. “Part of our mission is to empower individuals and to provide them with education and support to become homeowners. That’s the American dream.”

The free online class will provide information for a person to self-assess whether they are ready to buy a home before enrolling in a comprehensive eight-hour first-time home buyer workshop. Topics include budgeting and credit, the lending process, loan programs, and affordable homeownership opportunities in the community.

“We saw a need for a pre-FTHB class for those people who are just starting to think about home ownership and don’t know whether they are ready to start their search,” said Shannon Pyne, Housing Assistance’s lead housing counselor and community educator. “Many people don't know what lenders are looking for in order to approve them for a mortgage or even where or how to begin. Hopefully First Steps will provide them with some clarity and direction.”

The First Steps to Home Ownership class will launch on Aug. 26, and also will be offered on Sept. 24, Oct. 21 and Dec. 2. The fall timeframe will align with the beginning of construction of Cornerstone Homes, Housing Assistance’s upcoming homeownership opportunity on Stevens Street in Hyannis. The 50-condomunium project will house more than 100 people.

Class participants in First Steps to Home Ownership will be encouraged to enroll in Housing Assistance’s Money Matters financial literacy class or reach out to meet with one of Housing Assistance’s HUD-certified housing counselors, while others may feel ready to take the first-time home buyer course.

“The goal is for them to eventually be linked with one of our housing counselors,” said Clark. “The course will create an option that may meet the needs of different socioeconomic populations. Those who complete the course may be able to apply for Cornerstone Homes and other housing lotteries that we administer.”
“We’re not only responding to the needs of our community, but we’re being strategic and creative to help set people up for success,” said Clark. “Every housing situation is unique, and we continue to meet people where they are and determine the best way to support them.”

For more information about the First Steps to Home Ownership class, visit bit.ly/first-steps-class.

About Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC)
Housing Assistance has provided a spectrum of services to help our homeless and vulnerable neighbors secure a safe, stable place to call home since 1974. These programs and services include homeless outreach, family shelters, rental vouchers, affordable housing development, energy efficiency programs, and first-time home buyer support. Housing Assistance also works to address the root causes of housing instability – lack of inventory and lack of affordability – that affect almost all income levels in our region. To learn more, visit www.haconcapecod.org.