Ten Reasons Why Homebuyer Counseling Can Help You
Are you trying to decide if homeownership is right for you? Do you know how much house you can afford? Do you want help getting ready to buy a home?
In today’s complex and ever-changing financial marketplace, it’s important for homebuyers to be financially savvy. Nonprofit housing counselors can provide the tools you need to get ready for homeownership and make informed decisions about purchasing a home.
Housing counselors offer independent, unbiased advice based on your individual circumstances and long-term financial objectives. They can make you more successful homeowners.
Here are the ten top reasons why it makes sense to talk to a housing counselor before buying a home:
- You’ll learn more about the complex process of buying a home, and how to avoid common mistakes that first-time homebuyers often make.
- You’ll learn about special mortgage programs, downpayment assistance programs and grant funding that can save you thousands of dollars.
- You’ll be a more knowledgeable buyer and make better, more informed decisions.
- You’ll learn about the other professionals you’ll need to help you buy a home.
- You’ll have a more realistic idea about the true costs of homeownership.
- You’ll learn about tried and true strategies for saving money for the downpayment, closing costs and future home improvements.
- If you have credit issues, counselors can help you sort those out -- which can strengthen your credit scores, and result in better, lower-cost mortgage options.
- You’ll hear about the personal experiences of other homebuyers.
- You’ll learn about where to turn for the best possible mortgage options if you have problems making your payments in the future.
- You’ll be better prepared to be a successful homeowner – in fact, studies show that pre-purchase counseling and education reduce future delinquency and default rates by 33%.
Locate a nonprofit housing counselor near you.