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H.O.M.E.
Home Ownership
Made Easier |
Program description and objectives
The homebuyer education class explains the home-buying
process to prospective homeowners, especially first time
home-buyers. Topics include: financial preparedness,
renting Vs. owning, how much house you can afford,
working with professionals to find an ideal home, home
maintenance and energy management, buyer assistance
programs, mortgages, closing costs and homeowners
insurance. This program was developed for ITV
presentation with the help of Community Infrastructure
Focus Teams. The overall objective of this program is to
develop the skills necessary for potential homebuyers to
select and finance a home. In addition, by meeting
educational requirements for some grants and loans the
course removes some of the economic barriers to
homeownership for low-to moderate-income participants.
The H.O.M.E. program compliments the Missouri Housing
Partners initiative, which informs consumers about
national and statewide financial incentives for
homeownership. It meets the need for information about
the home buying process for low to moderate-income
families. Further, it expands the financial resources of
these families by assisting them in meeting the
educational requirements of special programs targeted to
remove the economic barriers of homeownership for
first-time buyers. The long-term outcome of this program
is to increase the homeownership rates in Missouri.
In order to enhance the content of the class and to
provide financial assistance to the program
participants, partnerships were formed with the
following agencies to deliver the class: Consumer Credit
Counseling Service-St.Louis; the Missouri Department of
Economic Development; U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development and USDA Rural Development Housing
Service. In addition, the H.O.M.E. class has the support
of the Missouri Rural Opportunities Council.
Target Audience
Referrals from Missouri Housing Partners (MHP), as well
as other potential homebuyers interested in affordable
housing are the target audience for this program.
Outcomes/Anticipated Outcomes
- Potential homebuyers acquire skills to purchase and finance a home.
- Participants meet educational requirements to secure secondary market financing and to receive discounts on mortgage insurance.
- Promotion of interagency cooperation addressing housing
problems.
Contacts
Marsha Alexander,
Housing & Environmental Design Specialist (West
Central Region)
alexanderm@missouri.edu
816-482-5850
Michael Goldschmidt, AIA CSI,
Resident Instruction Assistant Professor & State
Specialist
goldschmidtm@missouri.edu
573-884-0905
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Last update: Thursday, May 29, 2008
