Housing

Housing is rarely affordable for families, especially for low to moderate income families. A major challenge for many potential homeowners is the ability to accumulate enough savings for down payment and closing costs; the ability to save enough funds may seem overwhelming. Most of these families feel that home ownership is an unattainable goal. D&E has designed the following types of housing education, to help transform the mindsets of these individuals and assist them in believing that they can become a part of the “American Dream” of Home ownership!

PRE-PURCHASE EDUCATION
Group Homebuyer Education - Participants attend a one-day 6-8 hour course and learn the following:
a) how to qualify for a mortgage & accumulate funds for down
payment, b) how to resolve credit difficulties
c) how to budget and save for a down payment and unexpected
expenses
d) how to shop for and negotiate a quality affordable home;
e) adequately prepares them for the Closing and
f) how to maintain their home after they move in and tips to avoid
Predatory Lending.

One to One Counseling - One-to-one counseling is face-to-face counseling sessions with the potential borrower(s) and a certified counselor to resolve any credit/and or other issues in order to prepare them for the home purchase.

Homebuyer’s Club - A homebuyer’s club is an education and home ownership counseling program, designed to assist first-time homebuyers with a step-by-step (usually monthly meeting for 6-18 months) process to determine readiness for successful home ownership.

POST PURCHASE EDUCATION
D&E’s post-purchase education programs include a series of formal classes, designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills required to successfully maintain their homes/finances after the purchase. The classes provide general information such as home maintenance & owner responsibilities; budgeting & debt management; maintaining & restoring credit, re-financing & avoiding predatory lending; and foreclosure prevention.

FORECLOSURE PREVENTION
For many families foreclosure is preventable, primarily when partnered with education. D&E’s primary goal is to work with mortgage companies & borrowers to provide comprehensive foreclosure prevention and loss mitigation programs that will reinstate seriously delinquent mortgage loans, hence reducing the number of foreclosures