Are you looking for help in buying a home, renting an apartment, or have questions about mortgages? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has free counseling available. Type in your location to find counseling near you.
Keep reading below to learn more about HUD’s counseling services available to people in all types of situations. These services can be a life-saver so it’s important to know that help is available.
HUD’S Fee Policy
Counseling services for foreclosure prevention and homeless services are free of charge through their Housing Counseling Program. Agencies in this program are not allowed to charge people for these specific services. But there are other services HUD provides that require a fee.
These other forms of housing counseling and education services include reverse mortgages, pre-purchases, rental, and post-purchases. However, some conditions must be met in order for HUD to charge a fee.
Agencies must provide counseling free of charge to people who can prove they are unable to afford the fees. Also, agencies must let the clients know ahead of time the applicable fees before counseling begins. Fees must also be reasonable and customary with the level of services and counseling provided.
Aside from HUD, there are many HUD-approved Intermediaries that provide housing counseling as well. Take a look below to learn more about one of the most popular and trusted agencies.
NID Housing Counseling Agency
For over 30 years, Nid Housing Counseling Agency has been helping home buyers become mortgage-ready. They have several different categories of counseling and education services, so keep reading below to get a breakdown of them.
Online Homebuyer Education Course
This course is designed to prepare first-time homebuyers for the responsibilities involved with owning a home. People that sign up for this course will learn how to determine if homeownership is the right fit for them, how to shop for a home, and how to maintain it. Go here to learn more about the course and get started.
Get Connected To A Counselor
NID housing counselors provide information and guidance for first-time homeownership. This service usually includes how to search for affordable housing, help in selecting a real estate agent, and down payment assistance. Find a free counselor by typing in your information.
Rental Housing And Financial Management Counseling
NID counselors can help you in managing your personal finances to help improve your overall renter profile. First-time homebuyers need to be able to show their history as financially sound. Therefore, this type of counseling will go over common lease provisions that impact your daily life.
In addition, these counseling services will teach you strategies for interacting with creditors and landlords, as well as how to budget and prioritize your debt payoffs. Learn more about the counseling and education services provided by going here.
Getting In The Door
Homeownership is a big step in anyone’s life, and lots of planning and budgeting is involved. The more you know about the details of each step in the process, the better prepared you’ll be. HUD and its partners such as NID specialize in this type of counseling and education, so they’re a vital source of information. Make sure you look into both of these resources while you consider buying a home.
