The Binghamton Homeownership Academy will be hosting a homebuyer workshop beginning Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 5:30 PM. We will conduct this 5 class series through the Zoom platform and ask that interested participants have access to a laptop or desktop computer with a good internet connection. Each class will begin at 5:30 PM and is scheduled to end around 9:00 PM. There is no cost to attend but, there is a fee for the workbook and credit report review. Pre-registration is required and class size is limited. If interested, please contact Metro Interfaith Housing Counseling at 723-0582 to learn more.

The Binghamton Home Ownership Academy has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic for the remainder of 2020. If you are still interested in learning about the home buying process or require a home buyer certificate , we are providing one-on-one phone counseling. Please call our offices, 723-0582 to schedule your sessions.

Metro Interfaith Housing Counseling has announced that the schedule for the Binghamton Homeownership Academy Workshops has been released for 2020. Five Workshops will be offered in 2020 the first starting January 29th the second will be in March, the third will start in May, the fourth session will begin in September and the last for the year will begin in October. Please select the link below for the 2020 Home Buyer Classes to view the full schedule and if you would like to learn more, please contact Metro Interfaith Housing Counseling at 723-0582.

Class Schedule 2020

Fannie Mae: The Questions Homeowners Need Answered

in Daily Dose, Featured, Investment, Market Studies, News 1 day ago 201 Views

Consumers are still unsure of what is required to qualify for a mortgage, according to a recent study from Fannie Mae. “Despite increased exposure to credit scores and online resources, consumer understanding about what it takes to qualify for a mortgage has not improved since our original study in 2015,” Fannie Mae states. This means many potential homeowners may feel discouraged from buying a home.

The report, published by Fannie Mae’s Mark Palim, VP and Deputy Chief Economist and Sarah Shahdad, Market Insights Researcher, notes lenders, servicers, and other mortgage market participants must work toward increasing consumer knowledge. For example, despite the fact that consumers are now more likely than ever to check their credit scores, close to half still cannot recall what it is. Additionally, many overestimate the minimum credit score and down payment necessary to qualify for a mortgage, and remain unfamiliar with low down payment programs.

Palim and Shahdad note that this information indicates that current sources of mortgage education and information are insufficient, stating that “even those actively planning to become homeowners in the next few years (i.e., those who should be exposed to more information) are only slightly more confident or knowledgeable than others.”

Fannie Mae offers several methods for closing the knowledge gap, including improving the quality of mortgage education programs. Palim and Shahdad state that “effective mortgage education should be timely, customized, convenient, and simple.” This information should include multiple channels for consumers, from digital to in-person, as Fannie Mae’s research reveals that people prefer a mix of digital and human contact. According to Fannie Mae, mobile and online resources alone may not be sufficient to guide consumers through the complexities of preparing for and getting the right mortgage.

For the online portion of the mortgage process, mobile devices require optimization, as more and more buyers, especially younger buyers, are used to accessing financial services such as their bank from their phone.

“If potential borrowers have the information to assess and improve their own qualifications to get a mortgage, they may be encouraged not to give up on their homeownership aspirations prematurely,” Palim and Shahdad conclude.

https://dsnews.com/daily-dose/06-05-2019/closing-the-gaps-in-homeowner-knowledge

Metro Interfaith Housing Counseling is announcing that the class schedule for the Binghamton Home Ownership Academy (BHOA) Group Sessions has been finalized!

If you would like to participate in one of the upcoming group sessions please contact the BHOA to be added to the class list. The number is: 723-0582…. Call Today!!

First Time Home Buyer Classes for 2019

• Session One: January 22, 29, & February 5, 12 & 26 (Tuesday Evenings)
• Session Two: March 16, 23, 30, April 6 & 13 (Saturday Days)
• Session Three: April 30, May 7, 14, 21 & 28 (Tuesday Evenings)
• Session Four: September 7, 14, 21, 28 & October 5 (Saturday Days)
• Session Five: October 15, 22, 29, November 5 & 12 (Tuesday Evenings)

All Tuesday evening classes held 5:30 to 9:00 at: Metro Interfaith Offices, 21 New Street, Binghamton, NY 13903

All Saturday classes held 9:30 to 1:00 at the Broome County Public Library, 185 Court Street, Binghamton, NY 13901

NOTE: You must be able to attend all classes in the session you select.

Please note that the first session of the 2018 Binghamton Homeownership Academy classes will be offered on March 17th, 24th, 31st, and April 7th from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, at the Broome County Public Library (not on the dates originally posted).

Contact the Homeownership Academy Coordinator, Conant Smith, for more information or to sign up!

• Phone: (607) 723-0723
• Email: [email protected]

In addition to the 2017 FIRST TIME HOME BUYER CLASS SCHEDULE already announced, classes are now available in Chenango County, as well!

Here is the complete 2017 schedule for classes in Binghamton AND Norwich:

FIRST SESSION: TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

• March 14, 21, 28 & April 4, 11

@ Metro Interfaith, 21 New St., Binghamton

or

TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm:

• March 28, & April 4, 11

@ Quaranta Homeownership Academy, 44 W. Main St., Norwich

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SECOND SESSION: TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm

• May 2, 9, 16, 30 & June 6

@ Metro Interfaith, 21 New St., Binghamton

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THIRD SESSION: SATURDAYS, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm:

• August 5, 12, 19, 26

@ Binghamton location: TBA (To Be Announced)

or

TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm:

• July 11, 18, 25

@ Quaranta Homeownership Academy, 44 W. Main St., Norwich

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FOURTH SESSION: SATURDAYS, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm:

• September 23, 30 & Oct 7, 14

@ Binghamton location: TBA (To Be Announced)

or

TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm:

• October 10, 17, 24

@ Quaranta Homeownership Academy, 44 W. Main St., Norwich

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Light Supper Provided Each Night Class & Light Breakfast Provided Each Saturday Class

Contact the Homeownership Academy Coordinators for more info & to sign up:

Binghamton: Conant Smith 607.723.0723 ext. 311 or metro.csmith@stny.rr.com

Norwich: Cathy Berger 607.334.7114 ext. 4004 or cberger@ofcinc.org