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2016 Homeownership Academy Class Dates
Announcing
The BINGHAMTON HOMEOWNERSHIP ACADEMY
2016 FIRST TIME HOME BUYER CLASS SCHEDULE !
FIRST SESSION: TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
- March 1, 8, 15, 29 & April 5th
@ Metro Interfaith, 21 New St., Binghamton
SECOND SESSION: SATURDAYS, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
- April 23, 30 & May 14, 21
@ First Niagara Homeownership Center, 112-122 State St., Binghamton
THIRD SESSION: TUESDAYS, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
- September 13, 20, 27 & Oct. 4, 11
@ Metro Interfaith, 21 New St., Binghamton
Light Supper Provided Each Night Class & Light Breakfast Provided Each Saturday Class
Contact the Homeownership Academy Coordinator for more info & to sign up:
(607) 723-0723
Email: [email protected]
Enhanced Homebuyer Program
The City of Binghamton
& Binghamton Homeowner Institute
Proudly Announces the availability of the
Enhanced First Time Homebuyer Program
Buy your first home now!
Limited Availability! First Come, First Serve!
$5,000 Closing Cost Assistance
5 Year Forgiven Loan
Repair funds after closing
$20,000 for single family
$40,000 for two family
(Partially forgiven loan)
Call for eligibility requirements today! 607.723.0582
| Income Limits ($) | 1 Person in family 36,600 | 2 Person in family 41,800 | 3 Person in family 47,050 | 4 Person in family 52,250 | 5 Person in family 56,450 | 6 Person in family 60,650 | 7 Person in family 64,800 | 8 Person in family 69,000 |
First Time Homebuyer Class
Tuesday Night, Obtaining a Mortgage Night!!
March Saturday Classes
The March Classes are filling up fast! To register call 607-723-0723 or email [email protected]
Classes will be held 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29 from 9:00am-1:00pm at:
First Niagara Homeownership Center,
112-122 State Street, Binghamton
Seven Secrets for First-Time Homebuyers
Seven Secrets for First-Time Homebuyers
1. Visit a certified housing counselor at a nonprofit organization.
Housing counselors credentialed through a nonprofit agency provide objective advice and unbiased recommendations.
2. Get your finances in order.
Find out what your credit report and credit score are and correct any inaccuracies. Lenders look at factors called the four Cs of credit: credit history (timely bill paying), capital (money available for a down payment), capacity (income versus debt), and collateral (the value and condition of the house).
3. Look for down-payment and closing-cost assistance programs. Some nonprofit organizations and state or local government agencies can help you with down payment and closing costs through grant money or low-interest loans.
4. Make sure homeownership fits with your lifestyle.
If you will be in a particular community for less than three years, if the local economy is not doing well, if unemployment is rising, or if your future income will not provide you with enough for mortgage payments and other financial responsibilities in owning a home, then renting may provide the better option.
5. Shop around for everything related to your home purchase.
Follow the “rule of threes” by comparing at least three products, professionals or services before making your final selections.
6. Get pre-approved for financing before shopping for a home.
Pre-approval is different from pre-qualification, which refers to when a lender calculates how much mortgage you likely can afford based on unverified information. A preapproval is a guarantee that the lender will loan you a fixed amount of money, as long as the property appraises over the amount for which you are qualified and you buy within a certain time period.
7. Carefully select a location.
Research area schools, property tax rates, insurance rates, and crime statistics. Spend time thinking about things that may be important.
*You can order your credit report and credit score from each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian; Equifax; and TransUnion. For more information on credit scoring, visit http://www.myfico.com.
Housing and Mortgage Industry News
Per the November/December issue of the “New York State REALTOR” magazine, here is a summary of some top economists outlook for 2014….food for thought!
“What is your outlook on the overall economy going into 2014?”
Chief Economist Lawrence Yun stated, “I expect higher mortgage interest rates…the 30-year fixed rate mortgage…should reach 5% by the middle of the year.” However, that’s still not a bad rate, considering that back in the early 80’s, 30-year fixed rate mortgages topped out between 14%-16%!
Syndicated economics columnist Elliot Eisenberg, a former senior economist for the National Association of Home Builders, commented as follows, “Total housing sales will go up and new home construction activity will be better. It won’t be spectacular, but better than it’s been of late.”
“What are your 2014 housing market forecasts for the nation and New York State, in particular?”
Yun states, “The first-time buyer share (of the market) will likely remain…at 30% of all buyers.”
Eisenberg states, “First-time buyers are to some extent missing in action, and this is a bit of problem…I’m seeing vast increases in sizes of new homes because that market is not being weighed down by first-timers…usually tract homes are built for first-timers. Banks will look at first-timers to gain market share.” Good news for first time homebuyers because 2014 will bring “first time homebuyer friendly” mortgage products to the forefront again. The main challenge for our current “first-timers” is high college debt and low to average credit scores. These challenges will have to be overcome in order for the “first-timer’s” to hit their par market share of 40%.
All the more reason for first time homebuyers to look at the benefits of pre-purchase homeownership education and counseling to prepare them for future homeownership and the opportunity to realize the “American Dream” of owning their own home.
Stay tuned!
Academy announces new classroom location!
The Academy is pleased to announce its new, state-of-the-art classroom location at the First Niagara Homeownership Center, 112-122 State Street in Binghamton for Saturday classes!!
Final fall 2013 class schedule begins Sat., 10/19 from 9am to 1pm. See details on this page for registration information and full class schedule.
Graduates of the 2013 First Time Home Buyer Specialist Course
The Binghamton Homeownership Academy hosted its first “First Time Homebuyer Specialist: Preferred Provider Program,” in June 2013, certifying nearly 20 local Realtors as First Time Homebuyer Specialists.
The “pilot course” was very well received by the class, and garnered statewide attention. With many more Realtors expressing interest, the Academy will be hosting this class again in the Fall.
Participants receive NYSAR continuing education credits and are eligible for application to the Binghamton Homeownership Academy’s “Preferred Provider” list, which is distributed to Academy homebuyer graduates.
This is just another facet of the Academy’s comprehensive approach to promoting successful homeownership in the City of Binghamton and greater Broome County, and we congratulate our first class of “Specialists” and thank them for their commitment to serving first time homebuyers with excellence.
Binghamton Homeownership Academy 