HUD Approved Monthly Homebuyer Education Workshop

The Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD) has designed an initiative to promote successful homeownership in Howard County, Maryland. Educational workshops and one-on-one counseling will be offered on a monthly basis to households purchasing a home in Howard County, and/or participating in DHCD's homeownership programs, including, but not limited to, the Settlement Downpayment Loan Program (SDLP) and Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) program. The HUD-approved workshop curriculum is derived from guidelines established by the National Industry Standards for Homeownership and Counseling. Individuals and families interested in purchasing a home in Howard County are invited to attend. To meet HUD requirements, the classes will consist of a 6-hour group workshop and 2 hours of one-on-one counseling for a total of 8 hours. The group workshops will be held one Saturday each month. The 2-hour one-on-one counseling sessions will be scheduled with the credit agency after attending one of the Saturday classes. Registration is required to attend a workshop. Each person attending must be registered. This is a monthly 8-hour homebuyer education workshop The workshop’s curriculum focuses on the following five areas: assessing home readiness, budgeting and credit usage, financing a home, selecting a house, and maintaining a home and post-purchase finances.

A HUD-certified Housing Counselor facilitates the workshop, which includes presentations by volunteer instructors from the real estate industry, such as a mortgage lender, a realtor, a home inspector, and a title attorney. The class will cover the following topics:
 
•    Budgeting and Understanding Credit 
•    Financing a Home; Obtaining a Mortgage Loan 
•    Shopping for a Home 
•    Home Inspection Process
•    Homeowners Insurance 
•    The Settlement Process
•    Downpayment and Closing Cost Resources
•    Maintaining a Home – Home Maintenance & Avoiding Foreclosure 


We are now registering for July and August Workshops: 

July will be In Person (9820 Patuxent Woods Drive- Suite 211 Columbia, MD 21046)

Please click below to register and check back for a list of the remaining classes for 2025.

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