Homebuyer Education

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.

We are currently offering a virtual class June 14, 2025. Please click below to register and check back for a list of the remaining classes for 2025.