Columbia, MD (July 18, 2024) – Utilizing a $10,000 grant from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Housing Opportunity Program, the Howard County Association of REALTORS® (HCAR) and MakingChange, Inc are partnering to offer Homebuyer Education workshops, at no cost to participants, to help marginalized, underrepresented communities reach their goals of homeownership.
The organizations will co-host seven free HUD-approved Homebuyer Education workshops to future homebuyers in Howard County. The 8-hour workshop educates and empowers participants about the homebuying process including but not limited to FHA financing, housing selection and mobility, fair housing, budgeting and credit, money management, loan product and feature comparison, selecting a real estate agent and home inspection. It is the goal of both organizations to provide services that will increase homeownership for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and other underserved communities.
"For over 30 years, MakingChange has been committed to educating and counseling the residents of Howard County to take control of their finances and become financially empowered. Homeownership is the greatest opportunity that many Consumers have to build wealth and this initiative will help more clients reach their goal of homeownership,” said Jasmine Brewer, Executive Director of MakingChange, Inc.
“Our partnership with MakingChange allows HCAR to meet several of our community advocacy goals, including promoting and providing financial literacy for all members of the community; working with organizations within Howard County to advocate for equitable homeownership; and promoting affordable homeownership, among others,” said Sarah Rayne, CEO of HCAR.
To sign up for homebuyer education, visit the Community Events page on the www.makingchangecenter.org website or send an email to [email protected].
Nationwide, NAR offers Housing Opportunity Grants to various state and local Realtor® Associations in an effort to support a wide range of housing opportunity initiatives, including housing symposia; home buyer education or housing fairs; counseling and financial literacy efforts; housing needs studies; and Realtor® affordable housing education. For more information about NAR’s Housing Opportunity Program, visit www.realtorparty.realtor/community-outreach/housing-opportunity.
More about Making Change, Inc
MakingChange, Inc is a HUD-approved housing counseling nonprofit organization that provides free and personalized one-on-one and group education and financial and housing counseling to individuals and families. MakingChange’s mission is to provide pathways to enhance lives through financial education and services. For more information about MakingChange, visit www.changecenter.org.
More about the Howard County Association of REALTORS®
The Howard County Association of REALTORS® is fortunate enough to represent over 2,000 real estate professionals in Howard County. HCAR’s mission is to advance Howard County’s real estate industry by shaping public policy on real property issues; and encouraging, promoting, and teaching consistent standards for ethical practice and professionalism for our REALTOR® members.
More about the National Association of REALTORS®
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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