First Time Home Buyers Workshops
Services Received by Participating in the Program
All program participants will receive a free two-hour workshop to help prepare for homeownership. Workshop attendees will receive an Award Certificate that will be helpful in accessing special mortgage products and down payment assistance grants.
Those selected by lottery to receive homebuyer counseling will also receive at least two hours of one-on-one counseling from CCCS staff to help get ready to buy a home.
Any program participant who buys a home is eligible for post-purchase assistance from CCCS.
Free Credit Reports and Credit Scores
Upon completing the initial two-hour Homebuyer Workshop, you will receive a free copy of your credit report and credit score. Your credit score is something that you normally have to pay for, up to $15. Since your credit report and credit score are important factors in your ability to buy a home, the information from them will be incorporated into the evaluation database.
Anyone with whom you plan to buy your home (your “co-purchasers”) will also be asked to make his/her credit information available to the evaluation.
As part of the evaluation, you (and your co-purchasers) will then each receive a free copy of your updated credit report and credit score every year, after completing each of four annual follow-up surveys.
Annual Interviews
Program participants will also be asked to complete four annual telephone interviews to gather information on your current housing and financial situation – including household composition, income, savings, and credit.
If you become a homeowner, the annual telephone interviews will also ask about your experience in buying a home and in being a homeowner.
To compensate you for your time and cooperation, you will be paid for each interview you complete – starting at $25 for the initial Baseline Questionnaire and gradually increasing to $45 for the last phone interview four years from now.
By participating in this program and its evaluation, you will be making an important contribution to understanding how organizations such as CCCS can best help people become successful homeowners.