Step By Step
SOMERSET COUNTY COALITION
ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESENTS:
"STEP BY STEP"
"STEP BY STEP” is a long-range budget planning and educational program for families who want to buy their first home. Upon completion of the “STEP BY STEP” program you will be given a course completion certificate.
Our next session will be held on:
August 19, 2008
THE FREE August 2008 SESSION WILL BE HELD:
| Date: | August 19, 2008 |
| Time: | 5:30 TO 9:30 P.M. (A light dinner is provided.) |
| Place: | Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing (SCCOAH) 600 First Ave. Raritan, NJ 08869 (Be advised that there are approximately 15 stairs to get into the conference room.) |
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At the August 19th session Sharon Clark , SCCOAH Executive Director will discuss credit, debt, credit reports and budgeting. |
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Eric Sandrow, from Met Life Bank, will discuss “How to Get a Mortgage” and “Closing Fees.” |
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A realtor will provide information on “What A Realtor Can Do For You" and the “Contract of Sale." |
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Cyndi Polanco, from Allstate NJ, will speak about “Insurance for Homeowners." |
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Laura Wetzel, Program Manager, from the Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing (SCCOAH) will give you information on “Affordable Housing Options in Somerset County” under the State of New Jersey Fair Share Housing Program (Mt. Laurel). Laura will also review and summarize all the key components of becoming a homeowner and special grant programs. |
To register, please email us at sccoah@bellatlantic.net or call (908) 704-9649, if you reach voice mail, PRESS 3. Please spell your name, address and the name(s) of other people who will be attending with you. Don’t forget to leave a daytime phone number, as we will be calling you for additional information prior to the seminar. We do not recommend bringing children to the seminar due to limited space availability and the 4-hour length of this certificate course.
If you register and then do not cancel 48 hours prior to class you will not be admitted to another course without paying a $15 per-person fee in cash.
A confirmation card will be sent about a week prior to the program to remind you about the seminar and to confirm your attendance. You must attend the entire four-hour seminar in order to obtain a certificate for homebuyer education!
This Program is being Sponsored by
Met Life Bank
"Spanish Step by Step" - "Paso a Paso en Español"
In order to provide Spanish-speaking individuals and families with home buying information without a language barrier, SCCOAH offers "Step by Step" in Spanish once a year with the cooperation of other organizations.
THE 2008 SPANISH STEP BY STEP SEMINAR WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 12, 2008, AT THE BOUND BROOK METHODIST CHURCH (ASBURY HALL) FROM 3:00 PM TO 7:00 PM. INFORMATION WILL POSTED ONCE AVAILABLE.
The four-hour "Spanish Step by Step" course covers all the same topics as a regular "Step by Step." Translated materials and Spanish-speaking only experts will be provided at the 2008 course.
“STEP BY STEP” is a long-range budget planning and educational program for families who want to buy their first home. Upon completion of the “STEP BY STEP” program you will be given a course completion certificate.
Registration will not begin until June, 2008.
To register, please email us at sccoah@bellatlantic.net or call (908) 704-9649, if you reach voice mail, PRESS 2. Please spell your name, address and the name(s) of other people who will be attending with you. Don’t forget to leave a daytime phone number, as we will be calling you for additional information prior to the seminar. We do not recommend bringing children to the seminar due to limited space availability and the 4-hour length of this certificate course.
First Time Homebuyer Seminar and Expo
THE 2008 FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS SEMINAR AND EXPO WILL BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2008. This is the only certificate course that SCCOAH offers on a Saturday. The first portion of the day is a four-hour certificate course that covers the many topics of the home buying process. A panel of experts covers the course material. After the educational portion, participants can meet with more than 35 vendors. Vendors include Mortgage Representatives, Realtors, Home Inspectors, Real Estate Attorneys, Credit Counselors, Homeowners Insurance Representatives and more. This all day course includes a free continental breakfast and a light lunch for those who pre-register and attend.
For additional info on the 2008 First Time Home Buyer Seminar & Expo, click on the following link:
2008 First Time Home Buyer Seminar & Expo
The First Home Club
Do You Have A Great (650 or higher) Credit Score?
Do You Want to Buy a House In The Next 24 months?
Can You Afford to Put the Same Amount Money Every Month into a Systematic Savings Account for 10-24 Months?
Do You Want to Buy a Condo, Townhouse or Single Family Home in NJ?
Are You A First Time Homebuyer?
If you answered, “Yes” to the above--- Read on!
One major hurdle that first time homebuyers face is the difficulty in trying to save for a considerable amount of money for the purpose of down payment and closing costs when they are already paying high rental rates. The Federal Home Loan Bank of New York’s “First Home Club” program helps make the dream of home ownership a reality for low and moderate-income individuals and families in this type of situation. The Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing (SCCOAH) works collaboratively with Investors Savings Bank, Magyar Bank and Valley National Bank to do the educational portion.
The First Home Club program requires applicants to have a credit score of 650 or higher. Anyone who is not sure of their credit score can call 1-877-322-8228 to request a free copy or they can go to www.annualcreditreport.com and request a copy online.
The First Home Club provides households with incomes below 80% of the area median income with down payment and closing cost assistance. They provide a grant of four dollars in matching funds for each dollar saved by the approved participant. The maximum is $7,500 in matching funds to an eligible first-time homebuyer who purchases a home in New Jersey. The average participant makes systematic deposits (by the 15th of every month) of $187.50 per month for 10 months.
In addition to agreeing to make the monthly deposits, enrolled participants must attend all of the home ownership counseling requirements set by SCCOAH. Acceptance in the 2008 program will require attendance at mandatory group and individual counseling sessions. One of the other very important requirements is that all participants do a monthly budget and fax or email to their counselor each month.
First Home Club participants agree at time of closing to sign a 5-year subordinate mortgage with the member bank for the amount of grant funds. If they live in their home for 5 years then they do not have to pay back the funds and the subordinate mortgage is cancelled.
To find out more information or to arrange an in-person meeting to fill out an application for First Home Club Program, contact SCCOAH at 908-704-9649, mailbox #7.