“Homebuyer Education Classes made this process feel far more exciting than intimidating.”
Four years ago, when Steph first began planning to buy a home, they attended their first Neighbor to Neighbor Homebuyer Education Class. At that time, their income had them considering a small home or condo. Steph explained, “I wanted all the information before I took any real steps. And it was indeed incredibly helpful!”
Each year, Steph returned to N2N’s Homebuyer Education Class, to relearn the information in the context of their current personal and financial position, and to keep their certificate current in case they became ready to purchase. Steph shared that, “Life kept changing, including my housing situation, my financial situation, and my relationships, but I never let go of my dream of owning a home.” This year was their fourth time taking the class, and partner Choe’s first time. “Even though I learned new things each time, I was adamant that this would be the LAST TIME,” Steph said.
Steph and Chloe began working with Jamie Hammond, a local realtor and former N2N coworker. Jamie is also a member of N2N’s Homeownership Advisory Board and educator for N2N’s new Spanish Homebuyer Education Class. Steph explained that they had been pre-approved by their lender, and had already put in one offer with Jamie’s help. Then, about one week after retaking the HBE class, Steph and Chloe found a home they loved. All of the planning and preparations paid off, and they were able to close in less than 30 days.
“All my time working for Neighbor to Neighbor, and all those times I attended the free homebuyer education classes made this process feel far more exciting than intimidating. After closing on their first home, Steph summarized what they felt were the benefits of taking the class. “I felt confident in my understanding of each step of the process, I knew what needed to be done, and I knew I had thought through the pros and cons before buying a house, so I had no fear of buyer’s remorse. I had prepped FOUR YEARS for this moment, and now Chloe and I are finally homeowners!”
