National Homeownership Month

In 2003, President Bush proclaimed June as National Homeownership Month. Verity Credit Union has always been dedicated to helping our members and our community realize the American Dream of Homeownership. We offer Homebuyer Education classes periodically, many Zero Down programs, discounts for First Time Homebuyers and more.

In the past, we have acknowledged National Homeownership Month in the branches by having educational information for members to pick up and browse. This year, I am hoping that we can step up our efforts in reaching our community, educating them, and helping them realize the American Dream. Of course, this is an ongoing process. However, I am in the process of organizing a free seminar series to our community in the month of June.

But, having been in the Mortgage industry for several years now, I'm afraid I might be a little jaded about what First Time Homebuyers truly need or want to know. So, I am reaching out to our members (do you read these blogs?) and ask for your feedback. I have several ideas of classes we can offer;

• Homebuyer Education (we take you step-by-step through the homebuying process and what you can expect)
• Predatory Lending (presentation discussing various deceptive advertising and predatory lending practices that are prevalent in the industry - including real accounts of fraud that we have witnessed)
• Choosing a Real Estate Agent (what to look for when choosing an agent, the importance of having an agent to represent you, etc)
• Credit Reports (understanding your credit report and how to improve it)
• Buying New (with so many new developments going up, this class would give you an idea of what to expect when you decide to buy a new house)
• Rent vs. Buy (pros and cons of buying versus renting, is buying right for you?)
• Home Inspections (what they are and why they are important)

I'd like to hear from our community and members... are any of these useful? Is there something not listed that would be helpful? Any feedback would be appreciated. You can either leave a comment on this blog or send me an email with your opinions. Thank you in advance!