Homebuyer/Home Purchase Counseling

Homebuyer/Home Purchase Counseling

Provider: CREDIT.ORG

The agency provides consumer assistance for people who live in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego Counties. Services include bankruptcy assistance, consumer education, credit counseling, credit rating assistance, debt consolidation services, foreclosure assistance, homeowner/home purchase counseling, identity theft education and recovery personal financial management counseling and mortgage delinquency and default counseling. It is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency for people who are having difficulty with or are delinquent in their payments on FHA, VA and conventional loans. There are no geographic restrictions.

Counselors offer personal budget and debt management counseling as well as counseling related to obtaining and repaying FHA-insured mortgages and, in certain cases, may also disburse a client's money to creditors as part of a mutually agreed-upon repayment plan. The budget and debt counseling service is primarily offered for people who need assistance with consumer debt situations rather than corporate or other business debts; however, it is available for anyone on request. The counselor reviews a client's financial records and helps to develop a budget tailored to the client's obligations and income which will assist the client to manage his or her finances independently. In the course of this confidential counseling session, the counselor and client may agree that in addition to the development of a budget, the client may benefit from a debt management plan which requires that the client pay the agency a set amount of money each month which the agency then sends to the client's creditors. The process usually involves agreement by the creditor to accept reduced payments on the account.

As a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, the organization also offers counseling related to federal housing programs. The counselors advise people who are considering application for FHA-insured mortgage loans and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a home as well as the obligations that are involved. Reverse mortgage counseling is also available.

The agency also provides counseling for people who have received FHA-insured loans and are encountering problems meeting mortgage payments. Staff offer both budgeting assistance and formal repayment plans when appropriate. Counselors can also provide basic information about other HUD programs; however, they do not have specific information about HUD-financed housing programs in individual communities and primarily refer people to HUD for information.

The agency provides consumer education, counseling and financial management instruction mandated by the Bankruptcy Reform Law. It also provides identity theft recovery and education.

The agency provides workshops on various personal finance topics such as budgeting, using credit and reducing debt, how to clean up your credit report and understanding credit scores. The "Get Checking" program is for consumers who have been turned down for a bank account. It is a 5 hour course to obtain a checking or savings account at a participating bank or credit union.

Mortgage delinquency and default counseling and personal financial counseling for veterans are targeted towards assisting veterans and their families with keeping their homes. APPLICATION PROCEDURE Call or walk in for service and information or visit the agency's website. FEES/PAYMENT SOURCE There are no fees for credit counseling. There are fixed fees for other services.
Languages
Spanish
Service Condition Fee

Free

Free

Address

1450 Iowa Ave., Ste. 200

Riverside , CA 92507 (Physical)

Get directions

P.O. Box 5438

Riverside , CA 92517 (Mailing)

Website

www.credit.org
Service hours
Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 5:00pm.

TDD

(800) 947-3752

Service/Intake

(951) 414-2454 (Local) (800) 431-8157 (Toll Free)

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