Q: What is the benefit of Home Buyer Education and getting a certificate?
A: Housing Counseling works. Research shows a strong correlation between housing counseling and mortgage performance. Delinquency rates for borrowers who have received counseling are 29% lower for first-time home buyers and 15% lower overall. Consumers who participate in housing counseling get individualized, objective advice on understanding the rights and responsibilities of homeownership, addressing credit and savings barriers, and meeting their overall housing and financial goals.
The majority of Down Payment and Closing Cost assistance programs in Baltimore City and Baltimore County require that households engage in housing counseling prior to getting under contract.
If you come under contract prior to completing Home Buyer Education, you will disqualify yourself for most down payment and settlement programs.
Q: How do I know what down payment and closing cost assistance programs I qualify for before taking the homebuyer education class?
A: You will not know what you qualify until you go through homebuyer education. Your counselor will discuss which programs you qualify for when you have your individual appointment.
Q: How long is a certificate in good standing?
A: One full year from the date on the certificate. If your certificate was issued on 1/10/2014. It expires on 1/10/15. Once your certificate expires, you must start the process again.
Q: What are all the incentives?
A: For more information, please review this page.
Q: Can I put an offer on a house before my workshop and 1:1?
A: No. If you put an offer on a house, prior to completing your 8-hrs homebuyer education, you will forfeit all down payment and closing cost assistance programs.
Q: Can I put a contract on a house before my workshop and 1:1?
A: No. If you put an offer on a house, prior to completing your 8 home buyer education, you will forfeit all down payment and closing cost assistance programs.
Q: What do I do after my 1:1 housing counseling appointment?
A: Once you received your certificate, you are free to put a contract on a home with the assistance of your lender and real estate agent.
Q: How soon do I have to come back to Southeast CDC with my ratified contract and home inspection report to apply for CDBG/SELP?
A: Please schedule an appointment with no less than 14 business days in advance of your settlement/closing date.
Q: How can I register for a workshop?
A: You can visit our website here.
Q: Are the workshops held at your office?
A: Our monthly workshops are held on Zoom. Registration for our classes fills up fast so people must register three to four weeks in advance.
Q: When will I receive notification of the workshop Zoom access?
A: Southeast CDC sends a reminder email a few days prior to the workshop. That message will provide you with the upcoming workshop Zoom link as well as a link to our online intake form. Please make sure to include in your registration an email address that you can check regularly. If you don’t hear from us, it is your responsibility to call and confirm that you are registered.
Q: What documents do I need to bring to the workshop?
A: You need only fill out the online intake form.
Q: Will I receive a certificate at the workshop?
A: No certificates are given out at the workshop. Certificates are issued after you have completed individual counseling.
Q: How long after the workshop do I have before I schedule a 1:1?
A: You must schedule a 1:1 within 1 year of taking your workshop. If you took a workshop on July 9, 2023, you have until July 8, 2024, to schedule a 1:1 appointment.
Q: How much are your classes?
A: Our classes are FREE. Online self-paced classes through cost $100.
Q: When is your next Baltimore City workshop?
A: Please visit our website here.
Q: When is your next Baltimore County workshop?
A: As of October 1, 2016, Southeast CDC is no longer a provider of Baltimore County Housing Counseling for the Settlement Expense Loan Program (SELP). Baltimore County buyers should contact one of the following agencies for assistance.
- Belair Edison Neighborhoods, Inc. | (410) 485-8422
- Ambrose | (410) 366-8550
- Harbel Housing | (410) 444-9152
Q: What are the times for the 1:1 appointment?
A: Our appointment times are Monday, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm. We can occasionally schedule appointments before 9 am or after 5 pm. We do not have weekend appointments.
Q: How do I schedule my 1:1 appointment?
A: To schedule an appointment, please send an email to intake@southeastcdc.org with your daytime phone number and some days and times that are good for you. (E.g. Tuesday and Thursday mornings). You may also call us at 410-342-3234.
Q: What is the wait time for a 1:1 appointment?
A: The wait time for a 1:1 appointment is generally 5-10 business days.
Q: What happen during a 1:1 housing counseling appointment?
A: During this 2-hour appointment you will review your credit report, determine your affordability and find out what down payment and closing cost assistance programs you may qualify for.
Q: What do you need to bring to your 1:1 Appointment?
A: To receive a certificate, you must provide copies of all of the required documentation. Southeast CDC will keep the documents on file – we will not return them to you. We highly encourage you to fax 410-342-1719 or email your documents in advance of your appointment.
- Completed SECDC Homebuyer Intake (Sent via email after scheduling your 1:1 appointment)
- Picture Identification (State Issued)
- 1 month Pay Stubs or Social Security Award information
- 2 months bank statements
- Last 2 years Federal tax returns (1040 form, NO STATE RETURNS)
- W-2s with Returns
- Credit Report (MUST be within last 6 months, with a score; no Credit Karma)
Q: Why do I have to have all these documents when my bank already has pre-approved/approved me for a loan?
A: Southeast CDC must verify income, assets, and employment for the Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance Programs.
Q: What about document safety? I do not want to give my private information to the office. How will Southeast CDC protect my privacy?
A: No staff member of Southeast CDC will disclose any personal information without the proper authorization of the participant. Clients may black out all or part of their private information (including social security numbers, addresses, birth dates, etc.) on all documents once their counselor has completed their counseling.
We restrict access to nonpublic personal information about you to those employees who need to know that the information to provide services to you. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your nonpublic personal information. However, several of our grantors require that we provide some nonpublic information about you in order to provide proof of counseling services provided and outcomes achieved.
Q: What is the latest appointment that you have?
A: Requests for appointments outside of regular business hours may be considered. We do not have weekend appointments. All persons requesting an appointment outside of traditional business hours must complete their Intake Form and submit their documents in advance of their appointment.
Q: Does my spouse/partner/significant other also have to come to the one-on-one appointment?
A: We strongly recommend that your spouse/partner/significant other also come to the 1:1 housing counseling session. If their name is going to be on the mortgage or the deed, they must attend homebuyer education.
Q: How much are your one-on-one appointments?
A: One-on-one appointments are free.
Q: What is your address?
A: Our office is located at 3323 Eastern Avenue, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21224. The entrance is on the side of the building on Highland Avenue across from M&T Bank.
Q: Where can I park?
A: Free parking is available on our building side of S. Highland Avenue and on Fleet Street. Metered parking is available across from the office on Highland Ave. and Eastern Ave.
Q: What if I have to cancel my appointment?
A: Please call or send an email to our office as soon as possible if you need to cancel for any reason. Please expect to wait 5-10 business days for a new appointment.
For more information, check out the following websites
http://www.southeastcdc.org/buy-a-home/home-buying-counseling-in-baltimore-city