After you've attended one of our You Can be a Homeowner Workshop, be sure to schedule an appointment to meet with our housing advisor. In this confidential, personalized one-on-one session, you will:
Review your credit report and identify any issues to correct before you apply for your mortgage loan
Determine the price range of homes that best fit your budget
Create a household budget that helps you save for your future home and the expenses of homeownership
Learn about the many programs that are available to help you buy your home
Get the most out of your follow-up appointment by bringing as much of the following information as you can:
Photo ID
Tax Returns and W-2's from the last two years
One month paystubs
Bank statement
Credit card statements
Monthly expenses
A recent Credit Report (We can pull one for a fee, or you can get a free credit report by calling 877-322-8228, or go to www.annualcreditreport.com )
Click here for a checklist.
Homebuyer Counseling Certificates Many mortgage and loan programs require proof of completion of homebuyer counseling. Certificates can be issued after you have successfully completed both theYou Can be a Homeowner Workshop and the one-on-one counseling session. The Hagerstown Home Store is a HUD-certified Housing Counseling Agency.
Foreclosure & Post-Purchase Counseling From time to time, as a homeowner, you may run into financial difficulties that cause you to fall behind on your mortgage payments. Our Housing Advisor can help you communicate with your lender, assess the options available to you, and create a plan to get you back on track and avoid foreclosure. Fees Buying a home in Washington County? Our services are free. However, for those who meet one-on-one with our Housing Advisor, there is a one-time credit report fee of $18 per person as of January 5, 2021, subject to change. Buying a home in a county other than Washington? Attend our workshop at no cost, but there is a $50 fee to meet one-on-one with our Housing Advisor, and an additional cost for a credit report ($18 per person as of January 5, 2021, subject to change).
We are a private nonprofit agency dedicated to helping you become a homeowner. We are not affiliated with any for-profit company, so our information is completely objective. We're not trying to sell you anything.
Down Payment Assistance: Community Partner Incentive Program (CPIP) We thank the City of Hagerstown for funding the Home Store's downpayment assistance program.
Buying a home in Hagerstown is easier with help from the Hagerstown Home Store. Our HUD-certified housing counseling agency joined forces with the State of Maryland through a unique Initiative called the "Community Partners Incentive Program." Now, home buyers in the City of Hagerstown can receive up to $6,000 for down-payment and closing cost assistance. That's in addition to the Maryland's below-market mortgage rates, offered through the Maryland Mortgage Program. And our assistance can be combined with additional program. Call the Home Store at 301-797-0900 for more information, because buyers must complete our housing counseling program before placing a contract on a home. Income limits apply.
Register Online Below The first step on your journey toward homeownership should be our free "You Can Be a Homeowner" workshop. Choose a class from the schedule below: Due to current COVID restrictions, the workshops will be a virtual meeting via Zoom. You will be emailed an inivitation to join the workshop.
The 3-hour workshop outlines the steps to take to help you prepare for the homebuying process. Through volunteers from the real estate, lending, home inspection & MD Insurance Adinistration, you will understand:
How to work with a Realtor and a Mortgage Lender
The importance of a home inspection
What type of Home Owner's insurance is right for you
How to protect your investment through proper budgeting and maintenance
Where Workshops are held at our classroom and office at: 21 East Franklin Street, Hagerstown (currently held virtually via Zoom)
There is plenty of parking in the City Municipal lot that can be accessed from East Franklin, East Washington, and South Locust Streets. Building is handicapped accessible. Individuals requiring special accommodations are requested to contact the office 301-797-0900 or for the hearing impaired, contact the Maryland Relay Operator at 1-800-735-2258.
The Next Step After the workshop, be sure to call and schedule a one-one-one session with a Housing Counselor.