- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

Provides culturally appropriate pathways to homeownership for Somali women and their families, guiding women on how to utilize resources and tools for financial empowerment, and preparing them to make financial investments in a home. Services provided: - Create an action plan and steps to achieve goals - Develop a budget and savings plan - Encouragement and nonjudgmental support to build financial confidence - Homebuyer and financial education workshop - Individualized planning unique to the needs of each woman - One-on-one advice regarding credit reports and addressing credit problems

- Babysitting instruction and CPR classes - Bowling leagues - Computer, cooking, and crocheting classes - Dog obedience classes - Estate planning - First time home buyer education - Information on long term care insurance - Mature, defensive driver training - New driver training

Provides one-on-one assistance to help individuals navigate their finances, improve their financial goals, and navigate the financial systems. Services include: - Create and improve credit - Financial coaching by appointment - Financial management skills - Help navigate financial processes and applications - Home Stretch Homebuyer Workshop: An 8-hour workshop that educates and informs future homeowners to help them understand the homebuying process. The training includes information about the process of buying a home and access to down payment programs. - Gain access to supplemental resources such as the Lending Circles (Tandas) program. The Lending Circles program provides a secured loan, without cost or interest, to establish or build credit and improve the way individuals manage money. - Small business support for entrepreneurs or those interested in becoming business owners. Offers support to business owners by evaluating and organizing their finances. - Tax preparation for people with low or medium income during the tax season

Provides a HUD Certified Homeownership Advisor for free to help households through the home buying journey. Services provided: - An advisor to assess the household's current situation and determine mortgage readiness, review credit report, and answer home buying questions - Helps individuals set goals and action plans - Homebuyer education classes and workshops to understand the home-buying process. Classes are virtual. - Financing options through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Home Loans program. The loan assists households in purchasing safe and sanitary housing in rural areas. There is no down payment required and no monthly mortgage insurance payments. - Find a home to purchase and refer households to real estate agents and other professionals involved in the home purchase. Income qualified households will be determined based on availability of resources for the Partnership Community Land Trust program. - Low or no interest, deferred loans to cover closing costs or down payments on a home - Walk through closing of a home, review real estate documents, and loan disclosure

- Homebuyer Counseling: Helps individuals set themselves up for long-term success for buying a home. Counselors will: assess the financial situation, address barriers such as credit and debt, determine if an client is ready to buy and help calculate what they can afford, share information on current mortgage loan programs, and refer to down payment and closing cost assistance programs. - Foreclosure Prevention: Helps individuals avoid foreclosure when they're struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors: review current finances to give a clear idea of options, works with individuals to submit paperwork to apply for mortgage modification, refers to government programs to help save the home, assists with postponing the sheriff's sale to enable more time to work out a mortgage solution. - Reverse Mortgage Counseling: Advises individuals on reverse mortgages which allows older adults who have equity in their homes to obtain cash from their homes without selling them in order to pay for home health care and other needed services. Reverse mortgage counseling is available by phone throughout Minnesota or in person at the Brainerd, Duluth, Minneapolis, and Willmar locations only.

Homebuyer Counseling: Provides free, HUD Housing Counselors to help clients understand how to be responsible homeowners, determine homebuyer readiness by reviewing finances, checking credit reports, and creating a budget Home Stretch Workshops: Provides certified instructor led workshops that guide potential homebuyers to help determine readiness, make a plan to get there, and prepare for homeownership

Provides training, education, and counseling to first-time homebuyers. Classes are open to first-time homebuyers or current homeowners. Offers a variety of homeownership tools to start the journey of owning a home, such as: - Framework: Offers access to an online learning option. An alternative course designed to help homebuyers navigate the home-buying process, which can be completed at their own pace. - Homestretch Workshops: For individuals interested in learning how to buy a home. Local professionals such as real estate agents, lenders, and home inspectors speak about their part in the process. Down payment and closing cost assistance may be available to first-time homebuyers who complete the workshop, as well as meet other eligibility criteria. Virtual workshops are available. - One-On-One Counseling Session: Counseling sessions are free and are focused on affordability, types of mortgages, budgeting, savings, and accomplishing goals

Homestretch Home Buyer Education Program: A homebuyer education program that provides information on home purchasing loan options, purchase agreements, loan closings, budgeting, and home maintenance after the purchase. After class completion, a certificate is obtained which may enable the participant to apply for certain loan programs. MHFA Rehabilitation Loan: Income-based deferred loans for improvements for basic, necessary housing repair to owner-occupied properties. There is no interest or monthly payment until the owner sells, transfer or move from the property or until after the 15th year when the deferred loan is due and payable. Loans is also available to mobile/manufactured homes taxed as personal property located in a mobile home park. Small Cities Development Program Rehab Loans: Income-based deferred grants to low to moderate-income households living in substandard housing. The program encourages the improvement of the general appearance and value of the housing stock while making a visible and substantial improvement in the quality of life in the community. Funds are also available to commercial and rental property owners. This program can provide upgrades to properties, helping them meet code requirements and design standards. Small Cities' grants require a match from the owner of the property. Most grants are written as a 70-80% grant funds and a 20-30% owner match for project funding. There is a maximum amount of funds that a project can receive as well. Prairie Five will assist in determining the match and other funding sources or options that may be available to fund the match requirement, if needed.

Homestretch Home Buyer Education Program: A homebuyer education program that provides information on home purchasing loan options, purchase agreements, loan closings, budgeting, and home maintenance after the purchase. After class completion, a certificate is obtained which may enable the participant to apply for certain loan programs. MHFA Rehabilitation Loan: Income-based deferred loans for improvements for basic, necessary housing repair to owner-occupied properties. There is no interest or monthly payment until the owner sells, transfer or move from the property or until after the 15th year when the deferred loan is due and payable. Loans is also available to mobile/manufactured homes taxed as personal property located in a mobile home park. Small Cities Development Program Rehab Loans: Income-based deferred grants to low to moderate-income households living in substandard housing. The program encourages the improvement of the general appearance and value of the housing stock while making a visible and substantial improvement in the quality of life in the community. Funds are also available to commercial and rental property owners. This program can provide upgrades to properties, helping them meet code requirements and design standards. Small Cities' grants require a match from the owner of the property. Most grants are written as a 70-80% grant funds and a 20-30% owner match for project funding. There is a maximum amount of funds that a project can receive as well. Prairie Five will assist in determining the match and other funding sources or options that may be available to fund the match requirement, if needed.

Achieve Homeownership: Identifies and addresses barriers to homeownership faced by culturally diverse households and includes culturally-tailored financial literacy classes, homebuyer education classes, prepurchase financial counseling, and downpayment and closing cost assistance programs Multi-Family Projects: Creates and preserves affordable housing throughout southeast and south central Minnesota (Fox Pointe Townhomes, Spring Creek Townhomes, Prairiewood Townhomes, and Northbridge Apartments).?

Provides the following financial wellness services: - Bankruptcy Counseling and Certification - Debt Counseling and Debt Consolidation - First-Time Homebuyer Housing Counseling - Home Equity Loan Housing Counseling - Mortgage Default and Delinquency Housing Counseling - Reverse Mortgage Housing Counseling - Student Loan Counseling

Potential homebuyers can educate themselves by participating in one of Dakota County Community Development Agency's homeownership courses such as: - Home Stretch Homebuyer Education Program: Teaches homebuyers about the entire home buying process from beginning to end and the responsibilities of owning a home. Courses are offered monthly with a total of 9 hours. - Pre-Purchase Counseling: Free individual advising to households purchasing a home in Dakota County and have completed the Home Stretch course. Counseling assists homebuyers in developing a plan to become successful homeowners, save for a down payment, or repair their credit history. - Refinance Counseling: Provides one-on-one counseling sessions to homeowners with an opportunity to compare their current mortgage against a refinanced mortgage

Provides culturally appropriate pathways to homeownership for Somali women and their families, guiding women on how to utilize resources and tools for financial empowerment, and preparing them to make financial investments in a home. Services provided: - Create an action plan and steps to achieve goals - Develop a budget and savings plan - Encouragement and nonjudgmental support to build financial confidence - Homebuyer and financial education workshop - Individualized planning unique to the needs of each woman - One-on-one advice regarding credit reports and addressing credit problems

Provides one-on-one assistance to help individuals navigate their finances, improve their financial goals, and navigate the financial systems. Services include: - Create and improve credit - Financial coaching by appointment - Financial management skills - Help navigate financial processes and applications - Home Stretch Homebuyer Workshop: An 8-hour workshop that educates and informs future homeowners to help them understand the homebuying process. The training includes information about the process of buying a home and access to down payment programs. - Gain access to supplemental resources such as the Lending Circles (Tandas) program. The Lending Circles program provides a secured loan, without cost or interest, to establish or build credit and improve the way individuals manage money. - Small business support for entrepreneurs or those interested in becoming business owners. Offers support to business owners by evaluating and organizing their finances. - Tax preparation for people with low or medium income during the tax season

- Financial Counseling for residents of the seven county metro area, primarily Spanish speaking families - Financial literacy workshops for residents of the seven county metro area available in Spanish and English - Housing development for St. Paul's west side - MHFA home improvement loans to residents of seven county metro area - Homebuyer education workshops (HomeStretch) are offered in Spanish and English. This nine hour workshops walks you through the homeownership process. Topics include, savings, credit, affordability

Homestretch Home Buyer Education Program: A homebuyer education program that provides information on home purchasing loan options, purchase agreements, loan closings, budgeting, and home maintenance after the purchase. After class completion, a certificate is obtained which may enable the participant to apply for certain loan programs. MHFA Rehabilitation Loan: Income-based deferred loans for improvements for basic, necessary housing repair to owner-occupied properties. There is no interest or monthly payment until the owner sells, transfer or move from the property or until after the 15th year when the deferred loan is due and payable. Loans is also available to mobile/manufactured homes taxed as personal property located in a mobile home park. Small Cities Development Program Rehab Loans: Income-based deferred grants to low to moderate-income households living in substandard housing. The program encourages the improvement of the general appearance and value of the housing stock while making a visible and substantial improvement in the quality of life in the community. Funds are also available to commercial and rental property owners. This program can provide upgrades to properties, helping them meet code requirements and design standards. Small Cities' grants require a match from the owner of the property. Most grants are written as a 70-80% grant funds and a 20-30% owner match for project funding. There is a maximum amount of funds that a project can receive as well. Prairie Five will assist in determining the match and other funding sources or options that may be available to fund the match requirement, if needed.

Classes designed to help clients get out of debt, improve their credit, save money for the future, get ready for home ownership, learn the basics of investing, avoid predatory lending, and become financially independent. Strategies include: - Budgeting to create savings - Reducing debt - Fixing credit report errors - Paying off collections - Building good credit - Helping to maintain solid income and employment and saving for down payment? - Certified Homebuyer Education course that is often required by lenders Housing Counselors help clients get mortgage-ready and once ready, figure out how to: - Shop for a lender - Pick a loan - Decide on a real estate agent - Find a home - Figure out home inspection, home insurance and closing processes - Housing Counselors assist throughout the entire home-buying process FAIM Matched savings program for down payment and closing costs, often used to help save for first-time homeownership

Private nonprofit company revitalizing neighborhoods by creating and supporting successful home ownership through a one-stop shop: - Counseling on home purchase - Financial literacy programs - credit, budgeting, financial planning - Foreclosure prevention, anti-predatory lending support and programs - Home Stretch home buyer workshops - Low interest and deferred loans for home improvement and down payment assistance; grants may be available - Programming in Hmong including Home Stretch Workshops, home buyer, financial literacy, foreclosure prevention programs - Renovated or new homes for sale NOTE: Does not provide rental assistance, rental units, or assist with other rental issues

Achieve Homeownership: Identifies and addresses barriers to homeownership faced by culturally diverse households and includes culturally-tailored financial literacy classes, homebuyer education classes, prepurchase financial counseling, and downpayment and closing cost assistance programs Multi-Family Projects: Creates and preserves affordable housing throughout southeast and south central Minnesota (Fox Pointe Townhomes, Spring Creek Townhomes, Prairiewood Townhomes, and Northbridge Apartments).?

Homebuyer education through the White Earth Investment Initiative through classroom and online education, and individual housing advising

Assists individuals and families to sort through credit and debt problems to find workable solutions, includes: - Budget counseling - Community education programs - Debt management program - Housing counseling - Foreclosure prevention - Homebuyer counseling - Pre-filing bankruptcy counseling - Reverse mortgage counseling

- Head Start - Early Headstart - Invest Early - Head Start children 0 - pre-school age children - Information and referral - KOOTASCA Transitional - Homebuyer Program/Home Stretch - Fairview Horizon Apartments - Family Homeless Prevention Program - Energy Assistance - Information & Referral - Transitional Housing - Weatherization - Home Rehabilitation Grants/Loans - Crisis/Outreach - PC's for People

Provides one-on-one assistance to help individuals navigate their finances, improve their financial goals, and navigate the financial systems. Services include: - Create and improve credit - Financial coaching by appointment - Financial management skills - Help navigate financial processes and applications - Home Stretch Homebuyer Workshop: An 8-hour workshop that educates and informs future homeowners to help them understand the homebuying process. The training includes information about the process of buying a home and access to down payment programs. - Gain access to supplemental resources such as the Lending Circles (Tandas) program. The Lending Circles program provides a secured loan, without cost or interest, to establish or build credit and improve the way individuals manage money. - Small business support for entrepreneurs or those interested in becoming business owners. Offers support to business owners by evaluating and organizing their finances. - Tax preparation for people with low or medium income during the tax season