Sign Up Now for City's 2011 Home Buyers Club in September

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2011

For more information, please contact:
Doris Sims, Assistant Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3401, hand@bloomington.in.gov
Jared Schlemmer, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3406, [mailto:schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov]

Bloomington, IN -- The City of Bloomington's Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) Department is offering its Home Buyers Club of 2011 on Saturdays, Sept. 10 and 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Registration is now open for this Home Buyers Club workshop, which offers participants a chance to learn how to become successful homeowners.

The program helps first-time homebuyers understand and overcome the obstacles involved in realizing the dream of home ownership. Presenters include HAND's HUD-certified housing counselors, local real estate industry professionals and community nonprofit housing providers.

Participants receive a HAND-produced 230+ page book, Buying a Home: A Guide For First Time Home Buyers, and an opportunity to meet with a HAND housing counselor to develop a personalized home-buying action plan. Income-eligible graduates can apply for $5,000 in down-payment and closing-cost assistance from HAND, as well as other assistance programs.

Topics of the two-day workshop include:

• Is home ownership right for you?

• Developing a household budget and savings plan.

• The importance of having and establishing good credit.

• The home buying process from start to finish.

• The importance of home inspections.

• Mortgage application process and down payment assistance programs.

• Home maintenance and protecting your investment.

• Accessing community and neighborhood housing resources.

The Home Buyers Club is offered to anyone in the community at no cost; however, class size is limited and pre-registration is required. For more information call HAND at 349-3401, e-mail [mailto:hand@bloomington.in.gov] or visit [www.bloomington.gov/hand|www.bloomington.gov/hand].

The Home Buyers Club is sponsored in part by the following: Fifth Third Bank, the South Central Indiana Mortgage Bankers Association and Indiana University Credit Union.

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