HARBEL Housing Partnership
HARBEL Community Center ---- 5807 Harford Road – Baltimore Maryland 21214
Office Hours: Monday – Friday / 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 410-444-9152 --- Fax: 410-444-9181
Email:
http://www.harbel.org/housingpartnership.html
General Information
HARBEL Housing Partnership serves first-time home buyers purchasing in either Baltimore County or Baltimore City. If you are interested in using ANY assistance programs for a home purchase in Baltimore City or Baltimore County, you must attend workshop(s) and counseling with an agency recognized by the jurisdiction where you plan to purchase.
If you are buying in Baltimore City – you must complete a home buyer workshop and counseling before submitting a contract offer, with an agency recognized by Baltimore City. Some of the City assistance programs also require an additional pre-settlement Workshop. Check the City web page for listing: www.baltimorehousing.org.
If you are buying in Baltimore County – you must complete a home buyer and a pre-settlement workshop (two workshops) and counseling before submitting a contract offer, with an agency recognized by Baltimore County: HARBEL Housing, Diversified Housing at 410-496-1214, NHS of Baltimore at 410-327-1200 or Southeast CDC at 410-342-3234.
Note: HARBEL Housing, Southeast CDC, and NHS are recognized by both Baltimore City and Baltimore County.
For agencies serving other Maryland jurisdictions you may use: www.mmprogram.org or www.hud.gov
Note: With HARBEL Housing, potential home buyers must attend the home buyer workshop first. All workshop reservations must be made in advance by calling HARBEL Housing during business hours only. HARBEL begins taking reservations on the second Wednesday of each month – after 9:30 a.m. – for the next month. Space is limited and our workshops fill up fast.
Step 1 Attend a Home Buyer Workshop
The three-hour home buyer workshops are held at least three times per month at various locations throughout our service area --- both weekday evening and a daytime weekday workshop. No Weekend Workshops.
Topics: credit, asset building, the mortgage process, role of the agent, home inspection, and a review of the various assistance programs, with eligibility requirements. Attendees will receive instructions regarding the scheduling of the Pre-settlement workshop* and you will receive the counseling intake packet and instructions regarding obtaining a counseling appointment.
Step 2 Pre-Settlement Workshop
After you complete the home buyer workshop you may register for the pre-settlement workshop, a requirement for ALL purchases in Baltimore County and some of Baltimore City assistance programs. The three-hour pre-settlement workshops are held several times a month at a variety of locations – both daytime weekday and evening weekdays. No weekend workshops.
Topics: settlement process, property taxes, home maintenance and home improvement, refinancing, and preventing foreclosure.
Step 3 Counseling
Counseling may only be scheduled with our office following the buyer’s attendance at the home buyer workshop, and after a HARBEL counselor has reviewed the buyer’s completed intake packet and photocopies of all required documents. Appointments are scheduled in advance. HARBEL does not accept walk-ins and we do not have evening or weekend appointments. The counseling intake packet and documents must be mailed or delivered in a sealed envelope to our office. No faxes or emails are accepts.
Counseling is a review of the potential home buyer’s readiness to purchase, and includes a review of credit, assets, goals, income, and provides an excellent opportunity for the buyer to ask questions with an experienced homeownership counselor.
7/21/2015