Housing and Housing Counseling Resources

Homeownership

Content related to purchasing, maintaining, and selling a home.

Budgeting for Your First Home

Is it time to start thinking about purchasing your first home? Apartment dwelling is fine and living with the folks is a great way to save money, but for quite a few of us, owning a home is the light at the end of the living situation tunnel.

What Every First Time Homebuyer Should Know

Are you buying a home for the first time? Purchasing a home can be complicated and intimidating, but there are some steps you can follow to help prepare you for homeownership.

Beware the hidden costs of homeownership

Are you planning to buy a new home? If you are making the move from renter to homebuyer, you are likely to find that there are some hidden costs to ownership — costs that you probably never thought about when you were renting. Starting at your closing, additional housing expenses that you hadn’t considered might cost you money you were never expecting to spend.

Before You Refinance Your Home Loan

There are several things to consider before deciding whether refinancing your home loan is right for you.

Hidden costs of selling your home

Are you thinking of selling your home? If you are considering moving, either to a smaller home, a larger home, or to a new location, there will be many costs that you will face when selling your home – some that are obvious, but others that may take you by surprise.

Foreclosure

Content related to foreclosure prevention, intervention, and recovery.

What to expect when you call a foreclosure counselor

Foreclosure counseling is a free service, available to anyone struggling with their mortgage. Here's everything you need to know about this valuable service and what happens when you make the decision to reach out for help.

What does it mean to go into foreclosure?

Facing eviction and losing the time, equity, and love you’ve put into a home can be a sad and scary prospect. But it’s important to remember that even if you’re months behind on your mortgage payments, there may be ways to remedy the foreclosure and keep your home.

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR HOME LENDER

If your mortgage is delinquent, or if you fear it may be in the near future, the most important thing to do is to take action and contact your lender.

HOW TO REQUEST A LENDER HARDSHIP PROGRAM

If you are in debt over your head and are finding yourself unable to even make the minimum payments, you can get help.

ALTERNATIVES TO FORECLOSURE

Important resources to help struggling homeowners prevent foreclosure.

Mortgages and Home Loans

Content related to mortgages and other housing loans.

Glossary of Home Loan Terms

Mortgage terminology can be really confusing. Here are some of the mortgage terms that you are most likely to come across while getting ready to take out what’s likely to be your largest financial liability.

HOW REVERSE MORTGAGE WORKS

A reverse mortgage is a great option for some seniors; however, a reverse mortgage isn’t for everyone. For those considering a reverse mortgage, following is some information that you need to consider.

HOW TO DETERMINE IF A REVERSE MORTGAGE IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Reverse mortgages are wonderful financial tools for certain individuals; however, it is a very important financial decision. If you are considering a reverse mortgage the first step is to talk with a reverse mortgage counselor.

Laws and Avoiding Fraud

Key laws every borrower should know

There are quite a few laws out there designed to protect consumers when they use credit and lending products. Reviewing these laws can help you understand your rights.

Protecting seniors from fraud

Seniors are often the target of scammers. Here are a few crucial steps all seniors should take to protect their money and themselves.

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  • Financial Counseling Association of America Financial Counseling Association of America
    MMI is a proud member of the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA), a national association representing financial counseling companies that provide consumer credit counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling, bankruptcy counseling, debt management, and various financial education services.
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  • Department of Housing and Urban Development - Equal Housing Opportunity Department of Housing and Urban Development
    MMI is certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide consumer housing counseling. The mission of HUD is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD provides support services directly and through approved, local agencies like MMI.
  • Council on Accreditation Council On Accreditation
    MMI is proudly accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA), an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. COA’s thorough, peer-reviewed accreditation process is designed to ensure that organizations like MMI are providing the highest standard of service and support for clients and employees alike.
  • National Foundation for Credit Counseling National Foundation for Credit Counseling
    MMI is a longstanding member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), the nation’s largest nonprofit financial counseling organization. Founded in 1951, the NFCC’s mission is to promote financially responsible behavior and help member organizations like MMI deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.