Buy your dream home.
Buying a home may seem daunting if you haven’t had a chance yet to learn about the rules and regulations of home ownership. We offer First Time Homebuyer Classes that will broaden your knowledge and make home hunting easy and quick.
How often have you dreamed of buying a beautiful home for you and your family? Buying your dream home begins with three key factors:
What kind of home you want to live in
Where you want to live
What you can afford
Begin researching homes to see if these factors line up. You may be surprised how many great homes there are out there for you. Our HUD Certified Housing Counselors can help you begin your search.
Upcoming Classes for Future Homeowners
For years now, the real estate economy has been a constant roller coaster ride for homebuyers and sellers. Buying, selling, and keeping homes has been difficult for those without experience. With the economy improving slowly but surely, many families can turn what once was a dream of owning their own home into reality. Now that there is a positive turn in the real estate market, we recommend those who have never bought a home before to take one of our First Time Homebuyer Classes to enhance their knowledge about real estate, safety tips, and ways to prevent losing their home in case the economy takes a turn for the worse in future years.
CHC First Time Homebuyer Grants
THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE!
The Community Housing Council is excited to announce our Homebuyer Grant Program is available once again! This program offers up to $2000 to homebuyers that find themselves a little short on having enough funds to complete the purchase process. This program is for first time homebuyers buying in Fresno and Madera Counties only. Please download the application listed below.
Once it is complete, please email it along with all of the requested documents to info@chcfresno.org. Only applications submitted to this email address will be considered. No applications will be accepted when we are out of funding for this program.
To find out more information about this program give us a call or download our application here:
You can turn your dream into reality—our Housing Counselors will partner with you on your journey to buy and own your dream home. Connect with a Counselor today!
Mortgage Calculator
Resources to help you determine what your future house payment and closing costs might.
Homebuyer Education
CHC offers HUD-approved Homebuyer Education classes in-person and online
Prices for Homebuyer Education Courses
Individual Attending In-Person Class — $ 75
Couple Buying Together In-Person Class — $125
Individual or Couple Online — $99
Pre or Post-Course Counseling Appointment — $24
Special Disclosure About Online Courses
FOR AN ONLINE HOMEBUYERS CLASS TO BE APPROVED BY HUD, IT MUST BE FOLLOWED WITH A ONE-HOUR COUNSELING SESSION WITH A HUD COUNSELOR. THE ONE-HOUR SESSION CAN BE DONE OVER THE PHONE OR IN PERSON.
If you register anywhere else for Frameworks online, we cannot provide you with the HUD certificate. The online class can be taken at your leisure but it does require you to take the online course and receive a passing grade. The cost for that portion of the course is $75 and is paid directly to Frameworks when you register through this website.
Please note that once you pass the online course you must call our office (833-658-1904) and let us know that you are a Frameworks student.
In order for us to issue you a HUD certificate, you will then need to schedule a one-on-one counseling session (approximately one hour) with one of our counselors. There is an additional cost of $24 for this session and can be paid when you call to schedule your session. This session can be done either in person or over the phone. Upon completion of the counseling session, you will be issued a certificate indicating that you have taken a HUD approved course. It may take you several days to be scheduled for the counseling session, so please consider the time it may take you when registering for the online course. The length of time needed to take the online portion of the course will depend on you! It can be done in a day for some but might take others longer. Remember there is a test that you will need to pass before you can schedule your counseling session!
If you are unsure of which method to use or would just like some additional information, please contact us.
Financial Management Counseling
Often times the only obstacle between you and homeownership is to have a little help with your financial management skills. CHC understands this and has several solutions for you. Contact our office and see if we can't help you as well. We offer a free financial consultation to determine a program customized for you. Homeownership might be closer than you think. Contact us for more information.
Smart Homeownership Starts Here
Buying a home is a big deal, whether you're doing it for the first time or getting back into the ever-changing market. When you educate yourself for smart homeownership with Framework, you'll navigate every step of the process with confidence. The Framework course is affordable too: just $75.
Information for Renters
CHC is happy to announce that we are now offering a workshop just for renters! This class will help you understand what your responsibilities are as a tennant. You will also have your questions answered as to what your landlords' rights are. All attendees will receive a certification from CHC that might just give you the advantage in renting your next apartment or house! Check our calendar for our next class.
For additional information give us a call at
(833) 658-1904
Home Loan Toolkit
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requires all home lenders to give a copy of the Home Loan Toolkit at the time of loan application. This booklet is also known as "Know Before You Owe". CHC believes that all homebuyers should have a copy of this important guide to mortgage financing even before they choose a lender or Realtor. Below are links for you to download a copy of this booklet now!
Why Rent to Own can be Risky Business
You dream about buying a house, but you can’t — at least not yet. Maybe you don’t have the money for a down payment, or you’ve had problems with your credit. But what if someone offered you a chance to eventually own the house you’re renting?
You might be told it’s a chance to “stop throwing money away on rent.” But we’ve heard that many people who thought these deals were a path to owning a home watched their dreams disappear instead.
In a rent-to-own deal, the person or company that owns a home agrees to sell it to you in the future for a specific price. Rent you pay now is counted toward your future down payment on the house. But these deals can be risky — and even flat-out scams. Sometimes people find out:
The “seller” doesn’t really own the property
The owner hasn’t paid property taxes
The house is in terrible shape, or has issues like lead or asbestos
Promised fixes aren’t made after a contract is signed
The house is getting foreclosed on
Even with legitimate rent-to-own deals, the devil is in the details. You might have to pay upfront fees and higher monthly payments than if you were renting. In some deals, if you miss a payment, the deal is off. If you do make it to the end, you might find you’re locked into paying more than the home is now worth, or that you can’t qualify for a mortgage to finish paying off the house.
Real Estate Fraud
Fresno County and Federal Governmental Agencies have developed a special real estate fraud form to report any type of real estate related fraud. If you or a friend has been the victim of real estate fraud, it should be reported! This ould include fraud by a real estate agent, a mortgage loan originator or an escrow or title employee. Click here to download a form that you can report any activity that you think is fraudulent.