Homeownership Advisement

As a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency we offer the following Individual Advisement/Counseling:

Pre-Purchase

Steps to Buying a Home

STEP ONE:   Attend a Homebuyer Orientation Seminar.  (Register Here)
This 45 minute to one hour informational Orientation will give you an overview of the pros & cons of homeownership, the costs to expect when purchasing a home, the typical requirements to qualify for a mortgage, and information about available down payment assistance for First-Time Homebuyers.   This is free of charge to any interested homebuyer; there is no household income, nor geographic restrictions.

STEP TWO:   Schedule a personal appointment with one of TRIP’s Homeownership Advisors.  Contact the HomeOwnership Center at (518) 272-8289  to schedule after attending a Homebuyer Orientation and having your credit pulled. *Credit Report Fee is currently $16.12 for one person or $32.24 for two. This is a soft pull tri-merge report with FICO scores.

You and your Homeownership Advisor will create a plan so that you can achieve your goal of homeownership on your terms.  You will leave with an Action Plan, listing your personal steps to homeownership.  .

STEP TWO & 1/2:    If interested and meet the qualifications, apply for First Home Club matched savings program.

 STEP THREE:   Attend TRIP’s 6 Hour Certification Homebuyer Education class. Your Homeownership Advisor will instruct you to register for this class when you are mortgage ready (or close to it!).

In-person is preferred, but not always practical; speak with your counselor about eHome’s online Homebuyer’s Education Course 

 STEP FOUR:  Meet with the lender of your choice & get pre-approved!

 STEP FIVE:  If eligible and you’d like to, apply for Down payment assistance. Check out our programs and others around the Capital Region HERE.

(You CANNOT be under contract prior to applying for our down payment assistant programs)

 STEP SIX: Begin working with your Buyer’s Agent Realtor of your choice & start shopping for a home!

 Program Contact: Caitlin Burns, Assistant Director

Post-Purchase (Homeowners)

There are lots of things that come up as a homeowner that might call for some advice!
Thinking about refinancing, making repairs, or just getting a better handle on your finances?
We offer One-on-One Advisement where we can sit down with you to review:
your goal or obstacle + your current financial situation = an action plan to accomplish your goal.
See our FORMS PAGE for more information and to get started.
Program Contact: Eric Filante, Programs Administrator

Foreclosure Prevention

We have always offered Foreclosure Prevention Counseling as part of our Post-Purchase Counseling, however in 2008 we noticed a sharp increase in homeowners in need of this counseling.  In 2014, we worked with 124 families facing foreclosure.
When we meet with a client, we first review their situation and look at possible solutions to keep the home. Many lenders have created retention options for homeowners in default on their loans.  Retention is not always possible, and when it isn’t, we help the homeowner look at other options to exit gracefully.
As a Counseling Agency, we do not offer legal services, however we do have non-profit legal partners available for referrals.
See our DEFAULT/FORECLOSURE PREVENTION COUNSELING PAGE for more information and to get started.
Program Contact: Krystina Marable, Foreclosure Prevention Specialist