Homeownership Services
Individuals and families receive the tools needed to gain financial control of their future.
Homeownership workshops cover each step of the home buying process - from budgeting to closing - including searching for a home, sales contracts, loan applications, and basic home maintenance tips. One on one sessions to help home buyers develop an action plan outlining the steps necessary to reach their goal of home ownership. During the process, a credit evaluation is performed and guidance is offered. Once a home is purchased, follow-up counseling is offered to home buyers.
Personal coaching sessions are also available to potential home buyers who currently have a mortgage loan and sales contract. A homebuyer certificate will be made available following completion of personal coaching sessions, which can be required for some down payment assistance programs.
If you are thinking about owning a home in the near future please call us to help you evaluate the following:
- How much house you can afford to buy
- How to tell which mortgage is the right one for you
- How much down payment to save
- How to obtain and review a credit report and credit scores
- The cost of taxes, insurance and maintenance
Why We Do It
An estimated five million homes have been lost to foreclosure since 2006, and another three million homes are estimated to be lost in the next three years. While the reasons can be numerous, a recent study by Neil and Temkin prepared for NeighborWorks America has shown that pre-purchase counseling and education works. The study’s findings show that clients receiving pre-purchase counseling and education from NeighborWorks organizations are one-third less likely to become 90+ days delinquent over the two years after receiving their loan than are borrowers who do not receive pre-purchase counseling from counseling organizations. It applies equally to first-time homebuyers and repeat buyers. Counseling can have at least two types of effects on loan performance. The first is helping homebuyers with overall budgeting, credit card borrowing, and setting aside reserves for emergencies. A second impact is to help home buyers select an affordable and appropriate mortgage product with a desirable interest rate on the loan with manageable debt to income ratios.
Additional Information
- If you are interested in meeting with a financial coach to discuss your homeownership goals you will need to bring in the following: monthly bills, last four pay stubs, and a credit report (if you have one)
- If you need a homebuyer education certification for a grant or loan product, Call us at (859) 491-8303 ext. 2314 for your one-on-one appointment
Choose which one works best for your schedule:
Homeownership Workshop
- Fast-paced, one 6 hour Saturday session
- Sessions led by industry experts
- Interactive group setting
- Certificate of completion (needed for some grants and loans)
- Learn the home buying process from A to Z
- A personal session with a coach is available
- Available for Kentucky and Ohio residents
Online Home Buyer Education: https://app.ehomeamerica.org/brightoncenter
- Certified web-based program for first time home buyers
- Easily accessible on all devices 24/7
- Fun and engaging course
- Work at your own pace
- Personalized sessions with certified homeownership counselor is required once completed. This can be in person or virtual
- Certificate issued upon completion
- One time fee of $99 (subject to change)
Forbes Housing Market Predictions for 2026: When Will Home Prices Drop?
Although prices in many markets remain high, a sudden housing market crash occurring in 2026 appears unlikely. As of February 2026, housing inventory has improved by 7.1% since the same time last year, with an additional boost of new listings in February.
For example, in January 2026, a typical home woul dhave cost $357,445, according to Zillow data. Buyers who put down 20% on a house and financed at a 6.10% mortgage rate - the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate the last week of January - have a monthly principal and interest payment of $1,732.
In contrast, homeowners who bought a home at the same time in 2025, at the typical price of around $356,859 when the mortgage rate was 6.95%, are paying $1,889 a month.
In this scenario, homeowners who bought an average-priced home in January 2026 are paying $157 less each month and saving $56,953 in mortgage interest over the life of the loan compared to buyers who purchased homes in January 2025.
Forbes: Should You Wait To Buy a Home? Experts Weigh In
Buying a house—in any market—is a highly personal decision. The best timing for your purchase will largely depend on your specific situation.
However, if you’re trying to predict whether the housing market and affordability will be better in 2026, experts say this is probably not the best home-buying strategy.
“The housing market—like so many other markets—is almost impossible to time,” says Orphe Divounguy, senior macroeconomist at Zillow Home Loans. “The best time for prospective buyers is when they find a home that they like, that meets their family’s current and foreseeable needs, and that they can afford.”
Keith Gumbinger, vice president at online mortgage company HSH.com, agrees, noting that it’s hard to tell would-be homeowners to wait for better conditions.
“More often, it seems the case that home prices generally keep rising, so the goalposts for amassing a down payment keep moving, and there’s no guarantee that tomorrow’s conditions will be all that much better in the aggregate than today’s,” he says.
Divounguy says “getting on the housing ladder” is worthwhile to begin building equity and net worth.