The process of purchasing a home is one of the most important, rewarding, and complicated financial events you’ll probably ever experience. Because buying a home will have such a significant impact on both your finances and your life in general, it’s crucial that you utilize all resources available to you for guidance and education so that you can confidently make the right decisions for you and your family.

Obtaining homeownership education is not required in order to purchase a home or obtain a mortgage; however, if you are utilizing specific state and Federal home buying assistance programs, it can be a stipulation to qualifying for the loan. Fanncredit or financial issues,ie Mae also requires that its first-time home buyers take an complete a homeownership education course.

Taking a homeownership education course can also be beneficial to you if you have had or if you are entirely new to the process of purchasing a home; you may also see the following benefits from completing a course:

• Eligibility for numerous grants to assist in your home purchase
• Qualification for closing cost assistance programs
• A reduction in mortgage rates being offered to you

Homeownership education courses will typically cover the following information:

• Budgeting tools and know-how
• Credit information
• How to properly maintain your home
• Financial preparedness for a home mortgage
• Necessary steps to take when searching and shopping for a home
• Homeownership readiness assessments

The costs of homeownership education classes and certifications can vary but typically range between $25 to $125. There are also free programs available.

Below, we’ll provide information on where to find homeownership education that can be useful in your buying process and in preparedness for all that home mortgages can entail. Remember, that homeownership education is most useful when it is begun and completed before starting the home buying process and securing a mortgage, this was you can be best informed on options and things to consider before making impactful decisions.

The Framework Course - This homeownership education course is recommended by the FDIC and can be taken directly on their website via computer or smartphone. The course is $75 and meets HUD guidelines and the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education. According to the website’s description, the course can be completed within a few hours, and you’ll be given a certificate of completion once you’re done; the certificate can be necessary as some loan programs require homeownership education as a stipulation of the loan.

eHomeAmerica - This is another FDIC recommended site, and it features courses in different things related to finance and home buying. Specifically, it has a homebuyer education course available for first-time home buyers that can help you learn everything you need to know about homeownership. You register and pay for the homeownership education course in relation to the state, county, and educational resource you choose; register for courses online. You will be given a certificate of completion once you have completed this course.

HUD Approved Counseling Agencies - Since using a reputable and certified company for homeownership education courses is important, HUD has a database in which you can search for local counseling agencies on their website. Using this search tool will give you a comprehensive view on what courses are available to you both online and offline, which can be important because some home buyers prefer to take classes in person with an instructor.

CreditSmart - This is a free homeownership education course available to first-time homebuyers and consists of five lessons. Classes are open to take online, and a certificate of completion is given at the end. Freddie Mac suggests this program. You can register online.