FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Media Contact: Penny Martin
Phone: 614.728.2911
Email: pmartin@ohiohome.org
Lenders and Real Estate Agents Learn OHFA Programs to Turn First-time Homebuyers Into Homeowners
COLUMBUS, OH - In an effort to help Ohioans achieve their dreams of homeownership, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) is training lending, real estate, and counseling partners in each of Ohio's 88 counties on OHFA's down payment assistance, career-related interest rate discounts, and other special loan products. These programs can make buying a first home or condo easier for qualified applicants.
"OHFA's homebuyer programs can give Ohioans a helping hand when purchasing their home, which is why we're working to train as many mortgage lenders and real estate agents on how to use our programs," says OHFA Single Family Relations Program Manager Jon Duy who also instructs the trainings.
Offered virtually and in-person, trainings are free and last from one to three hours. Courses for real estate agents include:
- Fair Housing Foundations (offers 3 hours of civil rights credit) – Taking a historical view of fair housing and civil rights, this course also details current housing, advertising, and lending laws using case studies, housing statistics, and videos.
- OHFA Homebuyer Programs (offers 1 hour of elective credit) – This course reviews the variety of loan options offered by OHFA, including down payment assistance, mortgage tax credits, and interest rate discounts, for homebuyers. Participants learn more about eligibility requirements and product combinations to reduce homebuyers' out-of-pocket expenses.
- Jump-starting Your Real Estate Video Marketing (offers 1 hour of elective credit) – Trainees learn the basics of video marketing, including content ideas, creation, editing, equipment, and scheduling.
Courses for mortgage professionals are:
- Becoming an OHFA Expert – This course reviews all aspects of OHFA programs, loan processing, down payment assistance, and mortgage tax credits. The instructor reviews eligibility criteria and program combinations, so mortgage professionals understand how the programs can help their clients achieve homeownership.
- Mortgage Tax Credit – Providing an in-depth review of OHFA's Mortgage Tax Credit Program, this course contains information that can save homebuyers thousands of dollars over the lives of their mortgages.
- Lender Online, Processing, Closing, and Post-closing – Presented in video format, this course teaches learners how to use the Lender Online Reservation System.
For available trainings, real estate professionals should visit ohiohome.org/RegistrationsExtClasses/HOClassReg1. Interested mortgage professionals should visit ohiohome.org/partners/training. Mortgage and real estate companies can also schedule classes for their employees by contacting Jon Duy.
For more information on OHFA's homeownership programs, visit myohiohome.org.
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is an Equal Opportunity Housing entity. Loans are available on a fair and equal basis regardless of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, military status, disability or ancestry. Please visit www.ohiohome.org for more information.