Certified Texas Affordable Housing Specialist

Last week I attended the the Texas Affordable Housing Specialist certification program. This is an accreditation from the Texas Association of REALTORS® that trains REALTORS® about the programs and procedures to help first-time home buyers and increase home ownership and retention in Texas. I am now one of a handful of agents with this credential that work in the Denton County area. Which I must admit, for that reason, and that this was a state accreditation was why I decided to spend the 2 days in classes.

The classes were full of current data, and statistics, in fact on more than one occasion the instructors would apologize for the “old charts”, which were only from July or August. I chuckled at that because in so many classes I attend presentation slides have not been updated in a year or more. To be a Texas Affordable Housing Specialist I had to complete 5 classes which are:

1. United Texas: Housing Initiatives that Work – Focuses on the programs and assistance available to first-time home buyers, lower-income buyers, public and civil servants, rural markets, disabled home buyers and Veterans Living in Texas. As well as the responsibilities of a REALTOR® representing these clients.




2. Predatory Lending and Mortgage Fraud – Was full of presentations and discussion of the “definition” of predatory lending, how it was allowed to happen, and how it can be avoided in the future.




3. Marketing to the Affordable Housing Buyer – To me, drilled home the fact that it is a real estate agent who has the designation of REALTOR® to be responsible and willing educate clients that may fall into this area, or simply refer to an agent who is.




4. Mortgage Lending One-on-One – Primarily discussed H.R. 3221: Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The types of lenders, loans, and what makes up, and can improve credit scores.




5. How Green is Affecting Affordability – Elaborated on affordability in comparison to energy conservation. As well as what can be done to retro fit existing homes to be more energy efficient, and the cost vs. savings in “Green Building” and the incentives from financing to utility company, state and federal rebate programs.

So in the coming week it is my intentions to to break down each of these programs in greater detail, and share the information with my visitors. I must say I am proud of this certification, because I have always enjoyed working with first-time home buyers, but now I have more tools than ever. In a future post I will explain why I like first-timers so much. So, if you are a first time home buyer, which by definition is you have not owned a home as a primary residence in the past 3 years.  Are interested in a rural property or land, or a veteran living in Texas for the past 12 months, please don’t hesitate to call me now to learn more. I encourage you SUBSCRIBE to this blog to stay up-to-date. In a future post I will explain

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Related Articles:

1. USDA Rural Development – Texas Guaranteed Housing Loan Program
2. I LOVE me some First Time Home Buyers
3. FHA Housing Limit in Denton and surrounding counties of North Dallas Texas

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