For many people, owning a home is the ultimate American dream. Working toward that dream requires a complete understanding of the responsibilities of homeownership and learning how to overcome the financial challenges of owning a home. Whether you’re looking to buy, trying to avoid foreclosure, or interested in refinancing to a reverse mortgage, we are on your side and our housing counseling services are always here for you.
As a Certified HUD Counseling agency, we offer counseling for homeowners and potential homeowners through our Pre-Purchase Housing Counseling, Foreclosure Prevention Counseling, and Reverse Mortgage Counseling programs.
Below are brief descriptions of each service:
For potential homeowners, individual counseling sessions are offered to prepare you for the milestone of buying your first home. Our counselors will conduct a thorough review of your income, expenses, credit report, and work with you to resolve any barriers to purchasing your first home. We will review the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership; discuss predatory lending, the mortgage process, and review available mortgage products to fit your personal situation. Our certified housing counselors and home buying workshops will help you understand the loan process, your mortgage options, and insurance needs. The goal is to make sure you’re as educated as possible before making one of the biggest investment decisions of your life.
Pre-Purchase Housing Counseling
Foreclosure Prevention counseling is available to assist homeowners with loan modification, forbearance or other repayment options when faced with a delinquent mortgage. Our certified housing counselors work directly with your loan servicers with the end goal of bringing your mortgage to a current standing, and avoiding foreclosure. When foreclosure is inevitable, options can be reviewed such as a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or Short Sale. All housing counseling is confidential and individualized to your unique situation. We’ll help you understand the foreclosure process, speak with your lenders on your behalf, and help you build a personalized budget to get you back on track for a more financially secure future.
Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
For Reverse Mortgage candidates, our Certified HECM Counselors can provide face-to-face housing counseling or telephone counseling nationwide to help educate senior citizens on the advantages and disadvantages of a Reverse Mortgage, prepare estimates on available equity and costs, as well as make referrals to other programs that may benefit them. We make understanding a reverse mortgage as easy and stress-free as possible. If you’re qualified to take advantage of a reverse mortgage, our professional and certified housing counselors are ready to walk you through the entire process. We’ll make sure you understand the rules, benefits and pre-requisites, so you can make the best decision for your future.
In short, a HUD-approved housing counselor is an experienced and highly trained professional who can advise you on preventing home foreclosure, buying a home, protecting your credit, and other housing issues. Our agency has several certified housing counselors standing by and ready to help you today!
NOTICE:
Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Inc. (CCCS of NEPA) has been acquired by Advantage Credit Counseling Service, Inc. (Advantage CCS).
Advantage CCS is Pennsylvania’s largest credit counseling and debt management agency. CCCS of NEPA will continue to be a trusted community partner in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. The joined agencies will both continue to offer credit counseling, debt management, housing counseling, as well as bankruptcy counseling and bankruptcy education services.
Founded in 1968, Advantage CCS is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with multiple office locations across the state. Advantage CCS is a Non-Profit credit counseling agency that is accredited and licensed. We are proud members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).
