When Ms. D first reached out to NHSNYC, homeownership felt more like a distant dream than a realistic goal. As a first-time homebuyer, she was overwhelmed and feared making a costly mistake. She had worked hard to save what she could, but it never seemed like enough.

Ms. D enrolled in NHSNYC’s homebuyer counseling and education program. Through one-on-one counseling sessions, she reviewed her credit, studied mortgage products, and prepared a realistic household budget.

She also completed NHSNYC’s homebuyer education classes, which provided a clear understanding of the homebuying process—from pre-approval to closing.

With guidance from her NHSNYC counselor, Ms. D became mortgage-ready and was able to qualify for the HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program, which provided critical funds toward her down payment and closing costs.

As she approached the closing stage, she faced an unexpected setback. Due to delays outside of her control, her mortgage interest rate lock expired right before closing.

Extending the rate would cost $4,000—an amount she simply did not have. Without the extension, Ms. D risked losing her loan terms and potentially the home she had worked so hard to secure.

NHSNYC stepped in once again. Through its grant assistance, NHSNYC provided $4,000 to cover the cost of extending her interest rate, allowing her to maintain her loan terms, proceed to closing, and avoid starting the process all over again.

Thanks to the comprehensive counseling, education, down payment assistance through HomeFirst, and targeted financial support from NHSNYC, Ms. D successfully closed on her first home. Today, she is a proud homeowner living the American dream.

To learn more about our Homeownership Education, the $100,000 HomeFirst Grant, and how to start your home-buyer journey, see the Upcoming Events in this newsletter for the next Orientation or go here.