The Washington County CDA is a HUD-approved housing agency providing homebuyer advising, homebuyer education, and — for those who qualify — downpayment assistance programs and first-generation homebuyer grants. Our homebuyer advising and education programs are for those looking to take the homebuying plunge for the first time or for veteran homeowners looking to brush up on the ins and outs of the homebuying process. The Washington County CDA is located in Minnesota. If you are looking for other Minnesota HUD-certified housing counselors, visit the Minnesota Homeownership Center website.

For agencies in other states, go to HUD’s Housing Counseling Services webpage.

Homebuyer Education: Home Stretch and Framework

Offered both in-person or online, homebuyer education workshops and courses are great follow-ups to individualized appointments. The materials empower participants with the knowledge of how the process works and what to expect when purchasing a home.

Home Stretch workshops are eight hours of homebuyer education provided either as an all-day, eight-hour workshop or two four-hour sessions taught over two day/evening sessions. Workshops are offered either in-person or online and are required by lenders for many first-time homebuyers as a condition of their mortgage and/or downpayment assistance program approval. Participants receive a certificate upon completion of the workshop.

To see a list of upcoming workshops, and/or to sign up for a workshop via Eventbrite, please click here.

Home Stretch helps participants understand the homebuying process and strategies. Topics covered include becoming a homeowner, money management, credit requirements, mortgage lending and loans, realtor expectations, home inspection overview, loan closing, and neighborhood relations. Most sessions have nonbiased professional industry volunteers (who are not allowed to advertise to participants) that help cover these topics and provide information on the local homebuyer market conditions. The cost is $40 (but may be covered by grant funding). Only credit card payments are accepted through the Eventbrite website. To pay with cash or check or request a fee waiver, please contact the homeownership department at the CDA.

Need more flexibility? Framework provides an online home buyer education course that can be completed at home or on the go — on your computer, tablet, or even your phone. Most people finish the coursework in four to six hours. Information provided via Framework is based on national data, so you may want to meet with a homeownership specialist for a free homebuyer advising appointment to find out how the purchase process applies to you. The cost of Framework is $75; click here for more information or to sign up! (The CDA may receive a referral fee of $60 from Framework.)

To set up a free homebuyer advising appointment or request additional information about any of the programs listed above, please use the contact information below.

We are HUD-approved housing counseling agency. All advising and education program services are confidential.

Homebuyer Advising

Lots of people have questions about buying a home: How much can I afford? What credit score do I need? What is ARM, PITI, or PMI? Our homeowner specialists can help you get moving in the right direction in individualized meetings.

During the meeting, our homeowner specialist will pull your credit report for free and review it with you and — if necessary — give you the tools to clean it up and improve your credit scores. The homeowner specialist will review different mortgage programs and any local or state down-payment/closing costs assistance programs that you might qualify for. They will help you figure out what you can afford, how to budget for your new home, and create a post-meeting action plan that details the steps needed to help you meet your financial goals.

Get Started Here

start here buttonTo get the process started, complete the intake form here.

Please answer all the questions and sign the disclosures as provided. Once the intake form is received, someone will contact you to set up an appointment to talk about your situation and advise you of any additional information or documentation needed. If you need help completing the form, call the homeownership team at 651-202-2822 or e-mail [email protected] for assistance.