Homebuyer Education

Are you considering buying a home?

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not live in Rutland, Addison or Bennington Counties OR if you are not planning to purchase in one of these counties, please contact the appropriate counseling agency:

Champlain Housing Trust – Chittenden, Franklin & Grand Isle CountiesRural Edge – Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties
Downstreet Housing and Community Development- Lamoille, Orange and Washington Counties
Windham and Windsor Housing Trust- Windham and Windsor Counties

Understanding the fundamentals of the home buying process can reduce anxiety and improve your home buying experience. At NeighborWorks of Western Vermont, we offer Homebuyer Education classes every month.

Our Homebuyer Education classes are for those living in or planning to purchase in Addison, Bennington, or Rutland Counties.

Along with being more prepared to maneuver through the homebuying process, receiving Homebuyer Education allows you become eligible for numerous financial perks, including:

Down-payment assistance programs
Grants up to $25,000 or more
Closing-cost assistance

View Class Schedule

You can see a schedule of classes on our NeighborWorks Compass website. If you see a course that you’d like to sign up for, simply click “Create an account” and follow the prompts.

View Our Class Schedule

Sign Up For In-Person Classes

If you are interested in signing up for a Homebuyer Education class, please follow the directions to create an account in NeighborWorks Compass or call (802) 438-2303 to enroll today!

Sign Up for Online Class

Create an account on the NeighborWorks Compass website and sign up for your online class. For online participants there is a required one-hour meeting with the homeownership counselor.

Click here for a step-by-step guide to sign up for our classes!

Class Fees

The class fee is $99.00 per household for BOTH in-person and online classes.Fee includes: workbook, informational materials and your personal credit report (received at later appointment). We are unable to waive the workshop fee.

Convenient Class Locations

Classes are held throughout Addison, Bennington, and Rutland counties. You can see a schedule of classes and locations on our NeighborWorks Compass website

Our Rutland Homebuyer Education classes are generously sponsored by NBT Bank and Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.

Our Bennington Homebuyer Education classes are generously sponsored by The Bank of Bennington.

Homebuyer Education Topics

Your readiness to buy
Budgeting and Credit
Shopping for a home
Getting a mortgage
Home inspections and insurance
Life after closing
Information about grants, subsidies, and special loan products

Lenders that offer discounts for Homebuyer Education graduates

VSECU: waives their $375 underwriting fee on mortgage loans made to Homebuyer Education Graduates who present their certificates in 2019
NBT Bank: offers $250 to Homebuyer Education graduates towards closing costs
PrimeLending: offers $250 of the closing costs to borrowers who present an official NeighborWorks of Western Vermont Homebuyer Education Certificate on standard USDA loans (but not if the borrower is using the VHFA with USDA).
Northeast Home Loan: offers a $250 credit to first-time homebuyers that complete Homebuyer Education for Home Possible Loans
Bank of Bennington: offers a $250 discount off from the appraisal for 2019 graduates of Homebuyer Education (contingent upon home purchase in 2019).
People’s United Bank: offers a $500 discount off closing costs for Homebuyer Education graduates

Contact Us!

Are you interested in talking with a NeighborWorks of Western Vermont representative about our classes? Contact us to find out which class is appropriate for you.