OKMULGEE – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Housing is hosting a First-time Homebuyer Education Class on Sep. 19. The course is part of its Mortgage Down Payment and Closing Cost Program. The class is being offered again due to strong interest from citizens. The class is open to all MCN employees and Mvskoke citizens, and the Mortgage Down Payment and Closing Cost Program is specifically for Mvskoke citizens. While the upcoming class filled quickly, the department is exploring opportunities to offer additional classes.
The topics will cover whether homeownership is right for you, budgeting/taking control of your money, the loan process, environmental issues, from contract to closing, and life as a homeowner.
This also features guest speakers with expertise in buying a home, credit, loans, finding the right house, and finalizing the deal.
According to the program, “Many Native American families find it difficult or overwhelming to purchase their first home, which will help prepare our Native American families for the road to homeownership.”
MCN Department of Housing Mortgage/Down Payment Specialist LaDonna Northcross (Cherokee) spoke with Mvskoke Media about the class and their goals for Tribal citizens.
Course Topics
Northcross educates Mvskoke citizens in the mortgage down payment program. Her program starts with a pre-application, covers the requirements, and answers questions.
During the class, Northcross will speak about budgeting, the closing contract, and life as a homeowner. The guest speakers include AMC Mortgage, Larry Miller, and James Williams, the MCN Director of Environmental Services.
Northcross says that budgeting is a big key when purchasing. “We will do a budget regarding what your payment is now, and then you’re going to budget for that big house payment coming, so that way they can see if they can afford to budget, or can they afford to buy a home? Is renting still what they need to be doing, or are they ready for homeownership? So that’s a big, important part of the process, budgeting, and I cannot speak enough on that,” Northcross said.
The class also covers the loan application process, what happens during closing, and what citizens need to bring.
Williams will discuss lead-based paint and what to look for in older homes. Northcross said they prefer that citizens purchase homes built after 1978, not before, because homes built before then often contain lead-based paint. This topic can help citizens have more information on older homes.
The class will conclude with life as a homeowner, and Northcross said the discussions will be about what you will do once you’re in the house.
“Now you’re a homeowner, and when something breaks or needs fixing, you can’t call the landlord because you are that person now. So we talk about that, what to expect when paying your house payment, and still, budgeting comes into play with that. We will talk a little bit more about budgeting once you become a homeowner and just regular maintenance on your house,” Northcross said.
Towards the end, the citizens will receive a certificate for the Homebuyer Education Class. She said some of those attending are required to receive the certificate, but overall, Northcross said it will be beneficial.
Northcross has led the First-time Homebuyer Education Class before, years ago. At that time, she noticed that citizens needed to purchase homes. When she returned to the MCN Department of Housing, she still saw a need, even years later. Northcross took her observation to the MCN Secretary Department of Housing, who was on board, and the class started again.
The program finds that many Native American families find purchasing their first home difficult and overwhelming. Northcross believes that when realtors speak to citizens who have never purchased a home, there is some lingo they use that citizens need to know and watch out for.
“If they’ve never purchased a home, they have no clue what they’re being asked or what to ask the lender. This will help guide them through the home-buying process. We’ll be looking at budgeting, we’ll be looking at closing, and what you need to do when you’re starting that process of buying a home,” Northcross said.
Northcross saw the overwhelm on citizens’ faces during in-office orientations, when she tried to fit 8 hours of information into a 45-minute conversation.
The department’s goal is to educate citizens about the homebuying process and to help them set a budget for their home. Northcross said they support citizens and that she can help with anything and answer any questions they may have. Northcross tries to be available 24/7, either by email or phone call, and if it goes to voicemail, she said she will call back as soon as possible.
“I try to get back to them because when they’re buying homes, and they’re out looking, it’s usually on weekends. So I want them to know that we’re there for them through this whole process of owning a home, as in, ‘Are they ready to be homeowners?’ Because a lot of times they’ll get to this class and I remember this before, they realize, ‘Oh, maybe we’re not ready, maybe we need to save more, have more in our savings,’” Northcross said.
Mvskoke Nation can also help with the funds they can provide, but there are also expenses that citizens will pay for on their own, such as home inspections and appraisals.
Northcross said that if the citizens weren’t able to sign up while seats were available, they would offer online homebuyers education through Fannie Mae. While the MCN Department of Housing doesn’t promote the online course, Northcross has done it herself, and the department was using it before creating the in-person classes.
Northcross suggests reviewing that and completing the modules. She clarified that, in her opinion, it isn’t as effective as a class setting, but the website does provide a lot of useful information in certain areas.
Northcross is open to offering this class more than once; the need was evident in the response they received and how quickly the class filled up. She’s also up to expanding the class if they need a bigger space in the future.
“I think the people want this education, whether they’re doing the program or they’re looking at buying a home and not eligible for the program. They still need the education for it, and it was a big response, I had to stop it because I still need room for the people that are on the waitlist for this program to attend,” Northcross said.
For information on possible future classes or the Mortgage Down Payment and Closing Cost Program, contact Northcross at 918-549-2529 and her email is lnorthcross@MuscogeeNation.com
