HUD Housing Counseling & Housing Education
Receive quality housing advice & course materials from a HUD-approved housing counseling agency with over two decades of providing nonprofit credit counseling.
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Nonprofit Housing Counseling & Education Services
It is human nature to long for a stable home that offers shelter from life’s physical and symbolic storms. Housing fills that yearning, and as one of just three physical survival needs we can satisfy through financial means, it makes up an important part of a healthy and safe life. A growing body of twenty-first-century research and programs has found housing to occupy such an important place among all human needs and wants that it is beginning to take precedence over work placement, addiction recovery, job training, and financial education.
We also believe in the primacy of housing, whether securing it for the first time on our own or maintaining it in trying times, be it through ownership or as a renter. For this reason, we have long offered counseling and education to help individuals and families secure and remain in stable homes.
Our counseling and learning sessions address the basics of homeownership, qualifying for a mortgage or rental application, building credit, avoiding predatory lending, understanding homeowner insurance, preparing for homeownership expenses such as maintenance and repairs, and being aware of your rights as a renter or borrower.
Housing Financial Education
Money Fit offers the following services that promote stable and appropriate housing:
- Financial Management and Budget Counseling
- Financial, Budgeting, and Credit Workshops
- Predatory Lending, Loan Scams, or Other Fraud Prevention Workshops
- Fair Housing Workshop
- Rental Workshops
- Pre-Purchase Homebuyer Education Workshop
- Non-delinquency Post-Purchase Workshops (Home Maintenance and/or Financial Management for Homeowners)
Our primary products for providing these services include the following free, 60-minute online courses:
Financial Essential: Family and Self-sufficiency
Credit to You: The Basics of Credit Histories, Reports, and Scores
- Life after Debt: 7 Steps to Maintaining a Debt-free Lifestyle
Find other financial education courses at courses.moneyfit.org/learn.
Housing Counseling
We offer housing counseling related to these same topics in addition to Homeless Assistance via phone, email, or zoom. Whether through our education or counseling services, participants will assess and be better prepared to qualify for an apartment, a mortgage, or to deal with financial emergencies as a homeowner.
Contact our housing counseling and education manager, Todd Christensen, at 208-286-3283 for additional information, or send him an email at [email protected].
Housing Calculators
Money Fit by DRS has provided nonprofit credit counseling to consumers for more than two decades.
Take advantage of our many housing-related calculators. They are all free and easy to use. None of our calculators require you to submit personally identifying information. Check them out!
Our Commitment to Fair and Equitable Housing
Money Fit’s housing counseling services offer comprehensive support to help you achieve your housing goals, whether it’s securing a mortgage, finding an apartment, or dealing with financial emergencies as a renter, homeowner, or potential homeowner. Our expert counselors are dedicated to helping you assess your needs and find the best solution for your unique situation. With a combination of education and counseling services, Money Fit is the partner you need to achieve a stable and secure housing situation.
Additional Debt Management Service
We also believe in the primacy of housing, whether securing it for the first time on our own or maintaining it in trying times, be it through ownership or as a renter. For this reason, we have long offered counseling and education to help individuals and families secure and remain in stable homes.
Our counseling and learning sessions address the basics of homeownership, qualifying for a mortgage or rental application, building credit, avoiding predatory lending, understanding homeowner insurance, preparing for homeownership expenses such as maintenance and repairs, and being aware of your rights as a renter or borrower.
Learn More About Our Credit Counseling and Debt Management Program
Online Education Program Fees*
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Homebuyer Education Course $59 per participant
Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)
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Rental, Fair Housing, Predatory Lending, Post-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant
Approximately 1 hour each:
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Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. credit, budgeting, homeless prevention): $0
One-on-one Counseling Fees*
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Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management $75
Session by the hour
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Credit Report Fee Paid Directly by Client
*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of the course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferrable
*Fees will be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page (https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines)
Money Fit HUD-Approved Counseling Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions are the most common questions we are asked about regarding our HUD-Approved Housing Counseling programs.
Money Fit offers the following services related to housing:
Budgeting and financial management counseling
Financial, budgeting, and credit workshops
Money Fit provides its counseling education services through online programs, video chat programs, phone, and email.
Money Fit offers HUD-approved counseling and education services nationwide.
There are no income requirements or limitations for accessing our counseling or education services.
Currently, we offer our budgeting and financial management counseling services at no cost. Additionally, we offer several financial, budgeting, and credit workshops for free.
Money Fit provides pre-purchase homeownership and other housing-related workshops in the future for nominal fees. See fee schedule.
We do not provide any financial assistance or monetary payments to our clients. We may, however, offer information about and referrals to agencies where such support is offered for help with housing.
We do not have any attorneys on staff and do not offer legal advice. Please see your local Legal Aid Society for assistance in affording legal counsel.
Money Fit is not a lender and is not a mortgage broker. Home Fit can help clients evaluate loan options, navigate the lending process, and understand their housing rights and protections related to housing.
Money Fit partners with area housing authorities that provide housing vouchers. Money Fit does not offer housing vouchers.
Housing Counseling Blog Posts
Find important answers, advice, and analysis to a wide range of personal finance topics in our Money Motivations blog.
