Expanding Housing Opportunities Course

A Vital Tool in Today’s Economy

Expanding Housing Opportunities (EHO) is a course designed to educate real estate professionals on the range of affordable housing opportunities and clients seeking them. EHO is available in two formats; online and in the classroom. The content and learning objectives are the same for both formats.

Course participants will learn how to:

  • Identify and explain the range of affordable housing opportunities and their benefits to clients.
  • Describe how affordability affects the housing market, their clients, their business, and their community.
  • Better analyze affordable financing options, including local, state, federal, and nonprofit assistance programs for buyers and renters.
  • Build partnerships to expand housing opportunities through advocacy, workforce housing initiatives, and green building concepts.

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Overview

Expanding Housing Opportunities (EHO) is a 4-hour education course developed by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The course is designed to help real estate professionals understand affordable housing issues and how their role in increasing housing opportunities.

The class is designed to: educate students on the range of affordable housing opportunities and clients seeking them; increase students' knowledge and understanding of how affordability impacts the housing market, their clients, their business, and their community; help students analyze affordable financing options through credible lenders, including local, state, federal, and non-profit assistance programs for buyers and renters; and teach students how to better leverage partnerships and resources to expand housing opportunities through workforce housing initiatives, green building concepts, and advocacy to benefit the student, their clients, and their communities.

The class is designed for an audience of real estate professionals, including real estate brokers and owners.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Describe your role in affordable housing.
  • Describe and discuss affordable housing and housing opportunities.
  • Describe how demographic changes impact affordable housing and housing opportunities.
  • Describe special considerations for first-time homebuyers.
  • Describe the benefits of working with housing counselors.
  • Describe where to locate down payment and closing cost assistance.
  • Describe qualifying guidelines for conventional and government loans.
  • Describe how housing opportunities can be increased in your community.
  • Identify opportunities for local advocacy.
  • Locate resources online and in your local community to educate yourself and assist your client regarding affordable housing.

Timed Course Agenda with Learning Objectives

Time

Time

Subject

Learning Objectives

After completion of module, participant will be able to:

8:30 a.m.

Registration

Registration and start Icebreaker exercise as participants walk in.

9:00 a.m.

10 minutes

Welcome and Icebreaker/Introductions

  • Introduce instructor
  • State classroom rules
  • Identify facilities locations
  • Identify course objectives
  • Icebreaker/introductions

9:10 a.m.

7 minutes

Module 1 - Your Role in Affordable Housing

  • Affordable Housing and Housing Opportunities

Define affordable housing and housing opportunities

7 minutes

  • Issues affecting affordable housing

Identify current issues affecting affordable housing

3 minutes

  • Benefits of expanding housing opportunities

Describe benefits of housing opportunities

3 minutes

  • Partnerships

List team of partners

9:30 a.m.

10 minutes (includes

activity)

Module 2 - You and the Client

  • Changing Picture of Client Needs

Describe demographic changes

  • Complete activity regarding population shifts by age groups

5 minutes

  • Housing and Transportation

Describe how transportation costs impact affordability.

5 minutes

  • First-time homebuyer Special Considerations

Point out special considerations for first-time homebuyers

5 minutes

  • The Rental Market

Discuss affordability/availability in rental market

5 minutes

  • Alternatives to Homeownership

Describe alternatives to traditional homeownership

10:00 a.m.

7 minutes

Module 3 - You and the Housing Counselor

  • Importance of Housing Counseling

Explain importance of housing counseling

13 minutes

  • Role of Real Estate Professional and Role of Housing Counselor

Describe working relationships between real estate professional and housing counselor

15 minutes

  • Finding Housing Counselors and Nonprofit Housing Agencies

Locate a housing counselor and nonprofit housing organization to form a partnership

10 minutes

  • Finding Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance

Describe where to locate down payment and closing cost assistance

10:45 a.m.

15 minutes

BREAK

11:00 a.m.

10 minutes

Module 4 - You and the Lender

  • Credit and Effect on Affordability

Explain the basics of credit scoring

20 minutes (includes activity)

· Prequalifying and Preapproval (activity with flip chart and PQ worksheet)

Prequalify buyer clients to determine loan amount and appropriate price range

· Complete Prequalification Worksheet activity

 

5 minutes

  • Finding an Affordable Loan

Determine where to find affordable loans

10 minutes

· Describe qualifying guidelines for various loan products - includes Conventional and FHA

Compare qualifying guidelines for various loan products - includes Conventional and FHA

10 minutes

· Describe qualifying guidelines for various loan products - includes VA, and USDA

Compare qualifying guidelines for various loan products - includes VA and USDA

5 minutes

  • Review grid/overview

Compare Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA summary.

12:00 noon

8 minutes

Module 5 - You and the Community

  • Workforce Housing and EAH

Describe how workforce housing impacts local communities

7 minutes

  • Building Affordable Communities

List ways communities can develop affordable housing

7 minutes

  • Land Usage

Explain how land-use policies affect housing

4 minutes

  • Going Green

Discuss impact of "green" in planning

4 minutes

  • Housing and Transportation

Describe how transportation affects the community

12:30 p.m.

5 minutes

Final Exercise, Review and Wrap Up

  • Sources and resources

Review/remind participants of documentation in Sources and Resources section of the training materials.

10 minutes

  • Complete the Individual Action Plan with One Action for Each of the 5 Modules

Complete the Individual Action Plan

10 minutes

  • Review/questions

Summarize materials learned in class, answer questions

12:55 p.m.

5 minutes

Conclusion

Share next steps and complete evaluations

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