Idaho Housing is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. IHFA's housing counselors conduct confidential interviews to discuss clients' housing needs and help them find the right resources. Housing counselors help in a variety of situations, including:
- Identify resources and solutions to housing problems;
- Provide information on housing resources, rights and responsibilities;
- Provide financial planning tools;
- Review credit reports and assist with a debt reduction plan;
- Develop a budget taking into account home ownership;
- Apply for housing assistance;
- Prioritize and budget for housing stability;
- Help in identifying utility maintenance solutions;
- Providing referrals to Idaho Legal Aid for landlord / tenant issues.
Housing counselors do not offer financial assistance, but may be able to help determine the best way to address your housing problems. If you are having trouble paying your mortgage or rent, the best thing you can do is contact your lender or landlord right away and ask about your payment options.
Pre-purchase counseling
Thousands of families across the country have used a HUD-approved pre-purchase counselor to plan and budget for the purchase of their next home. At Idaho Housing, our pre-purchase counselors can guide you through the home buying process and help you determine the right time to buy based on your personal financial situation. Counseled clients 42% more likely to buy a home that is affordable for the long term and less likely to default or foreclose on their payments.
Meeting with you one-on-one to learn about your situation and continue to give you advice whenever you need it. Helping you:
- Know your housing resources, rights and responsibilities
- Be equipped with the right financial planning tools
- Understand your credit reports and identify strategies to reduce debt
- Know how to budget with homeownership in mind
- Connect with reputable legal and financial assistance
Those interested in a free one-on-one counseling session to prepare for homeownership can contact an Idaho Housing housing counselor.
Rental Counseling
Affordable rental housing is hard to find and secure in today's competitive market, but there are steps you can take to improve your chances. In one year, more than 100 used.Provide 000 American households with rental counseling to preserve housing and/or avoid eviction.