Resources for Region 2

Click below on the Step to Homeownership where you are right now and need information about.

Click here for a short description of the steps to Homeownership>

Local Homeownership Resources for:
Puget Sound: King, Island, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom Counties

5. Pre Approval

How to Choose a Loan Officer

Referrals to loan officers: Washington Homeownership Center has compiled a statewide list of loan officers who are committed to serving low and moderate-income homebuyers, and who know how to use the wide array of assistance programs available for first-time homebuyers with less wealth.To access our lender referral list click here.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a lending officer: (If possible, you should interview several lending officers before making a decision.)

• Find a lending officer who is knowledgeable about first time homebuyer programs. If you believe you may qualify for a low or moderate income assistance program such as the state bond loan program make sure you ask if they are familiar with these programs, and which programs can be layered to give you the best possible loan.
• Make sure the lending officer’s schedule works with yours so they can be available when you need them.
• Make sure you choose an agent that you are comfortable working with. Remember, they are selling you a product as well as a service and you should feel like an informed consumer throughout the entire home buying process. Ask a lot of questions and be satisfied with the answers you are given.
• Trust your gut feeling. You should trust and like the lending officer. When all else is equal, sometimes a good personality match can determine your choice.
• Make sure the Good Faith Estimate that your lending officer is required to provide you when you apply for a pre-qualification, includes ALL closing costs, fees and discount points or fees that you will be responsible for at closing. Compare one loan with another using the APR rate, which includes all the above fees into the “true cost” of the loan.

Please call our Homeownership Hotline at 866-600-6466 if you need any help in evaluating a loan officer to work with. In the meantime, we would appreciate any feedback (positive or negative) that you can provide about your home loan experiences by clicking here.

If you are a loan officer and wish to get on our referral list, please click here. 

6. Your Priorities - Coming Soon

7. The Search

Choose a Home
WHC is in the process of building this portion of our statewide database. In the meantime, following is a list of important questions for you to ask when interviewing prospective real estate professionals. If possible, you should interview several real estate agents before making a decision.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a real estate agent:

• Find an agent who is knowledgeable about the area where you want to live.
• Find an agent who is knowledgeable about first time homebuyer programs.
• Make sure the agent’s schedule works with yours so they can be available when you need them.
• Interview several agents to find the best match
• Make sure you choose an agent that you are comfortable working with. Remember, the agent is working for you so you should feel like an informed partner throughout the entire home buying process.
• Trust your gut feeling. You should trust and like the agent. Sometimes a good personality match determines your choice of agent.
• Be careful when working with more than one agent. Agents may lose interest in helping you if there is a duplication of efforts.
  

Referrals to real estate professionals : Washington Homeownership Center is currently compiling a statewide list of real estate professionals who are committed to serving low and moderate-income homebuyers, and who know how to prepare a purchase and sale agreement to satisfy requirements for the assistance programs that are available.

Please call our Homeownership Hotline at 866-600-6466 if you need any help in evaluating a real estate professional to work with. In the meantime, we would appreciate any feedback (positive or negative) that you can provide about your home purchase experiences by clicking here.

If you are a real estate professional and wish to get on our referral list, please click here. 

8. You’re Home

Resources for Current Homeowners

Refinancing
Click here for more information on refinancing

Repair Loans
Click here for more information on repair loans

Mortgage Default Counseling
Click here for more information on mortgage default counseling

• Fremont Public Association is a non-profit organization that provides mortgage default counseling. The counselors work with homeowners in King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties to avoid foreclosure. Counselors who provide information on the foreclosure process can provide one-on-one assistance to secure community resources develop a household budget and negotiate with lenders for repayment strategies. For more information call 206.694.6700 (King County) or 206.694.6708 (Western Washington).

• The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle offers budget and credit counseling, pre-purchase counseling, mortgage default counseling, and links to various other affordable housing programs. For more information call Linda Taylor at 206.461.3792.

Last updated: 8.18.06