Homebuyer Education

A Homebuyer Education class is commonly required to receive down payment assistance,

grants and conventional Affordable mortgage product benefits.

Check with your program on specific class agencies.

What Is A First Time Homebuyer Education Class Needed For?

A First Time Homebuyer education class is most often required when applying for down payment assistance. 


Homebuyer classes are available with HUD counseling agencies in all 50 states found here. Classes are offered by NFDM.org through HomePrep, but check with the Down payment assistance agency you apply with as some require the class through specified HUD agencies. And, some conventional mortgage grants like Freddie Mac Borrow Smart or Fannie Mae SPCPm may require a different class altogether.


The clas is commonly 6-8 hours over a day or 2-night classes. Some are also offered online.

Defined by Florida Housing Finance:

First- Time Homebuyers, unless qualifying under a Veterans Exception or those who are exempt by purchasing a home in a Federal Designated Targeted Area as specified in the Program Guide, must complete a Program-approved pre-purchase homebuyer education course. We will accept face-to-face homebuyer education if provided by a HUD approved counseling agency, a unit of local government that provides pre-purchase homebuyer education in Florida or a counseling agency designated by a unit of local government to provide home buyer education on their behalf. Refer to HUD website for a list of approved education providers by County.


Online HBE is permitted if provided by a HUD approved agency, a unit of local government that provides pre-purchase homebuyer education in Florida, a mortgage insurance provider or an Agency or GSE sponsored course.


Certificate of completion are acceptable for 2 years from date of completion.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conventional Affordable Mortgage Homebuyer Classes Can be Different.

Fannie Mae HomeView is a free, interactive, and comprehensive online course that helps put homeownership into focus for your borrowers. The course is written in everyday language and is designed to help borrowers of all backgrounds learn and navigate the homebuying process with information and resources needed for every step of the way.

Link to HomeView Certificate Course Start

Free education!


Freddie Mac created CreditSmart because your financial empowerment is part of our mission.

Need a certificate to qualify for a HomeOne® or Home Possible® mortgage? 

Register for Freddie Mac CreditSmart Homebyer U here.

Link to Freddie Mac CreditSmart Homebuyer U

DPA Articles to Help MLOs

By Pam Marron April 24, 2024
Down Payment Connect is already being used by MLOs and Realtors. Now it's available to HUD Counselors through HomePrep! Down payment assistance is quickly rising to the top need for clients wishing to purchase a home. Down Payment Connect , the back-end data provider for the parent Downpaymentresource.com , houses every down payment assistance program in the US and provides extremely detailed information laid out in a consistent format for each DPA program in their system. Throughout the last two years, Downpaymentresource.com administrators have worked with MLO’s and the HomePrep developers to add nearly all wholesale down payment assistance programs to their platform and they didn't stop there! Extensive filters that allow for selection of specific client needs such as type (ie. SFR, manufactured homes, condos, multi-family, ADU’s), uses like renovation, above AMI income levels, non-1st time homebuyers are just a few of the filters you will find along with stand alone 2nd mortgages, combined 1st and 2nd mortgages and grants. DownpaymentResource.com is also in many MLS systems across the US and provides limited directory information and a free landing page for realtors to promote that they use DPA. Both MLO’s and realtors can subscribe to Down Payment Connect to get more of the extensive directory and back-end tools. Now, through HomePrep, HUD counselors can also use the Down Payment Connect system to filter trhough DPA programs that clients are qualified for, and can even provide wholesale programs when working with an independent loan originator (often called a mortgage broker)! Through HomePrep, HUD counselors are now able to provide MLO’s and clients with the DPA programs that they have found the client is eligible for.
By Pam Marron April 10, 2023
Clients2Homeowners.com makes a pivot!
By Pam Marron January 26, 2023
Mortgage Loan Originators, Realtors and HUD Housing Counselors Who Need to Find and Promote Down Payment Assistance (DPA) to Clients Need this Tool!
By By Pam Marron | Clients2Homeowners.com March 16, 2022
Here’s How to Organize DPA for Your Area and Start Selling!
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