Where Can I Enroll in a First-Time Homebuyer Course?
Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) provides a directory of MHC approved First-Time Homebuyer training courses in the Greater Boston Region. Up-to-date date listings are on their website: www.chapa.org. Online and in-person classes are listed there at various prices, dates, times and languages. https://www.mymasshome.org/homeownership-education-calendar
Completion of a Previous First-Time Homebuyer Course
Certificates of completion dated within three (3) years of the deadline date from a Massachusetts Housing Collaborative (MHC) approved First-Time Homebuyer’s course are accepted. Certificates dated older than three (3) years of the deadline date will NOT be accepted.
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*Households must be First-Time Homebuyers.*
A First-Time Homebuyer cannot own a home or an interest in a home in the preceding three years, including a trust.
Exceptions to this include:
(i) Any individual who is a displaced homemaker may not be excluded from consideration as a First-Time Homebuyer under this definition on the basis that the individual, while a homemaker, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse.
(ii) Any individual who is a single parent may not be excluded from consideration as a First-time Homebuyer under this definition on the basis that the individual, while married, owned a home with his or her spouse or resided in a home owned by the spouse.
(iii) Any individual who is a member of a Household in which one member is aged fifty-five (55) years or older may not be excluded from consideration as a First-time Homebuyer under this definition.
(iv) An individual may not be excluded from consideration as a First-Time Homebuyer under this definition on the basis that the individual owns or owned, as a principal residence during the 3-year period before the purchase of the an Affordable Dwelling, a dwelling unit whose structure is (x) not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation in accordance with local or other applicable regulations; or (y) not in compliance with State, local, or model building codes, or other applicable codes, and cannot be brought into compliance with such codes for less than the cost of constructing a permanent structure.