Roundup Record Tribune & Winnett Times -

Are you tired of renting? Learn what it takes to become a homeowner by attending the next Homebuyer Education course, set for Mon.-Tues., March 9-10, 5-9 p.m. each evening at 613 NE Main St. in the Snowy Mountain Development Corporation (SMDC) Conference Room in Lewistown.

Presenters at this education course walk potential homeowners through the home buying process and cover topics including:

• Preparing and sticking to a budget

• Deciding on how much house you can afford

• Discovering the impact of your credit score and how to improve it

• Working with a real estate agent

• Understanding the need for a home inspection

• Appraising your future home

• Learning the mortgage loan process

• Buying homeowner’s and title insurance

• Closing your loan – how much will it cost?

• Maintaining your future home

Completion of the course results in a smarter, better borrower, and may help participants become eligible for down-payment assistance and low-interest mortgages. Each participant will receive course materials and a certificate upon course completion. Attendance at both evening classes for a total of eight hours of instruction is mandatory for certification.

The course is arranged through a partnership between NeighborWorks Montana and SMDC. Home-buyer education classes are funded in part by the Montana Board of Housing, HUD, Montana Department of Commerce, NeighborWorks Montana and philanthropic donors.

There is a $20 registration fee per household. For more information or to register, contact Diane Pennell, homebuyer educator, at the SMDC office in Lewistown at 535-2591 or email her at [email protected].