Buying a home can be challenging.
At Portland Housing Center, we help you buy a home you can afford in the short- and long-term. We’ll help match you to the services you need to become a successful homeowner.
Read more about how we can help you become a successful homeowner
Open House
- Curious about Portland Housing Center?
- Wondering if you should register?
- Have more questions about our program and services?
Join us on ZOOM for our free monthly Open House session the 1st Wednesday of every month from 6 to 7 pm. You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and more in-depth answers from a member of our Homebuying staff. Sign up for the next Open House HERE.
¡Haga clic aquí para inscribirse en nuestra sesión informativa gratis en español!
Note: If you have already registered, please DO NOT sign up to attend Open House. Instead, please sign up for services by logging into your customer portal account.
Registration
When you’re ready to begin, register here, or print out the registration form (in English or Spanish), fill it out, and mail or bring it in to our office.
The Portland Housing Center charges each household a $99.00 non-refundable materials fee at registration, which covers all of our in person classes and counseling, and the cost of your tri-merged credit report.
*Please note that due to an increase in demand for our services, we are currently scheduling intake appointments and classes 4-6 weeks out. If you need to meet with a homebuying specialist before then, please contact us at adminpdx@portlandhousingcenter.org.
Homebuyer Assessment and Counseling
Once you’re registered, we’ll ask you a few short questions to help you determine your next steps. For many, this next step is to meet with one of our HomeBuying Specialists for an assessment, where you’ll build your action plan for homeownership. After you register you’ll be prompted to schedule your first appointment using our online scheduling program.
One on one meetings with a HomeBuying Specialist can help you develop an Action Plan and overcome any challenges that might be keeping you from purchasing a home. Our HomeBuying Specialists start by reviewing your financial situation to help develop your Action Plan. They can help you develop a plan to strengthen credit, pay down debts, increase your savings, and budget for homeownership.
Each HomeBuying Specialist is certified by NeighborWorks America and meets the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling. (For more information visit: www.homeownershipstandards.com)
Financial Fitness Classes
This 5-part series gives you the money management skills and tools you need to get ready to purchase your first home. Topics covered include budgeting your money, building your savings, and improving your credit.
Portland Housing Center also offers culturally specific versions of our Financial Fitness class for African American and Latino households. Getting Your House in Order, created for African Americans is offered quarterly through zoom. Decide Tu Futuro, created for Latinos is held quarterly as well. For more information on these classes, call our office at 503-282-7744.
Homebuying 101 Class
This 8-hour, HUD-certified class will show you what to expect in the home-buying process, including shopping for a loan, special programs for first-time homebuyers, the house search, inspecting and insuring your home, and maintaining and protecting your investment. Please note: These classes have a limited capacity and tend to fill up quickly. Some dates listed here may already be full. You are welcomed to contact us to check availability before registering.
This course is also available online.
If you are in process with a closing date on your home and need the online course, go to our Register Here page to get started. Be sure to click the link toward the bottom that says “Already in process on a loan and just need the online class?” After confirming your closing information, the link will take you directly to the class instructions. The online course is $125 including $75 paid directly to the online course vendor.
If you are not already in process on a home, we would encourage you to register for counseling services as your first step.
IDA Matched Savings
This matched savings program helps Oregon residents save for a home purchase. Qualified participants who are accepted into the program save in a special account for a minimum of 3 months and have their saved dollars matched 5:1.
Portland Housing Center IDA program participants save over a two-year period and can receive up to $10,000 in matching funds for their home purchase. Only registered Portland Housing Center clients can apply to the IDA Program. Ask your HomeBuying Specialist if you qualify for this program.
Loans
At Portland Housing Center, we specialize in safe, affordable, fixed-rate mortgages. We also offer special programs to home buyers, including FHA (insured by the Federal Housing Administration), VA (for current and former members of the military), USDA (rural home loans), and our Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) which makes homeownership affordable through low monthly payments and 100% financing. We also offer refinance options.
This is your chance to sit down with a licensed, Portland Housing Center Loan Officer to determine how much you can comfortably afford to spend on your home purchase, and to review the mortgage loan options most suitable for you.
To get started, register for services.
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Contact Us
Phone: (503) 282-7744
Hours: 9 am-5pm, Monday to Friday
Portland Office
3233 NE Sandy Blvd.
Portland, OR 97232
We’re on the #12 TriMet bus line.
Here’s a map of our Portland location.