For renters, homeowners at risk of foreclosure and prospective home buyers alike, BCNI offers a range of personalized and confidential counseling services. Whether you’re looking to buy your first home or prevent the loss of the home you already own, we’re here to help.
We offer financial counseling with a focus on the basics of financial literacy and budget making, credit counseling, pre- and post-purchase counseling, rental counseling, home buying education workshops, and foreclosure prevention counseling.
Getting started is easy!
Call our office today to speak with an intake specialist. This will help us better understand your specific situation, assess your needs, and deliver services tailored to you.
Call to schedule an appointment: 518-372-7616
First Time Homebuyer Education Workshop
Attending our online or in-person Homebuyer Education Workshop is the place to start if you want to buy a home. You’ll learn the advantages and disadvantages of homeownership, learn about qualifying for a mortgage, and understand some of the costs you will incur in the homebuying process. Participants that attend an individual counseling session and complete the Workshop will receive a Certificate of Completion to be presented to BCNI.
Please note, completion of the online Homebuyer Education Workshop requires a $99 fee, paid online when you register. Please contact BCNI if you have any questions about the fee or how to register. Once completed, please call 518-372-7616 to pick up your certificate.
Meet with a Housing Counselor (Pre-Purchase Counseling)
You and your Homeownership Advisor will create a plan so that you can achieve your goal of homeownership on your terms. You will receive an in-depth mortgage readiness assessment from one of our HUD-Certified housing specialists. They will review your income, credit, budget, savings, and set you on the path to homeownership. If you are ready, ask if you qualify for grants to assist you. You will walk away with an action plan listing your personal steps to homeownership. For those who complete the homebuying process with BCNI, we offer continued post-purchase counseling in the months following your closing.
Financial Coaching
Need to build or restore your credit? Need to get a better grasp on your finances, saving for a large purchase or paying down debt? Financial Coaching is right for you!
Our financial coaches will help you develop and maintain healthy financial habits. Here we will go over your financial goals and together determine the steps involved in reaching them. Areas reviewed during a coaching session include (but are not limited to) financial goals, savings, debt, spending plans, and credit. You will walk away with a personalized action plan with the next steps in reaching your goals.
Foreclosure Counseling
For too many in our community today, a small change in life circumstances can lead to challenges with making on-time mortgage payments. For homeowners at risk of, or currently experiencing the challenge of foreclosure, BCNI offers financial counseling, loan modification assistance, mortgage default counseling, and foreclosure prevention grants to help you remain in your home.
If you have received a Summons and Complaint, please call our office immediately. Our counselors can both provide general support and connect you with qualified and experienced legal advisors to assist you in the process ahead.
If you have not yet received a Summons and Complaint but are concerned about your future ability to meet your mortgage obligations or are otherwise struggling and worried about what comes next, BCNI is here to provide free and confidential foreclosure prevention counseling.