More Help for Homebuyers and Renters Across the United States

The government's housing department, or HUD (Housing and Urban Development), is making it easier for people to get advice on buying or renting homes. They've got some new moves, including teaming up with Zillow, a popular real estate website. 

They've also changed some rules so you can get this helpful advice through a video call or a phone call, not just face to face. This change is all about helping more people, especially those who could really use the help, to become homeowners and create wealth that lasts for generations.
 

A Big Partnership With Zillow

The "Let's Make Home the Goal" campaign led by HUD is working with Zillow to show advertisements on their website. Since Zillow gets a lot of visitors—217 million a month—this will help get the message out to lots of people. 

They're focusing on reaching communities of color because they've faced unfair challenges when trying to buy homes in the past. With good advice from certified housing counselors, more people can learn how to become homeowners for the first time and build wealth they can pass on to their kids and grandkids.

Check Out: HUD's $10 Million Grant Initiative: A Bridge to Homeownership for Underserved Communities

This campaign started mid-2023 and told nearly 5 million people in 15 cities about these services. With Zillow's help this time, they aim to reach over 8 million potential homeowners in 42 cities.

David Berenbaum from HUD's housing counseling department is excited about teaming up with Zillow. He said this partnership will make sure more people learn about and get the support they need for their housing dreams.

Jennifer Butler from Zillow also chimed in. She said Zillow wants to get more people into homes by making sure they know about all the resources and data out there. Working with HUD to get more folks connected to quality credit counseling services is a big step to help close the gap in homeownership and build family wealth.
 

New Rules for Housing Advice Agencies

Here's what else has changed: housing counseling agencies that HUD approves can now use things like video calls and phone calls to talk with homebuyers and renters. This is great for people who find it hard to meet in person because of language, disability, distance, or even because they can't afford childcare or the trip. 

It's not just easier; it's also cheaper and needs less office space. Agencies that can't offer these new ways to meet with clients have to make sure those clients get help from somewhere else. People really liked the idea of getting housing education and advice online or by phone when the government asked for their opinion.

These new options will be available starting on October 16, 2024.

If you need to find one of these HUD-approved agencies, head over to www.hud.gov/findacounselor.

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