Homebuyer Education

We primarily serve Emmet, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Antrim, Otsego, Crawford, Presque Ilse and Roscommon counties. Our education opportunities can expand beyond our primary counties with the benefit of Zoom classes.

Register for a free Homebuyer Education workshop. View our calendar of upcoming workshops or contact us directly to check availability for additional one-on-one dates.

Take online workshop through

Manual for Homebuyers

Are you tired of renting?

Do you dream of owning your own home?

Northern Homes offers free one-on-one counseling and group workshops for new homebuyers which cover the following topics:

Understanding your credit & personal credit report review
Smart budget practices & creating a custom budget that fits your lifestyle
Are you ready to buy?
Which mortgage products are available to first-time homebuyers
Down payments, interest, closing costs, and other fees
Inspectors and realtors
Homeowner's insurance
How to protect yourself from housing scams and predatory lending practices
Fair housing rights

Upon completing the Homeownership Training Counseling Sessions or Workshops you will receive the certificate required by most lenders when entering into a government loan program such as MSHDA, RD Rural Development, FHA or VA.

Make your dream of homeownership a reality. Email laurie@northernhomes.org or call (231) 582-6436 to register.

Northern Homes is a HUD* Certified Housing Counseling Agency and our Counselors are also HUD Certified. They are also certified by MSDHA* as LINKS to Homeownership Counselors.

If you do not have the time to take advantage of our free Homebuyer Education Workshop you may take the course online at for a minimal fee. After completing the online course you will receive a certificate that is required by many mortgage lenders.

To Whom it May Concern:

As a single grandparent raising my two grandsons in a rented apartment, I dreamed of owning my own home where we could have more room to play and grow as a family. Not knowing exactly what to do about my credit and financing, or how to go about it, I contacted Northern Homes Community Development Corporation in Boyne City, Michigan for help.

The counselor pulled a copy of my credit report which we reviewed together. She was very thorough and explained it all to me which was most helpful since they can be difficult to understand. We discussed various types of financing that were available and the counselor even gave me application forms so I could make an immediate application.

The counselor was very well informed and educated about the process and provided me with the credit education, financial management and home buying skills I needed. In addition, she provided me with numerous handout materials that have made the house hunting and mortgage application process much easier for me to understand. I now feel more confident and prepared to move forward with homeownership.

T. Bradley