A Highly Placed Source

Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that they have received approval to provide housing and foreclosure avoidance counseling as a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing counseling agency.

Consolidated Credit was approached by local banks for help with the housing crises and as a call to action they took the necessary steps to become HUD-approved. Foreclosures and unemployment in South Florida are widespread and families are in need of assistance. Consolidated Credit is reporting a record number of consumers seeking help in the areas of foreclosure prevention as well as credit and debt counseling.

As a HUD housing counseling agency, Consolidated Credit will be joining the struggle to help the countless numbers of consumers who have been devastated by the fallout from the mortgage crisis as well as help first-time home buyers make smart choices based on sound financial principles.

As part of President Obama’s comprehensive Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan (HASP), consumers may be eligible for a special Making Home Affordable loan modification or refinance, to reduce monthly payments and help Americans keep their home. Foreclosure prevention counseling services are provided by nonprofit housing counseling agencies working in partnership with the Federal Government.

As a HUD housing counseling agency, Consolidated Credit will provide Reverse Equity Mortgage Counseling, which is designed to assist primarily senior homeowners to be able to spend the equity in their home while still continuing to live at their residence. They will also provide Post-Purchase Counseling to help struggling homeowners. This is a vital part of the homebuyer education process because it supports successful long-term homeownership.

Consolidated Credit will also provide Predatory Lending Education, Financial Management/Budgeting, and Home Buyer Education Workshops. These workshops are designed to provide basic financial literacy skills and other information homeowners and prospective homebuyers can use to make wise financial decisions regarding their homes, to get the best possible rates to which their credit entitles them, and to help them avoid unscrupulous lenders and unregulated financial institutions.

Throughout the nation, Consolidated Credit offers assistance with money and credit management through financial education and comprehensive debt counseling in both English and Spanish; now they are committed to helping people in need with the availability of housing counseling (http://www.consolidatedcredit.org/hud/housing-counseling.aspx) as well.