New home buyers may attend free educational seminars sponsored by the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the Florida Suncoast Inc. Classes will be offered from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Largo Library, 351 East Bay Drive. Additional classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thur. and Oct. 25 at the Red Cross Building in New Port Richey. Classes will include information about budgeting, credit, closings, home inspections and Pasco County affordable programs. For reservations and information, call (727) 845-5654.

A "Ph.D. in Homeownership" will be offered by St. Petersburg Neighborhood Housing Services from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 20 at 500 Dr. M.L. King (Ninth) St. N, St. Petersburg. Participants will learn what to look for in a house, how to work with a real estate agent and how to get a mortgage. Those who complete the seminar will receive a certificate that could help reduce down payment and closing costs. Call (727) 821-6897 to register.

The Tampa Bay Community Development Corp. is offering a free home-buying seminar from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 20 at Ross Norton Community Center, 1426 S Greenwood Ave., Clearwater. Call (727) 442-7075 to register for the Department of Housing and Urban Development-approved seminar.

The Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. offers a Home Buyer Seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 17 at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 1500 N Pennsylvania Ave., Clearwater. Those who complete the seminar will receive a certificate that could provide access to special mortgage loan products and subsidies. Call (727) 442-4155 to register.

The Community Service Foundation offers three-part budgeting classes for people who want to buy a house but are having trouble coming up with a down payment. Sequential classes are planned from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 6 and 27 and Dec. 4 at the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N, St Petersburg. Call (727) 461-0618 for reservations.

Thinking about buying a house but need to learn the basics? The Community Service Foundation offers free classes designed to help first-time home buyers go through the process and qualify for down payment and closing costs assistance. Sequential classes will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 13 and 20 at the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N, St. Petersburg. A one-day class will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Palm Harbor Library, 2330 Nebraska Ave. For registration or information, call (727) 461-0618.

The Pinellas Housing Agency can tell first-time home buyers whether they qualify for down payment assistance programs. Call (727) 467-9494.

General Home Development offers free seminars on how to buy an affordable new home with less than perfect credit and a low down payment from 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays at 4600 Fifth Ave. S, St. Petersburg. For information, call (727) 321-8719.

Apex Lending Inc. offers free home-buying workshops from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays at 1700 66th St. N, Suite 503, St. Petersburg. The workshops will include information on how to qualify for a mortgage, pick a real estate agent and evaluate and repair your credit. For information, call Robyn at (727) 381-2739, ext. 120.

First Worldwide Mortgage Corp. offers free seminars on how to avoid home-buying pitfalls. The seminars are from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays at 6450 Seminole Blvd., Seminole. Call (727) 398-7781 for information.

North American Mortgage Co. offers free workshops on mortgage loans at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at its Clearwater office, 2963 Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., Suite 325. Attendees can get prequalified for government bond money and the FHA's 1 percent down payment program. For information and reservations, call Christine Dallape at (727) 712-3305, ext. 14.

A workshop covering prequalifying for a mortgage, choosing a real estate agent, evaluating credit and understanding the basics of obtaining financing is offered by Allstate Mortgage and Loan from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturdays at 25400 U.S. 19 N, Suite 263, Clearwater. For information, call (800) 701-1186.

Owners Equity Mortgage Corp. offers free workshops and seminars for applicants with down payment and credit problems. The seminars are from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. weekdays at 101 E Tarpon Ave., Tarpon Springs. The classes, which are geared toward first-time home buyers with low to moderate incomes, will cover all phases of home buying. For information, call (727) 942-6406 or (727) 938-6583.

American Home Mortgage and First American Title offer "How to Buy Your First Home," which includes information on credit reports, qualifying for a mortgage and down payment assistance. Sessions are from 7 to 8 p.m. the second and last Tuesdays of each month. Call (727) 446-2911 for reservations and locations in St. Petersburg and Clearwater.

A free workshop especially for those with down payment and credit problems is offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays. The workshop is sponsored by AGA Mortgage Service and Realty Associates at its office at 11350 66th St. N, Suite 104, Largo. For information and reservations, call Mary Ann at (727) 541-3390 or Joe at (727) 531-1502.

Send items to Homes, Peggy Anders, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. The deadline is two weeks before publication.

Back to Homes

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

From the Times
Home&Garden page

Tour coincides with competitive mortgage rates

The Home Front

A tough sell

For Clearwater, a dubious distinction

Homebuyer U

Builders who will build homes at Waterchase announced

Rules may require a court ruling