CEI Offers Certified Homebuyer Education and Counseling in Maine

Eight hours. CEI delivers a comprehensive, eight-hour homebuyer education program throughout Maine, a state-certified course designed to prepare residents for the major commitment of homeownership. The organization, whose homebuyer education program is certified and compliant with Maine hoMEworks, says completing the training correlates with lower delinquency and foreclosure rates among new homeowners.

Owning a home, CEI notes, can be a path to financial security, equity, and long-term wealth — but purchasing and owning a home is also a major commitment of time and resources that shouldn’t be taken lightly. To help prospective and current homeowners make informed decisions, CEI offers both classes and individual counseling, with interpretation services available upon request.

The centerpiece of its offering is the eight-hour Maine hoMEworks-approved program, delivered through in-person classes, live webinars, and a self-paced online course. CEI has partnered with eHomeAmerica to provide the online option, which it describes as the nation’s premier online homebuyer education program. For buyers who want tailored guidance, CEI also offers pre- and post-purchase counseling with HUD-certified counselors — free of charge, and available in person, virtually, or by phone. Post-purchase sessions give new homeowners a chance to review their closing documents and get guidance as they transition into ownership.

For older residents, CEI stands alone in the state: it is the only counseling agency in Maine offering Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) counseling. Homeowners aged 62 and older who own their home as their primary residence may qualify to access existing equity, and CEI provides the required 90-minute counseling session with a HUD-certified HECM counselor at no cost, virtually, face-to-face, or by phone.

The organization notes that many homeowners have already tried working with their lenders and come away frustrated, and that the foreclosure process can be scary and confusing — but that the bank does not want the home, and options may exist.

For Maine households weighing a purchase, refinancing, or a reverse mortgage — or trying to avoid losing a home — CEI’s model puts certified counseling within reach at no cost, whether the conversation happens in a classroom, online at the buyer’s own pace, or over the phone.

Worth a look