Cape Ann Homeownership Center

The GHA is proud to support Cape Ann area families that want to pursue the American Dream of owning their own home. In 2004 the GHA established the Cape Ann Homeownership Center to provide educational opportunities that promote responsible and sustainable homeownership.

Our Homeownership Center currently offers the following programs:

Pre-Purchase & Post-Purchase Counseling & Workshops
The GHA has received the Massachusetts Homeownership Collaborative Seal of Approval for its pre-purchase homeownership counseling program. Certificates earned are entry into MassHousing & MHP loans, down payment assistance grants and home lotteries. We also provide one-on-one sessions by appointment for individual homeownership needs including budget & credit counseling and foreclosure prevention. We are also happy to provide post ownership counseling with any issue that may arise after you purchase your home.

Online Workshop
The GHA is pleased to also offer an online "First Time Homebuyers Workshop". The course is administered by Frameworks for a series of seven (7) video lessons. Each lesson contains 3 to 4 topics including: How much can you afford, the mortgage process, how to improve your credit and steps in the closing process. Upon successful completion of the workshop you are required to meet with one of our counselors prior to having your certificate issued. The certificate is a requirement to qualify for certain mortgage and grant programs. The course cost, including follow-up interview, is $100 per household.
https://ghama.frameworkhomeownership.org/

Sub-Prime Mortgage Counseling
Massachusetts State Law now requires that individuals obtaining a sub-prime mortgage receive counseling by a Division of Banks (DOB) certified agency prior to closing on their loan. The GHA is proud to be the region’s only DOB certified agency.

Foreclosure Prevention
The GHA has free one-on-one counseling for households struggling to maintain homeownership. No question is too small, so please give us a call.

Section 8 Homeownership Option
This unique HUD funded program assists qualified very low-income households convert their rental assistance into mortgage assistance.

Affordable Housing Lotteries
The GHA monitors the affordability of several Chapter 40B properties on Cape Ann and conducts lotteries to select income qualified purchasers for initial and subsequent sales. Information on our lotteries is posted in the news section below. Other lotteries can be found at www.chapa.org.

Please contact our Homeownership Specialist at (978) 281-4770 for additional information on any of the above programs.

Homeownership Education News