More than 300 people crowded into Washington Family Church in Columbia Heights Saturday. Their backs were turned to the pulpit, but they weren’t shunning prayer—they were merely preparing themselves for homeownership.
The Neighborhood Assistance Association of America sponsored a workshop, which aimed to help people become homeowners.
The organization works with certain lending institutions and can offer 100 percent financing as long as homeowners follow their detailed plan for spending, budgeting and saving.
Donavan Charlot took that first step and the subsequent ones, which led him to home ownership at the ripe old age of 25.
"I was able to get a mortgage rate that both my wife and I could afford. This is the best mortgage program in America," Charlot said.
There’s a sign of the times at the workshops lately--only about half of the people who show up are trying to buy a home. Many are in danger of losing the home they currently own. But, the workshop offers help to those in need through its Home Save program, which works to reduce interest rates to an affordable payment, according to the NACA.
And for what can be an intimidating process, this workshop was a first step in making the home buying experience a bit easier.
