Free Housing Counseling Class Registration


Please use our online registration form or download our class registration form.
The Housing Counseling Program provides free classes and individual counseling helping more than 9,500 potential first-time home buyers and homeowners. Monthly classes focus on topics not taught in regular school including understanding credit, credit repair, money management, saving plans, grant programs and understanding the home buying process including selecting a realtor and finding the best mortgage.
Genesis Housing Corporation is a certified U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Counseling Agency. Genesis Housing Corporation is also an approved Counseling Agency for FannieMae and PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). Providing HUD and PHFA approved counseling allows a qualified applicant to participate in special bank programs and the state programs which can often benefit home buyers. Genesis Housing Corporation is also an approved agency for housing counseling grant programs including the Montgomery County First-time Home Buyers Program, Norristown’s First-time Home Buyers Program and Federal Home Loan Bank’s First Front Door Program. These programs allow more families to become home buyers by reducing the amount of savings required for down payments and closing costs.

We are living in very difficult times and there are many unknowns.  What we do know is that Genesis Housing Corp. has been around for over 25 years. The strength of our culture and the trust of our clients is what keeps us going.  We are here to serve and to support you.  We will get through this together.

The health and safety of our employees, clients and community is our top priority.  To do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19, we will continue to work from our homes and keep our office closed.

We are now offering virtual classes (Click Here) and virtual individual counseling using Zoom. (Click Here)

Our free classes focus on topics not taught in regular school including understanding credit, money management and understanding the home buying process including selecting a realtor, finding the best mortgage and grant programs.

Genesis Housing Corporation is a certified U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Counseling Agency and is also an approved Counseling Agency for PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA).

You can also check out our 30-minute credit workshop from the 2018 Montgomery County Housing Fair. This workshop provides an overview on understanding credit and credit scores

Click Here to View our Video!

This year, we will be offering virtual classes and virtual individual counseling using Zoom. We have made this decision to protect the health and safety of our employees, clients and community.

Our free classes focus on topics not taught in regular school including understanding credit, money management and understanding the home buying process including selecting a realtor, finding the best mortgage and grant programs.

Genesis Housing Corporation is a certified U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Counseling Agency and is also an approved Counseling Agency for PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA).

Click Here to View our Video!

Housing Counseling Classes

Class #1

Understanding Credit

Class #2

Money Management

Class #3

Home Buying Basics

We have updated our regular classes to allow you to attend while staying at home. Each of our regular classes has been divided into two parts (each about an hour). When you register for a class, you will be signing up for two class sessions – Part 1 on Monday and Part 2 on Wednesday.

Register for our classes online. Classes are FREE but registration is required.  Individual counseling sessions are available after attending your first class.

Genesis Housing offers monthly classes in Norristown. Classes are offered in other Montgomery County locations several times per year. Classes are free but registration is required.

Register for our classes online. Genesis Housing Corporation offers FREE Housing Counseling Classes in three sessions.  View class brochure. Individual counseling sessions are available after attending your first class.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Genesis Housing do?

Genesis Housing Corporation develops affordable housing and provides free housing counseling services to help educate consumers on housing and financial issues. Our general activities include the rehabilitation of homes to improve and stabilize neighborhoods and to provide safe and decent housing for lower income families. Genesis Housing Corporation also provides housing counseling, credit, money management and foreclosure prevention services.

Can You Fix My Credit?

Improving credit scores is a very complex issue. There are five main factors that affect a person’s FICO score. Genesis Housing Corporation teaches a free (two-hour) class on Understanding Credit, which breaks down this topic into understandable language. We also have funding from the Montgomery County Housing and Community Development Department to provide free credit reports with scores for students in our class. Following the class, we encourage every student to set up an individual session where we review in detail your credit report, and develop a Plan of Action for the next 6-9 months. This usually ties together a Money Management Strategy as well. Since these topics are closely related, we usually recommend our class on Money Management, where we explore topics related to spending (all spending, not just bill paying) and why families at many different income levels often seem to struggle financially.

I Want To Buy My First Home, And I Don’t Know Where To Start?

Our class on Home Buying Basics takes you step by step through the home buying process, and the order in which to do them. We cover what lenders look for so that you can determine if you are ready to buy and how much you can afford. We talk about special mortgages and grants for first time home buyers, choosing a lender, a realtor and understanding the bidding process, the basics of the Agreement of Sale, and how much money you will need to be able to buy. Our individual sessions are designed to help you calculate an affordable price range and explore multiple options mortgage and grant that may be available to you.

Does Genesis Housing Corporation Give Out Home Buyer Grants?
Genesis Housing Corporation does not give grants for closing costs but we are very familiar with a number of grant providers and work closely with many programs for first time home buyers. Our free class on Home Buying Basics covers a review of these grants and an individual session can help determine if you may be eligible for any programs.
I Already Own A Home. Lately I’ve Been Struggling To Keep My Payments On Time. Can You Help?

Our Money Management Class focuses on topics relating to spending habits and reducing other spending areas to get focused on a “needs only” budget in tough times. In addition, we work with existing homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgage or their taxes, to develop a strategy to attempt to get caught up, by analyzing spending patterns and helping them set up a realistic budget, while talking to the lender or tax collector on their behalf to consider options to help them get back on track.

Does Genesis Housing provide grants to help pay rent, utilities or for home repairs?
No, Genesis Housing is unable to assist with any financial payments but there are some services provided by the County that may be of assistance if you are a resident of Montgomery County, PA.

Montgomery County Contact Numbers:

Does Genesis Housing have rental units?
Genesis Housing owns and manages six affordable single family homes. All are currently rented and there is no waiting list. For more information, please contact the property management company, Columbus Property Management, at 215-557-8484. The PA Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) provides a listing of available units for affordable housing developments on the PA Housing Finance Agency site.

Schedule & Registration

Genesis Housing offers monthly classes. Classes are FREE but registration is required. Register for our classes online. 

New Virtual Classes! 

We have updated our regular classes to allow you to attend while staying at home. Each of our regular classes has been divided into two parts (each about an hour). When you register for a class, you will be signing up for two class sessions – Part 1 on Monday and Part 2 on Wednesday.

Genesis Housing offers FREE monthly classes but registration is required. Register for our classes online. 

Virtual Classes

Our classes are live and provided via Zoom so there is an opportunity to ask questions. Classes are divided into two parts (each about an hour). When you register, you will be signing up for two class sessions – Part 1 on Monday and Part 2 on Wednesday.

Norristown Classes

Norristown classes are held at the Montgomery County Human Services Building, 1430 DeKalb Street, 1st Floor, Norristown, PA. All classes are Monday evenings from 7:00 – 9:00 PM.

Pottstown Classes

Pottstown classes Pottstown classes will be held at the YWCA Tri-County, 300 King Street, Pottstown, PA 19464 in April 2020.

Lower Merion Classes

Lower Merion classes will be held in Lower Merion Township in October at the Ludington Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA. The Lower Merion classes are offered in partnership with Lower Merion Affordable Housing Corp.

Willow Grove Classes

Willow Grove classes will be held at the Crestmont Clubhouse, 2595 Rubicam Ave, Willow Grove, PA in June 2020.

Norristown Pottstown Lower Merion Willow Grove

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Names of People Attending

Dates and Sessions you Plan to Attend

Contact Information

Person #2 Information

Class Registration - Person #1

The following information is requested for required grant reporting purposes only.

Class Registration - Person #2

The following information is requested for required grant reporting purposes only.

Issues You Would Like the Counselor to Discuss in Class