FREE WORKSHOP FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS AT FSU PANAMA CITY FEB. 27

Florida State University Panama City will host a free First-Time Homebuyers Workshop on Feb. 27, designed to take participants through the steps of looking for a new home and qualifying for a home loan.

The workshop will be from 5-8 p.m. in the Holley Academic Center’s St. Joe Community Lecture Hall, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City. A light buffet meal will be served at 5 p.m.

“Understanding who qualifies as a first-time home buyer can open doors to various special loan programs and assistance,” according to a statement from Wendy Ritz, DBA, associate teaching professor of Marketing at FSU Panama City. “So, whether you’re venturing into homeownership for the first time or making a comeback, you could still reap the financial advantages of qualifying as a first-time home buyer.”

This workshop, sponsored by SmartBank, is designed to inform prospective homebuyers on the steps needed to be mortgage-ready, including budget creation and building credit. Participants can expect an overview of the searching and buying process, the documents needed, and information on several special programs for first-time homebuyers, as well as recent changes in the rules for real estate agents.

The workshop’s first session will begin with a discussion of “Why You Should Buy Instead of Rent.”  The second session will be in the form of three breakout classes from which participants can choose:

• John Shook, a broker with Exit Sands Realty, will address finding a new home, including considerations of personal income, neighborhoods, HOA fees, size and age of the structure, and more.
• Trey Hutt of Hutt Insurance will discuss appraisals, flood zones, hurricane coverage, trends in the Florida market and price expectations.
• Holly Spring, a mortgage credit officer with SmartBank, will discuss financing qualifications and programs.