People in the market for their first home can take virtual classes to learn more about the process and their financing options.
By: K. Michelle Moran | C&G Newspapers | Published June 2, 2026
METRO DETROIT — Buying a home is the biggest investment most people will ever make, but it’s a complex process that can be intimidating.
Prospective homeowners now have a source of information and resources as close as their laptop or smartphone. Homebuyer workshops outline and break down the steps people need to take before, during and after the purchasing process so that purchasers are prepared and know what to expect.
June is National Homeownership Month, and Southfield-based nonprofit Gesher Human Services is celebrating with Homeownership Empowerment Week, a week of classes open to anyone from June 8 to 12.
June 8 — the only day participants need to be present in person — is Know Your Score, during which participants will get a free copy of their credit score and meet one-on-one with home counselors for one-hour sessions between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to learn how to interpret that report, how to improve their credit score to get a better mortgage interest rate and how scores are calculated. Gesher is located at 29699 Southfield Road in Southfield. Registration is preferred and can be made by visiting geshermi.org and clicking on the Events tab under News & Events; walk-ins will also be accepted.
“We really want families to be aware of what their credit score is … so that way, if there is rebuilding (needed), we can help them make that happen,” said Laltsha Cunningham, financial education manager for Gesher Human Services.
More importantly, she said, is for people to know what’s in the credit report. Through the federal government, everyone is eligible for one free copy of their credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies per year; this can be obtained by visiting annualcreditreport.com.
“We see a lot of inconsistency and inaccuracy on these reports,” Cunningham said.
The remainder of the week’s classes are virtual and consist of: Before the Loan: Debt Management on June 9, Getting Educated: The Path to Ownership on June 10, The Cost Continues: Ongoing Mortgage Costs on June 11 and If I Default: What to Do Next on June 12. Registration for these sessions can be made on the Gesher website.
For those who can’t take part in these sessions, Gesher can still be of help.
“We still have plenty of resources for them all month long,” said Cunningham, who encouraged prospective homebuyers to reach out to them for information.
With renting being an expensive option, homebuying can look appealing, since a mortgage is a more stable cost. However, Cunningham said people need to make sure they’re prepared for ongoing expenses, like a new roof or furnace.
“We want to get families into homes, but we (also) want to keep them in their homes,” Cunningham said. “I like to recommend home ownership because that’s going to be your best financial bet with rising rents.”
Michigan State University Extension offers regular virtual homebuying classes, which are held on different days and at different times. These single-session, four-hour online classes cost $25 per person, but scholarships are available to qualified applicants by request. Participants need to register about two days in advance; the deadline to register is listed for each class. MSU Extension specialist Erica Tobe said the four-hour class is taught by U.S. Housing and Urban Development-certified instructors, so upon successful completion, participants can get a certificate; completion of this kind of class is required for some loans or downpayment options.
There’s also a self-paced option — at a cost of $89 with online coupon — for those whose schedules won’t allow them to take a single, four-hour class.
Tobe said the class “covers the gamut,” including understanding the lender process, budgeting for a home purchase, loan options, downpayment assistance programs, the role one’s credit score plays, the closing process, and even home maintenance and foreclosure.
“We hope they’re going to get a good, comprehensive education on all (aspects) of the process,” Tobe said.
She said MSU Extension staff also provide free counseling to prevent foreclosure.
“The homebuying process can be very complex, and there’s a lot of pieces to it,” Tobe said. “(We’re) just making sure they’re ready … and they know what they’re walking into.”
Gesher offers HUD-certified homebuyer education classes as well, at a cost of $50 per household, including one from 4 to 8 p.m. June 15.
In February, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that the Michigan State Housing Development Authority distributed more than $1 billion in home mortgage and down payment assistance loans in 2025, the most in a single year since the agency was founded in 1966. Those funds enabled 6,193 Michiganders to become homeowners last year, according to the press release from the Governor’s Office.
“Home ownership remains one of the strongest pathways to long-term economic security,” MSHDA CEO and Executive Director Amy Hovey said in the press release. “This milestone shows what’s possible when we work together to remove barriers and empower Michigan families.”
Some cities, including Detroit and Pontiac, have downpayment assistance programs too. To register or for more information about the MSU Extension classes, visit mimoneyhealth.org. For more about the Gesher classes, visit geshermi.org.