You Don't Have to Figure Out Everything Today.
You only need to identify the next step.
Preparing for Homeownership Starts With Knowing Where You Stand
Buying a home is a significant step. You don't have to determine whether you're ready — or what you need to work on — by yourself.
Dominion's housing counseling provides personalized guidance to help you understand where you are today and develop practical next steps toward homeownership.
Get Started with Housing Counseling →
HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency | HUD-Certified Housing Counselors
Housing Counseling Is About Your Homeownership Journey
A housing counseling session is a one-on-one conversation focused on you — your goals, finances, questions, and path toward homeownership.
Your counselor helps you look at the complete picture, understand factors that may affect your readiness, and develop an individualized plan for moving forward.
You don't need to have everything figured out before scheduling counseling. Figuring out the next steps is part of the process.
Five Parts of the Conversation
Your Homeownership Goal
We'll talk about where you hope to go and what may be important to consider along the way.
Income & Spending
We'll look at how money moves through your household and how that may affect housing affordability.
Savings
We'll review the resources you have today and what you may need to prepare for the costs associated with homeownership.
Credit & Debt
We'll look at how your current credit and debt picture may affect mortgage readiness and identify actions that may help.
Your Next Steps
We'll identify priorities and practical actions that can move you closer to your homeownership goal.
The goal isn't perfection. It's understanding where you are and what comes next.
Three Steps
Prepare
We'll let you know what information and documents will help make your counseling session productive.
Meet With Your Counselor
You'll meet one-on-one with a HUD-certified housing counselor to discuss your goals and review your current financial picture.
Leave With a Plan
Together, you'll identify priorities and practical next steps so you know what to work on after your session.
Preparing for an upcoming appointment?
Prepare for Your Housing Counseling Session →What Does Housing Counseling Cost?
Dominion charges a fee for housing counseling. Fees range from $45 to $150, depending on the service.
We recognize that every household's financial circumstances are different. That's why your fee may be adjusted based on your household income.
We'll let you know the cost before your appointment so you know what to expect.
Not Ready to Buy Yet? That's Okay.
Housing counseling isn't only for people who are ready to apply for a mortgage. You may benefit from counseling if you're:
- Just beginning to think about homeownership
- Unsure whether your finances are ready
- Working on credit, debt, or savings
- Trying to understand what may be standing in your way
- Preparing for homeownership sometime in the future
You don't need to arrive mortgage-ready. You simply need a place to begin.
Looking for a Homebuyer Class?
Housing counseling and homebuyer education can both help you prepare for homeownership, but they serve different purposes.
Housing Counseling
Personalized, one-on-one guidance focused on your individual circumstances, financial readiness, and homeownership plan.
Homebuyer Education
A class designed to help you understand the homebuying process, from preparing to buy through purchase and successful homeownership.
Depending on your circumstances, you may benefit from one or both. Explore Homebuyer Education →
Your Next Step Doesn't Have to Be Buying a Home.
It may be understanding your credit.
Building savings.
Reducing debt.
Creating a spending plan.
Or simply learning what needs to happen next.
Wherever you're beginning, we'll help you identify the next step toward your homeownership goal.
Housing counseling fees are based on household income, and no client is denied counseling for inability to pay. View our fee schedule →
Not sure this is the right service? Find the Right Service →