June is Home Ownership Month

For many citizens, owning a home is the very definition of American freedom and independence. Having your own home or real estate has been the American dream since before the Homestead Act. Because of how important home ownership is to Americans, June has been declared National Homeownership Month. All through the month of June, local and national organizations around the country will draw attention to the benefits of home ownership and encourage responsible home ownership. As of today, about 70 percent of Americans own their own homes at this time. According to the National Association of Realtors, this month is also the 40th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act.

On April 11, 1968 President Lyndon Johnson urged congress to approve the Fair Housing Act just one week following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as a tribute to Dr. King's legacy and commitment to civil rights. One of the Act's central objectives was to prevent discrimination based on race in the sales or rental of housing. This historic Act has since empowered people from all races and ethnicities to pursue the dream of equal access to housing.

In 2002, President George W. Bush designated June as National Homeownership Month. The goal of drawing such attention to home ownership at that time was to increase minority homeownership in America by 5.5 million by the end of the decade. At this point in time, the rate of minority homeownership has climbed to above 50 percent.

During "Home Ownership Month," three sessions are available for first-time homebuyers to attend called "Opportunity Knocking: Get the Facts for First Time Homebuyers". These sessions are sponsored by the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, Bremer Bank and Freddie Mac. The discussions are opportunities for potential first-time buyers to learn about the process of buying a home, visit with lending and real estate professionals, and discover home-buying resources and services. Here, prospective buyers can connect with and share information with other people who may be thinking of buying a home. The events are scheduled for the following days: Thursday, June 12 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Roseville Library, Meeting Room 2108 Hamline Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113 Tuesday, June 17 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Richfield Community Center, Richfield Room 7000 Nicollet Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423Saturday, June 21 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Brookdale-Hennepin Area Library, Meeting Room C 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430 One of the events is happening today, so plan accordingly if you would like to attend that session. As you can see though, there are two other sessions available within the Twin Cities!

If you are a first time home buyer, you may really benefit from attending one of these events. Also, Barker & Hedges offers first time homebuyers and home buying veterans alike the opportunity to attend one of our free, monthly home buying seminars. At one of our events, all aspects of the Home Buying process will be covered including: How to pick a Real Estate Agent, What types of loans are available, How much money you will need for down payment, Home Buying Tips, Agency Disclosure, The Home Buying Process, and the Purchase Agreement from start to finish. You can register for our next event here!

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