HUD Certified Housing Counselor

Housing Counselor

Reports to: Homeownership Center Manager

Suncoast Housing Connections’ mission is to provide Education, Counseling, Housing Opportunities and to
Revitalize Neighborhoods for low to moderate income households. Our housing counselors are key to meeting our mission and goals.

SUMMARY OF POSITION
HUD Certified Housing Counselor provides Foreclosure Prevention / Pre-Purchase comprehensive individual counseling services to prospective homebuyers and existing homeowners. The counseling sessions cover a broad array of areas related to the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to buy, build, rehabilitate and maintain a home. The main responsibility is to assess those obstacles faced by the client in pursuing their goal of achieving and maintaining homeownership, evaluating feasibility, and developing an action plan for success. Also, to act as an advocate and advisor to the client with banks, servicers, Realtors, and other parties. The
Counselor’s ultimate role is to utilize tools related to budgeting, debt reduction, as well as credit building and consumer awareness to facilitate progress towards goal.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct comprehensive individual counseling sessions.

• Provide time-sensitive foreclosure counseling and coaching.

• Identify the required tools and establish a system for assessing mortgage-readiness status, triaging clients, identifying obstacles, developing corrective-action plans, assigning client tasks and facilitating client progress toward his or her ultimate goal.

• Collect and assemble all necessary documentation required

• Adhere to scheduled appointments for counseling sessions while maintaining efficient and effective system for client follow-up and contact with no-shows.

• Adhere to all guidelines related to confidentiality.

• Maintain and update client records after each counseling session in the client management system and/or other required client tracking systems.

• Submit correct billing documentation by the date set.

• Interact effectively and confidently with individuals at all social and economic levels that access the Homeownership Center’s services, other members of the community and partners.

• Ensure that quality-control measures are followed, and that client satisfaction is a priority of the counseling program.

• Participate in marketing/outreach activities.

• Demonstrate ability to sense when people are overwhelmed and to break obstacles down into manageable steps.

• Engage clients and help families solve their financial problems and accomplish their housing-related goals.

• Identify internal weaknesses, identify solutions and to adapt counseling methods and tools to create more efficient systems and more effective client outcomes.

• Attend training programs for counselors as instructed by Homeownership Center Manager.

• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• HUD Certified Counselor

• Two to four years’ experience in mortgage lending and finance environment

• Minimum two years’ housing counseling experience working with clients on an individual basis with at least 1 year experience with foreclosure counseling

• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred

• Ability to work independently and as a productive team member.

• Knowledge of local community and service provider network

• Flexible, adaptive and positive attitude in a constantly changing environment.

• Detail-oriented, with a willingness to learn new skills and techniques to promote efficiency and successful client outcomes.

• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively in both individual and group settings.

• Must be able to some work weekends and evenings

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

COVID-19 considerations:
Staff are working a hybrid schedule of time in office and working from home.

Experience:

• Housing Counseling: 1 year (Required)
• HUD Certification: 1 year (Required)

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

Work Location: One location

Salary : $18 - $22