HIGHLIGHTS
- HUD wanted to understand the impact of offering homebuyer education and counseling.
- Abt conducted an experimental evaluation which includes almost 6,000 study participants.
- This final report will be released in 2022. A project extension will consider one additional post-COVID year of data.
The Challenge
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) wants to know about the effectiveness of offering access to first-time homebuyer education and counseling.
The Approach
The evaluation drew from 28 metropolitan areas, resulting in a sample of nearly 6,000 prospective first-time homebuyers with low-to-middle incomes. The study engaged three major lenders, two national service providers, and more than 60 local housing counseling agencies to help carry out the demonstration.
The Results
The study followed households for about five years to provide objective evidence on how these services help first-time homebuyers develop knowledge and skills and improve their financial health and homeownership sustainability.
This is the latest in a series of studies of homebuyer education and counseling that Abt Global is conducting for HUD. Previous reports and publications include the following:
- The First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration Baseline Report: Study Design and Implementation
- The First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration: Early Insights
- Who Participates in Homebuyer Education and Counseling Services and Why? Insights from HUD’s First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration
- An Examination of Participation in Homebuyer Education and Counseling Services
- The HUD First-Time Homebuyer Education and Counseling Demonstration: Short-Term Impact Report