HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has launched a new statewide online homebuyer education course at no cost, replacing its legacy program with a bilingual platform designed to prepare prospective homeowners and integrated into the agency’s mortgage offerings.
The agency said the course, developed in partnership with homeownership education provider Framework, is available immediately and can be completed independently or alongside one-on-one counseling through participating housing counseling agencies.
The move updates a homebuyer education program that PHFA said has been a component of its services for nearly 15 years, while expanding access through English- and Spanish-language instruction with full audio support. The course is intended to serve first-time buyers, veterans and households planning accessibility modifications, among other borrowers.
PHFA said the platform is incorporated into its existing mortgage programs and is designed to help borrowers better understand the homebuying process before purchasing a home.
“For nearly 15 years, our agency has put education at the forefront of our services to ensure it remains a critical part of sustainable homeownership,” PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann said. “With Framework, we replaced our legacy course with one that speaks directly to the needs of Pennsylvania families… while also giving us the ability to measure impact and continuously strengthen our programs.”
Beyond the required homebuyer education course, the platform includes optional post-purchase educational courses, a housing newsletter and access to a marketplace offering homeowner discounts and related services.
Framework said homeowners who complete its education courses experience a foreclosure rate that is 28% lower than the national average, though the company did not provide additional details about the underlying research in the announcement.
Omar Esposito, president and CEO of Framework, said the partnership demonstrates how state housing finance agencies can use technology to deliver localized homebuyer education while measuring program outcomes.
The online course is available at no cost to eligible Pennsylvania homebuyers through PHFA at: https://learn.frameworkhomeownership.org/phfa.
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