PRE-PURCHASE 

COUNSELING

Outcome Study: Research Brief

Housing Counseling Outcome Evaluation

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development | Office of Policy Development and Research
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May 2012

Prepared for

U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development

Washington, D.C.

Submitted by

Abt Associates Inc.

4550 Montgomery Avenue

Suite 800 North 

Bethesda, MD 20814

Jennifer Turnham

Anna Jefferson

In Partnership with

IMPAQ International LLC

PRE-PURCHASE 

COUNSELING

Outcome Study: Research Brief

Housing Counseling Outcome Evaluation
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the many U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) staff who 

supported the project and provided critical input along the way. Marina Myhre of HUD’s Office of 

Policy Development and Research (PD&R) served as Government Technical Representative, assisting 

the Abt Associates team at all stages of the project. In addition, Kevin Neary, Mark Shroder, Carol 

Star, and Pam Blumenthal from HUD PD&R provided critical review of study deliverables. Ruth 

Roman and Brian Siebenlist from HUD’s Office of Housing also played a key role in supporting the 

project and provided input for this report.

The authors also acknowledge the many individuals on the Abt Associates project team who 

contributed to this report and the research on which it was based. Within Abt Associates, Jonathan 

Spader guided the analysis, Jill Khadduri provided expert technical review, David Bell-Feins 

supported the analysis with programming and data documentation, and Missy Robinson provided 

desktop publishing and production support. Nichole Fiore, Louise Rothschild, and Christopher Blaine 

supported the data collection effort.

IMPAQ International, under subcontract to Abt Associates, was responsible for the survey data 

collection for the study, including designing the counseling services data system (CSDS) that collected 

information on the services received by study participants. The IMPAQ team was led by Ted Shen, 

with support from Lisa Lin, Stephanie Naber, and Goska Grodsky.

The authors also especially thank Christopher Herbert of the Joint Center for Housing Studies 

of Harvard University, who led the first phase of the study while at Abt Associates and served as 

a consultant to the project for the remainder of the study. Dr. Herbert provided key input in the 

development of this report.

The study would not have been possible without the cooperation of the 15 housing counseling agencies 

whose counselors filled out surveys, recruited their clients to participate, and collected data on the 

services they provided to pre-purchase counseling clients over a 6-month period. The agencies are 

Chicanos Por La Causa; Community Action Agency of Oklahoma; Consumer Credit Counseling 

Service (CCCS) of Kern and Tulare Counties; CCCS of Lutheran Social Services–South Dakota; 

CCCS of Greater Dallas; Du Page Homeownership Center, Inc.; Family Services, Inc.; Houston 

Area Urban League; Mission of Peace Community Development Corporation; National Council on 

Agricultural Life and Labor; Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) Buffalo, 

NACA Charleston, Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago, Inc.; NHS of Greater Berks; 

and St. Petersburg Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. We are very grateful for their participation.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Finally, the authors thank the 573 pre-purchase counseling clients who enrolled in the study and made 

possible the findings of this report.

DISCLAIMER

The contents of this report are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or 

policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Government.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS/DISCLAIMER
FOREWORD

This study and its companion, Foreclosure Counseling Outcome Study, are part of a series of studies 

on HUD’s housing counseling program. The first report, “The State of the Housing Counseling 

Industry,” published in 2008, presented the first systematic overview of the housing counseling 

industry and HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and the clients they serve. The Housing 

Counseling Outcome Evaluation, the second in this series, is designed to document the circumstances 

of housing counseling clients enrolled in foreclosure and pre-purchase counseling in the fall of 2009 

at a broad sample of HUD-funded housing counseling agencies across the country. The study findings 

are being published as two separate reports, Foreclosure Counseling Outcome Study and Pre-Purchase 

Counseling Outcome Study. 

The Pre-Purchase Counseling Outcome Study provides detailed characteristics of a sample of people 

seeking pre-purchase counseling, including their income and credit status, their reasons for seeking 

counseling, the stage in the purchase process at which counseling occurs, and detailed information 

about the nature of counseling services delivered including total hours of counseling received, type of 

counseling, and which topics were covered. 

The key findings of the study include:

•	 Most study participants were planning to purchase a home within one year (74 percent) and 

were motivated to seek counseling to identify homebuyer assistance programs (58 percent) or 

to obtain down payment or closing cost assistance or to qualify for a specific loan program (58 

percent). 

•	 Most study participants started pre-purchase counseling early in the home buying process (only 

15 percent had a signed purchase agreement), had not received any kind of housing counseling 

or financial education within the past 3 years (66 percent) and received education on topics 

related to homeownership readiness, help with budgeting and improving their credit, financing 

a home, and shopping for a home.

•	 Most study participants were employed full-time (81 percent), earned a median annual income 

of $30,000, and had little money in non-retirement savings or retirement accounts when they 

sought pre-purchase counseling services.

•	 Study participants were racially and ethnically diverse (52 percent African American, 32 percent 

White, 16 percent of another race or multi-racial, and 19 percent Hispanic), young (51 percent 

were under age 35), female (72 percent), had dependents under the age of 18 living with them 

(57 percent), and had some college education at the time of enrollment in counseling (66 

percent).

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION

FOREWORD
•	 About one third (35 percent) of the study participants had become homeowners 18 months after 

seeking pre-purchase counseling. Those participants who had become homeowners had higher 

average incomes, more money in savings, and higher credit scores and were more likely to be 

employed full-time and have a college degree than non-purchasers.

•	 Most purchasers had a FICO score of 620 or higher (71 percent), had a signed purchase 

agreement (31 percent), were reported as having completed counseling by their housing 

counselor (72 percent), and were assessed as “mortgage-ready” by their housing counselor

(66 percent).

•	 The study tracked participants at 12 to 18 months after receiving pre-purchase counseling 

services. Only one of the purchasers had fallen at least 30 days behind on his or her mortgage 

payments and none had a major derogatory event on a mortgage account.

The findings of the Pre-Purchase Counseling Outcome Study suggest that counseling helped a 

relatively diverse group of low- to middle-income individuals obtain useful information about how 

to search for a home, finance a home, assess their readiness to purchase a home, help with budgeting 

and improving their credit, with some receiving information on home maintenance and resolving or 

preventing mortgage delinquency. While we cannot say that the study sample is representative of all 

pre-purchase counseling clients served by the study agencies, this study provides a snapshot of some 

pre-purchase counseling clients at 15 different housing counseling agencies across the country in 

the fall of 2009, what services they received, and how many purchased a home within 18 months of 

seeking pre-purchase counseling services.

Given the recent housing crisis, we need more information on potential tools that can help families 

avoid problems through their choices about how to be housed – either by keeping them from entering 

a homeownership situation they cannot handle or by getting into a sustainable homeownership 

situation. This study contributes to the limited literature on housing counseling, which is one such 

tool, and comes at a critical time, given the ongoing policy discussions about federal support for 

housing counseling. The positive results of this study will no doubt help inform these conversations.

Raphael W. Bostic, Ph.D.

Assistant Secretary for Policy 

Development and Research

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION

FOREWORD
PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING 

OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������x

1. Introduction ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1

1.1 Study Background ...................................................................................................................1

1.2 Research Literature on Pre-Purchase Counseling ....................................................................3

1.3 Research Questions .................................................................................................................6

1.4 Study Limitations ....................................................................................................................8

1.5 Organization of the Report .....................................................................................................9

2. Sampling and Data Collection ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10

2.1 Sample Selection and Recruitment ........................................................................................10

2.2 Data Sources and Data Collection Methods .........................................................................14

3. Client Characteristics������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17

3.1 Demographic Characteristics.................................................................................................17

3.2 Employment and Financial Situation ....................................................................................19

3.3 Housing Situation .................................................................................................................23

3.4 Summary ...............................................................................................................................25

4. Counselor Characteristics ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27

4.1 Demographic Characteristics and Education .........................................................................27

4.2 Counseling Experience, Training, and Certifications ............................................................28

4.3 Summary ...............................................................................................................................32

5. Counseling Services���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������33

5.1 Stage in Home Purchase Process and Reasons for Seeking Counseling .................................33

5.2 Prior Counseling Experiences ................................................................................................36

5.3 Counselor Assessments of Mortgage Readiness .....................................................................37

5.4 Type and Amount of Services Received .................................................................................40

5.5 Content of Counseling Services .............................................................................................45

5.6 Completion of Counseling Services and Action Steps ...........................................................47

5.7 Summary ...............................................................................................................................49

6. Client Outcomes��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������51

6.1 Incidence of Home Purchases ................................................................................................51

6.2 Total Loan Amount, Monthly Payment Amount, and Payment Burden ...............................53

6.3 Factors Associated With Home Purchases .............................................................................56

6.4 Changes in Credit Rating ......................................................................................................58

6.5 Summary ...............................................................................................................................59

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Appendix A. Baseline Survey for Pre-Purchase Clients���������������������������������������������������������������61

Appendix B. Service Tracking Survey for Pre-Purchase Clients ������������������������������������������������ 68

Appendix C. Counselor Survey����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������72

References ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������75

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF EXHIBITS

Exhibit 2-1. Agencies Participating in the Pre-Purchase Study.............................................................12

Exhibit 3-1. Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment 

Compared With Renters in Select MSAs .........................................................................18

Exhibit 3-2. Employment Status of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment .........................19

Exhibit 3-3. Distribution of Gross Monthly Income of Study Participants and Co-Borrowers

at Time of Study Enrollment ........................................................................................... 20

Exhibit 3-4. Gross Annual Earnings of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment .................. 20

Exhibit 3-5. Amount of Money in (Nonretirement) Savings at Time of Study Enrollment ................21

Exhibit 3-6. Total Savings (Retirement and Nonretirement) Reported at Time of

Study Enrollment ............................................................................................................. 22

Exhibit 3-7. Credit Scores of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment ................................... 23

Exhibit 3-8. Monthly Rent and Utilities Paid By Study Participants at Time of 

Study Enrollment ............................................................................................................. 24

Exhibit 3-9. Monthly Rent Burden at Time of Study Enrollment ...................................................... 24

Exhibit 4-1. Demographic Characteristics of Pre-Purchase Counselors Surveyed Compared

With Study Participants ................................................................................................... 28

Exhibit 4-2. Counselors’ Years of Counseling Experience ....................................................................29

Exhibit 4-3. Total Days or Weeks of Training on Housing Counseling in Past 3 Years ......................29

Exhibit 4-4. Types of Training Received in Past 3 Years...................................................................... 30

Exhibit 4-5. Types of Certifications for Housing Counselors ...............................................................31

Exhibit 5-1. Stage at Which Study Participants Seek Counseling Services ......................................... 34

Exhibit 5-2. Reasons for Seeking Pre-Purchase Counseling Services .................................................. 34

Exhibit 5-3. Reasons for Seeking Counseling by Purchase Stage .........................................................35

Exhibit 5-4. Counseling and Education Received by Study Participants in the 3 Years

Before Study Enrollment ................................................................................................. 36

Exhibit 5-5. How Clients Heard About Pre-Purchase Counseling Services .........................................37

Exhibit 5-6. Counselor Assessment of Mortgage Readiness After First Counseling/Education

Session, All Clients ............................................................................................................ 38

Exhibit 5-7. Counselor Assessment of Mortgage Readiness After First Counseling/Education

Session, Clients With Signed Purchase Agreement ...............................................................39

Exhibit 5-8. FICOTM Scores by Counselor Assessment of Mortgage-Readiness ................................. 40

Exhibit 5-9. Total Number of Service Engagements Within 6-Month Tracking Period .....................41

Exhibit 5-10. Length of Service Engagement .........................................................................................41

Exhibit 5-11. Mode of Service Engagement .......................................................................................... 42

Exhibit 5-12. Types of Services Received by Clients .............................................................................. 43

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION viii

LIST OF EXHIBITS
Exhibit 5-13. Total Amount of Counseling Services per Client, in Hours ............................................ 43

Exhibit 5-14. Length of Service Engagements, in Hours, by Service Engagement Type ...................... 44

Exhibit 5-15. Instructors Providing Counseling Services (Other Than Lead Counselor) ......................45

Exhibit 5-16. Topics Covered in Group Education and Individual Counseling ................................... 46

Exhibit 5-17. Counselor Assessment of Client Completion of Counseling ............................................47

Exhibit 5-18. Counselor Recommendations for Next Steps ................................................................ 48

Exhibit 5-19. Client Outcomes 6 Months After Seeking Counseling ....................................................49

Exhibit 6-1. Presence of Mortgage on Credit Report 18 Months After Study Enrollment ..................52

Exhibit 6-2. Total Loan Amount for Open First Mortgage Accounts, March 2011 ............................53

Exhibit 6-3. Distribution of Monthly Payments for First Mortgage Accounts and All Open

Accounts, March 2011 ..................................................................................................... 54

Exhibit 6-4. Monthly Payment Amount for First Mortgage Accounts and All Accounts in

March 2011 as a Percentage of Gross Monthly Income at Study Enrollment ..................55

Exhibit 6-5. Monthly Rent Plus Utilities in October 2011 Compared With Monthly Payment

on First Mortgage Accounts as of March 2011, for Purchasers Only ...............................55

Exhibit 6-6. Characteristics of Purchasers Compared With Nonpurchaser ........................................ 56

Exhibit 6-7. Changes in Credit Score Between October 2009 and March 2011 .................................58

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION ix

LIST OF EXHIBITS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

This report presents the findings from the Pre-Purchase Counseling Outcomes Study. In the fall of 

2009, the study enrolled a sample of 573 individuals seeking pre-purchase counseling services from 

1 of 15 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved and HUD-funded 

counseling agencies across the country. The study team collected information on study participants’ 

motivations for seeking counseling, services received over a 6-month period, and select outcomes 

approximately 18 months after the start of counseling. At the time of seeking counseling, most study 

participants were employed, with incomes consistent with other renters but lower than the average 

homeowner, and with little savings and low credit scores. We found that about 35 percent of the 

study participants had become homeowners as of March 2011. These findings should be interpreted 

as qualitative and exploratory because the study sample may not be representative of the broader 

population of people receiving pre-purchase counseling.

CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDY PARTICIPANTS

The 573 individuals who sought pre-purchase counseling in the fall of 2009 and enrolled in the 

study were racially and ethnically diverse—52 percent were African American, 32 percent were 

White, 16 percent were another race or more than one race, and 19 percent were Hispanic or Latino. 

Study participants were more likely to be African American than was the broader population of 

renters in their communities. Participants were also more likely to be young, to be female, and to 

have dependents in the home than was the overall population of renters in their communities. Of 

study participants, 51 percent were under the age of 35, 72 percent were women, and 57 percent had 

dependents under the age of 18 living with them. By comparison, only 16 percent of renters overall 

were under the age of 35, 55 percent were women, and 31 percent had minor dependents in the 

home. These findings on age and dependents are consistent with the conventional wisdom that people 

seeking pre-purchase counseling are young families with children trying to buy their first homes.

About two-thirds of the individuals in the study had at least some college education at the time 

of enrollment, compared with about 55 percent of renters overall in their communities. Most 

study participants (81 percent) were employed full time, and the vast majority (91 percent) were 

earning $60,000 or less per year. The median annual income for study participants at the time of 

study enrollment was $30,000, compared with approximately $63,000 for homeowner households 

nationwide in 2009 and approximately $30,000 for renter households nationwide in 2009. Study 

participants, in general, had little money in nonretirement savings or retirement accounts at the time 

they sought pre-purchase counseling services.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION x

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The median FICOTM score among study participants at the time of enrollment was 610, with about 45 

percent of clients having a score above the traditional industry cutoff of 620 for subprime loans. As 

might be expected, we found a correlation between participants’ credit scores and their self-assessment 

at the time they were seeking counseling of how easy it would be to obtain a mortgage: clients with 

higher credit scores were more likely to report that they thought it be would be very or somewhat easy 

to obtain a mortgage.

At the time of study enrollment, most clients were paying between $300 and $738 per month in rent, 

although 16 percent of clients reported living rent free. For more than one-half of the study sample, 

the amount paid in rent and utilities amounted to 30 percent or less of their gross monthly income, 

suggesting that most clients were not rent burdened at the time of study enrollment.

Given these characteristics, study participants seem to have had some advantages in pursuing 

homeownership but also to have faced important challenges. On the one hand, study participants 

were mostly employed, relatively educated, and did not have excessive rent burdens. On the other 

hand, they had little savings and low credit scores. The fact that younger people, women, and African 

Americans are overrepresented in the study sample may indicate that these groups have greater need 

for assistance in understanding the benefits and drawbacks of homeownership or the home purchase 

process; it could also indicate that these groups are more motivated to seek counseling.

CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNSELORS

A total of 45 counselors and educators provided pre-purchase services to the 573 clients in the study. 

Of the 45 counselors and educators, 39 completed a survey for the study describing their demographic 

characteristics, education, and years of experience and training related to housing counseling.

The survey results showed that the counselors were racially and ethnically diverse but somewhat more 

likely to be White than study participants (46 as opposed to 32 percent). Most counselors surveyed 

(79 percent) had at least 2 years of housing counseling experience and most were college educated, 

with 95 percent having some college and 56 percent holding a bachelor’s degree. All counselors 

surveyed had received formal training related to housing counseling during the past 3 years, and most 

had one or more certifications by industry organizations or state or regional entities.

COUNSELING SERVICES RECEIVED

The consensus in the counseling industry, reflected in the National Industry Standards (NIS) for 

Homeownership Education and Counseling, is that the earlier in the purchase process clients receive 

pre-purchase counseling, the better their long-term outcomes.1 Starting counseling early in the 

process gives people the opportunity to do a thorough affordability analysis and to determine whether 

homeownership is truly a good option for them. It also gives them more information on what to 

search for in a house and mortgage. Most clients in the study sought counseling before they were 

committed to purchasing. Only 15 percent came with a signed purchase agreement in hand, and 

1. More information about the NIS is available at http://www.homeownershipstandards.org/.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION xi

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
another 23 percent said they planned to purchase within 3 months. The other two-thirds of clients 

either had a longer time horizon for purchasing (52 percent) or had not decided whether they wanted 

to purchase (11 percent).

The two most common reasons for seeking counseling, each cited by 58 percent of the sample, were 

to find homebuyer assistance programs and to obtain assistance or qualify for a specific loan program. 

In addition, a substantial share of clients was seeking help with finding the most appropriate mortgage 

(44 percent) or determining how much house they could afford (41 percent).

Counselors recorded the services provided to each client during the 6 months after enrolling 

in counseling. Some evidence suggests that counselors may have combined sessions when they 

entered data for clients, instead of recording each service engagement separately and, therefore, 

underestimated the total number of sessions. Although the study may underestimate the total number 

of sessions, the data gathered indicate most clients in the study met with a counselor either once or 

twice in the 6 months after enrolling in the study, with less than 10 percent of clients having three or 

more counseling sessions.

Slightly more than one-half of the clients in the study (57 percent) received only group education, 

whereas 26 percent received a combination of group education and individual counseling and 18 

percent received only individual counseling.

Across all clients, the average client received 5.5 hours of counseling services, based on the information 

recorded by counselors. Clients receiving group education only and clients receiving a combination of 

group education and individual counseling received a similar amount of counseling on average (6.2 

hours and 6.3 hours, respectively). Clients receiving only individual counseling spent substantially less 

time in counseling—2.3 hours on average.

The topics covered by the group education provided to study participants, in general, were consistent 

with the core topics recommended by the NIS for Homeownership Education and Counseling. 

More than 90 percent of clients received education on topics relating to homeownership readiness, 

budgeting and credit, financing a home, and shopping for a home. Post-purchase topics were the least 

well represented—63 percent of study participants overall received information on home maintenance 

and 47 percent received information on resolving or preventing mortgage delinquency.

COUNSELING OUTCOMES

Credit report data obtained from March 2011 suggest that about 35 percent of study participants 

purchased housing within 18 months of receiving pre-purchase counseling services. This home 

purchase rate is higher than that found in a 2003 study of Michigan counselees (27 percent), but

still indicates that most people seeking pre-purchasing counseling do not buy a house within a year

or so of receiving these services. This finding may not be surprising, given the population being

served—individuals with little savings and low credit scores. In some cases, postponing a home

purchase may be a successful outcome for a client, given the high costs associated with

unsustainable homeownership.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION xii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Purchasers were more likely to have been characterized by counselors as having completed their 

counseling (72 percent) than were nonpurchasers (43 percent). Purchasers were also more likely to 

have been assessed by their counselors as “mortgage ready”; 66 percent of purchasers, compared with 

33 percent of nonpurchasers, were assessed as “mortgage ready” or “mortgage ready within 90 days” at 

the time of their last recorded counseling session.

Not surprisingly, the study participants who purchased homes had a higher average income than those 

who did not purchase. Purchasers also tended to have more money in savings and higher credit scores 

than nonpurchasers. Study participants who purchased homes were also somewhat more likely to have 

a college degree and to be employed full time at the time they sought counseling. Finally, purchasers 

were more likely to be White and male than were nonpurchasers and more likely to be under the age 

of 35. Given the nature of the study sample, we cannot interpret these results as representative of the 

broader population of pre-purchase counselees.

The housing payment burdens of study participants who purchased do not appear to have increased 

dramatically from when they were renting, which also bodes well for their ability to sustain 

homeownership. Comparing the mortgage payments as of March 2011 to clients’ incomes at the 

time of study enrollment (fall of 2009) suggests that most purchasers (56 percent) had first mortgage 

payment amounts that were 30 percent or less of their gross monthly income at the time of study 

enrollment, 28 percent of purchasers had mortgage payment amounts between 30 and 40 percent,

and 5 percent of purchasers had payment burdens of more than 50 percent, which is considered a 

severe burden.

Although the clients in this study were not tracked for very long after receiving counseling services, 

early indications were that they could sustain homeownership. Only one purchaser had fallen at least 

30 days behind on his or her mortgage in the 12 months before March 2011 and none had a major 

derogatory event on a mortgage account.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION xiii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 STUDY BACKGROUND

As part of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 19682, Congress first authorized the U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide for housing counseling services for 

mortgagors under the new Section 235 (12 U.S.C. 1715Z) and 237 (12 U.S.C. 1715Z-2) programs of 

the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq). Over time, Congress extended this authorization 

to include counseling for other types of households. In recent years, HUD has funded housing 

counseling for homebuyers, homeowners delinquent on their mortgages, homeowners seeking to 

refinance their mortgages (including those seeking Home Equity Conversion Mortgages), renters, and 

homeless individuals and families. This counseling is provided through a diverse set of organizations 

that are designated as HUD-approved counseling agencies and that receive HUD funding for 

counseling. HUD began approving agencies to provide housing counseling services in 1969. To 

become HUD-approved, agencies must meet certain criteria, which include being a nonprofit, having 

successfully administered a housing counseling program for at least 1 year, having had an independent 

financial audit in the past 12 months, maintaining records on housing counseling activities, and 

having sufficient resources and staff to implement their proposed counseling plan. As of September 

2011, approximately 2,300 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies were providing services from 

offices located throughout the United States.

Since 1977, HUD has made funding available annually for approved housing counseling agencies via a 

competitive grant process. Housing counseling agencies may either apply directly to HUD for funding 

or may obtain funding through national or regional intermediaries or state housing finance agencies 

that receive housing counseling grants from HUD. Not all HUD-approved counseling agencies 

receive HUD funding. In fiscal year (FY) 2010, HUD awarded $68 million in housing counseling 

grants to support direct provision of counseling services by 24 national and regional organizations, 5 

multistate organizations, and 484 state and local housing counseling agencies.3 These funds were used 

to provide more than 3 million units of counseling services—either group education or individual 

counseling—for mostly lower income people seeking assistance with purchasing a home, improving 

their credit and financial literacy, avoiding foreclosure, maintaining their home, finding rental 

housing, and accessing homeless services.

Of the more than 3 million units of counseling services provided in FY 2010, 71 percent took the 

form of one-on-one counseling sessions and 29 percent took the form of group education (workshops). 

2. Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701x).

3. Another $5 million in grants was awarded to support counselor training and certification. See http://portal.hud.gov/

hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-269.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 1

1. INTRODUCTION
Of the more than 2 million one-on-one sessions provided, about three-fourths were for foreclosure 

mitigation counseling (65 percent) or pre-purchase counseling (11 percent). Other types of counseling 

accounted for about one-fourth of all one-on-one sessions: rental counseling (13 percent), home 

maintenance/financial management for homeowners (9 percent), and homeless services (3 percent).

In April 2011, Congress eliminated HUD funding for housing counseling in the FY 2011 

appropriations act so as of October 1, 2011, counseling agencies had no FY 2011 HUD funding.4 This 

study therefore comes at a time of important policy discussions about whether the federal government 

ought to support counseling and whether Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and governmentsponsored enterprise (GSE) mortgage products ought to include counseling requirements.

The Housing Counseling Outcome Evaluation focuses on housing counseling provided by HUD-funded 

agencies. The evaluation has two components: a study of pre-purchase counseling, which is the focus 

of this report, and a study of foreclosure mitigation counseling, which is covered in a separate report 

(Jefferson et al., forthcoming). The pre-purchase study examines the characteristics of pre-purchase 

counseling clients, the types of services they receive, and whether and under what circumstances they 

purchase housing in the 18 months after starting counseling. The study also provides an opportunity 

to test some data collection methods that will be used in the new random assignment study of the 

effect of pre-purchase housing counseling.

The pre-purchase outcome study focuses on a panel of 573 clients who received pre-purchase 

counseling services from a group of 15 agencies across the country in late 2009 and early 2010. The 

people who enrolled in the study were seeking pre-purchase counseling services for the first time 

from one of the agencies participating in the study but were not necessarily first-time homebuyers. 

Study enrollment began in August 2009 and was completed in December 2009. Upon enrolling in 

the study, the clients completed a baseline survey that captured their demographic characteristics 

and reasons for seeking counseling. Starting from the time of enrollment, counselors tracked all 

pre-purchase services provided to study participants for 6 months using a web-based system designed 

specifically for the study. At the end of the 6-month tracking period, counselors recorded any known 

outcomes for the clients. Separately, the research team also obtained credit report data for all enrolled 

clients from October 2009 (around the time of study enrollment) and March 2011 (approximately 18 

months later). These data provided credit scores for clients at both points in time and an indication of 

whether the client had a home mortgage.

The remainder of this chapter provides a brief review of the literature on pre-purchase counseling, 

presents the research questions for the study, and describes the contents of the report.

4. Congress restored HUD housing counseling funding to $45 million in the FY 2012 HUD Appropriations Act.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 2

1. INTRODUCTION
1.2 RESEARCH LITERATURE ON

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING

Homeownership counseling has become a prominent feature of affordable lending in the United 

States. The theory behind pre-purchase counseling is that better educating potential homebuyers 

before they purchase a house lessens the risk that people will purchase housing that does not meet 

their needs or is unaffordable to them over the long term. Pre-purchase counseling is also designed to 

give borrowers the tools to understand their mortgage options and avoid predatory lending. By helping 

people to understand their financial readiness to purchase and giving those who choose to purchase 

the tools to find the most appropriate housing and mortgage, counseling is designed to promote the 

kind of responsible homeownership that stabilizes families and neighborhoods and reduces the risk of 

default to lenders.

The availability of pre-purchase counseling has grown substantially since the 1990s. In 1994, HUDfunded agencies delivered about 25,000 units of individual pre-purchase counseling (not counting 

group workshops). By 1999, pre-purchase counseling volumes had increased to more than 200,000 

counseling units per year, and, between 2000 and 2004, approximately 250,000 units were delivered 

annually. Pre-purchase counseling peaked in 2005, with about 500,000 units delivered in that year 

(Herbert et al., 2008). More recently, volumes of both pre-purchase individual counseling and prepurchase group education have declined. In FY 2010, HUD-funded agencies provided about 245,000 

units of pre-purchase individual counseling and about 159,000 units of pre-purchase group education 

(HUD n.d.).

Most research on pre-purchase counseling has focused on identifying the effect of counseling on 

people’s ability to purchase homes and on their housing and financial stability.5 Relatively little has 

been written on the characteristics of pre-purchase clients and the services they received, which is the 

focus of this report. Two studies conducted in the past decade provide the closest comparisons. The 

first is the Evaluation of the Michigan Links to Homeownership Home Purchase Program conducted 

by Abt Associates (Herbert et al., 2003). The Links to Homeownership program was created by the 

Michigan State Housing Development Authority to increase the amount of downpayment assistance 

provided to first-time homebuyers to $10,000 and to provide first-time homebuyers with enhanced 

pre-purchase counseling services. The evaluation examined the implementation of the Links program, 

the characteristics of program participants, and the share of participants who purchased homes. The 

study found that, overall, 13.5 percent of the 5,543 families receiving assistance through the program 

had purchased homes using Links downpayment assistance within 2 years. Among clients served by 

sample of 12 agencies participating in the Links program, the study found a higher rate of purchasing: 

27 percent when counting all sources of financing and including people who received counseling 

through the Links program but did not end up using Links downpayment assistance to purchase. The 

study found that purchasers and nonpurchasers alike had fairly poor credit. More than one-half of all 

purchasers (52 percent) and 85 percent of nonpurchasers had FICOTM scores below 620, a common 

5. See Collins and O’Rourke (2011) for a review of the literature.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 3

1. INTRODUCTION
industry cutoff for subprime loans. Further, 73 percent of purchasers and 59 percent of nonpurchasers 

had credit scores below 550.

The second study of direct relevance for this report is the evaluation of Individual and Neighborhood 

Impacts of the of Neighborhood Reinvestment’s Homeownership Pilot Program conducted by the Center 

for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Rohe et al., 

2003). The study consisted of two mail surveys of clients counseled in 2000 by a sample of eight 

agencies participating in NeighborWorks® America’s Campaign for Homeownership. The survey found 

that 72 percent of respondents had purchased a home 1 to 2 years after receiving counseling. Due to 

a very low response rate to the survey (33 percent) and potential for non-response bias in the sample, 

however, the study’s authors suggested that the actual purchase rate could be as low as 24 percent. The 

study found that people who purchased homes were more likely to be male, White, or an “other” race, 

more likely to be married, more highly educated, and more likely to be employed than people who did 

not purchase. Using multivariate analysis and controlling for household income, education, savings, 

and other variables, the authors found that married people were more likely to purchase homes and 

African Americans were less likely to purchase homes.

Studies focused on measuring the effect of pre-purchase counseling are not directly relevant to 

this report, which aims to contribute to the limited research on characteristics of people who seek 

counseling, the types of services they receive, and whether or not they ultimately purchase a home. 

Nevertheless, in the rest of this section we briefly describe several recent impact studies to provide a 

fuller picture of the research literature on pre-purchase counseling.

Researchers attempting to estimate the effect of pre-purchase counseling programs are presented with 

a number of challenges. For example, studies that fail to implement a randomized controlled trial have 

difficulty identifying a suitable comparison group for counselees, limiting their ability to disentangle 

program effects from differences in borrowers who select into counseling programs. Without a 

control group, we may observe better outcomes for counselees but do not know if it is because of the 

counseling program or because households who choose to enter counseling are, on average, better 

organized and more educated than noncounselees. In addition, the design of counseling programs 

can vary greatly in their mode of delivery (in person or over the phone, individual or group), the 

population they target, and the range of services provided to clients. For these reasons, it is often 

difficult to make general recommendations based on the findings of any one study. Despite these 

challenges, a handful of studies have emerged documenting the effect of pre-purchase counseling on 

borrowers’ actions and outcomes.

Past work has concentrated on the effect of pre-purchase counseling on loan outcomes. Hirad and 

Zorn (2001), using data from 40,000 mortgages originated from 1993 through 1998 under Freddie 

Mac’s Affordable Gold program, examined the effect of pre-purchase counseling programs on default 

rates. They found that counselees had a 19-percent lower 90-day delinquency rate than noncounselees 

after controlling for observable loan and borrower characteristics. When examining the effect of 

specific types of pre-purchase counseling programs, they found that borrowers receiving individual, 

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 4

1. INTRODUCTION
classroom, and home study counseling obtain 34-, 26-, and 21-percent reductions in delinquency 

rates, respectively. In addition, they found no evidence that telephone counseling decreases borrower 

delinquency rates. The comparison group in this study, however, was comprised of Affordable Gold 

loans that were exempted from Freddie Mac’s homeownership counseling requirements. Exempted 

borrowers are perceived as less risky compared with borrowers required to enter counseling and, 

therefore, counseling’s effectiveness could be because of selection bias.

A more recent paper by Agarwal et al. (2009a) exploited an Illinois mandate that required “highrisk” mortgage applicants in 10 Illinois zip codes to submit loan offers to HUD-certified financial 

counselors. Mandatory counseling decreased borrower default rates by about 4 percentage points, 

compared with the default rates of borrowers in a control group of neighborhoods with similar 

demographic characteristics, foreclosure rates, and location. The authors attributed this result to 

lenders exiting the market or requiring tighter screening in response to the external review and, to a 

lesser extent, counseled borrowers renegotiating their loan terms.

Agarwal et al. (2009b) assessed the effectiveness of the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing 

Partnership (INHP) mortgage counseling program by comparing delinquency rates of counselees 

to those of a matched sample of borrowers from the same community. Counselees first attended a 

3-hour class on money management, next received monthly one-on-one counseling related to money 

management for up to 2 years, and finally attended an 8-hour homebuyer education class. The authors 

found lower delinquency rates among program graduates and attributed this finding to the type of 

mortgage contracts graduates received, improved budgeting and credit management skills learned in 

the program, and post-purchase outreach by INHP to address mortgage delinquency at an early stage. 

Whereas the propensity score-matching procedure implemented in this study accounted for selection 

on observables, however, concerns of biased impact estimates remain because counselees and matched 

borrowers could have had different unobservable characteristics that affected loan outcomes.

Spader and Quercia (2009) examined whether pre-purchase counseling affects counselees’ loan-search 

behavior. Using data from 573 clients whose mortgages were purchased through the Community 

Advantage Program, they found that classroom-based and home-based pre-purchase counseling 

programs are associated with a 30-percent (or 6- to 7-percentage point) increase in the likelihood 

that a borrower submitted an additional mortgage application. In addition, the authors found that 

counselees were less likely to rely on real estate agents or friends and family for information about 

lenders. They acknowledged that these effects were relatively small in magnitude, however, and that 

caution should be observed when generalizing these results, because all loans in their sample were 30-

year, fixed-rate mortgages originated by prime lenders.

Although the impact studies documented previously vary in their sample, identification strategy, and 

outcomes, all found positive effects of pre-purchase counseling programs on borrower actions and 

outcomes. More work is needed, however, before a consensus is reached about the effects of specific 

types of counseling methods of delivery and services on client and lender outcomes.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 5

1. INTRODUCTION
This study provides a rich source of information on the nature of the services provided to clients, 

including the total hours of counseling received and the topics covered. This study adds to the research 

literature by providing more detailed information on the characteristics of clients seeking pre-purchase 

counseling, including their income and credit status, on their reasons for seeking counseling, and 

on the stage in the purchase process at which counseling occurs. Finally, this study offers limited 

information on clients who purchase housing within 18 months of starting counseling.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study addresses a series of research questions related to who is receiving pre-purchase counseling, 

what specific services they receive, what the short- and medium-term outcomes of the counseling are, 

and what the findings suggest about the circumstances under which counseling is likely to produce 

more favorable outcomes. In this section, we discuss each of the principal research questions and the 

data sources used to answer them.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS?

This study collects information on clients’ financial, credit, and demographic characteristics and 

housing situation at the time they first sought counseling services. Most information was obtained 

through a survey administered to clients at the time they first sought counseling (the baseline survey), 

but information collected also includes credit report data for all enrolled clients as of October 

2009 that provided information on the clients’ credit standing. The information collected through 

the baseline survey provides a more detailed description of the characteristics of clients seeking 

pre-purchase counseling than is currently available through HUD administrative data, including 

information on levels of retirement and nonretirement savings, sources of income, and

educational attainment.

WHY AND AT WHAT STAGE DO PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS

SEEK COUNSELING?

Also through the baseline survey, we collect information from clients on how they learned about the 

counseling services, at what stage they began counseling, and what they expected to gain from the 

counseling. Understanding the channels through which clients hear about counseling services—for 

example, word of mouth, referrals, and flyers—may be useful for the industry in developing more 

effective outreach and marketing strategies to reach larger numbers of clients and reach them at an 

earlier stage in the homebuying process.

We also seek to find out at what stage clients are in the homebuying process when they first seek 

counseling. Our hypothesis is that outcomes might be different for clients who begin counseling when 

they are first starting to think about purchasing a home as opposed to clients who already have a home 

purchase contract and need to show proof of counseling to receive downpayment assistance through a 

state or local government program or nonprofit organization.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 6

1. INTRODUCTION
Finally, we collect information on why clients are seeking pre-purchase counseling to provide context 

for analyzing client outcomes after completing counseling and to help evaluate the extent to which 

clients are able to achieve the results they hope for when they first seek counseling.

WHAT SPECIFIC SERVICES DO PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS

RECEIVE OVER TIME?

One of the most important contributions of this study is to present detailed information on the types 

of counseling services that clients receive. For each client and each counseling session, the service 

tracking survey and counseling services data system (CSDS) created for the study are designed to 

record the length of the session, the type of session (group or one-on-one counseling), the method of 

counseling (in person or phone), and whether fees are charged. The system also gathers information on 

whether, from the perspective of the counselor, the counseling was completed. The hypothesis is that 

client outcomes vary by the type and intensity of counseling received and by the extent to which the 

client is willing or able to complete the action steps recommended to him or her by the counselor.

The system also includes the counselor’s assessment of the client’s mortgage readiness after each

service engagement.

We also collect information on the characteristics of the counselors and educators providing 

services through a counselor survey. The survey collects information on counselors’ demographic 

characteristics, education level, years of experience as an educator/counselor, professional training 

obtained in past 3 years, and certifications held.

WHAT OUTCOMES DO CLIENTS REALIZE AFTER RECEIVING 

COUNSELING SERVICES?

The crux of the study is to understand what happens to pre-purchase clients after they receive 

counseling. The study attempts to collect outcome data at two points in time: approximately 6 months 

after seeking counseling and 12 months later (18 months after seeking counseling).

The counseling agencies participating in the study are asked to record outcomes for clients at the 

end of the 6-month tracking period, if known, but in most cases the counselors did not report 

the information or reported it as unknown. This lack of recording of client outcomes reflects the 

challenges for counseling agencies of following up with clients after the counseling engagement is 

complete. All HUD-approved counseling agencies are required to follow up with clients to connect 

them to additional services as needed and to learn about client outcomes, but in practice it is very 

difficult to do. Obstacles include a lack of dedicated funding for follow-up activities and the challenge 

of making contact with former clients who may have moved or may not want to share additional 

information (Herbert et al., 2008).

In terms of client outcomes at 18 months, the original study design included a follow-up telephone 

survey with clients. Given the low enrollment of pre-purchase clients into the study and the absence 

of data to validate the representativeness of the sample, HUD did not pursue the follow-up survey. 

(Chapter 2 discusses the challenges encountered in enrolling clients and validating the sample.) We 

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 7

1. INTRODUCTION
did, however, collect credit report data for all clients in the study from March 2011, approximately 

18 months after most clients began counseling, which show whether the client has an open mortgage 

account, indicating that the client has purchased a home.

WHAT DO THE FINDINGS SUGGEST ABOUT THE

CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH COUNSELING IS LIKELY

TO PRODUCE MORE FAVORABLE OUTCOMES?

Without a follow-up survey for pre-purchase clients, we have only limited information on counseling 

outcomes. For some clients, purchasing a house will be a favorable outcome, whereas for other 

clients—those less ready to take on homeownership—deciding not to purchase may be the most 

advantageous. All we have from the credit report data is information on whether the client purchased 

within 18 months of receiving counseling and whether his or her credit score increased or decreased. 

We can analyze the characteristics of purchasers as opposed to nonpurchasers and whether any 

relationship exists between the type or amount of counseling and the likelihood that a client will 

purchase. We will not know, however, whether purchasing was the most favorable outcome for those 

who did so, because we do not know the terms of the loan, how purchasing a home has affected 

the client’s ability to pay other bills and overall financial well-being, or how the client feels about 

the purchase. Likewise, we will not know the reasons why a client in good financial standing did 

not purchase; particularly whether the client did not purchase because he or she could not obtain a 

mortgage or find a suitable house, or for some other reason.

1.4 STUDY LIMITATIONS

This study of pre-purchase counseling suffers from two important limitations that affect the 

interpretation of its findings. First and foremost, the sample of 573 clients is not confirmed to be 

representative of all pre-purchase counseling clients assisted by HUD-approved agencies nationwide. 

It is the intent of the study design to produce a representative sample of these clients, but agency 

participation and client enrollment in the study are both lower than anticipated. As described further 

in Chapter 2, approximately 35 percent of the clients served by participating agencies in the fall 

of 2009 enrolled in the study, but we were not able to obtain consistent and complete data on the 

characteristics of all clients served during the enrollment period that would have enabled us to test the 

extent to which the 35 percent of clients who enrolled in the study were similar to the 65 percent who 

did not enroll. As a result, we cannot say for sure that the study sample of 573 clients is an unbiased 

sample of pre-purchase counseling clients served in the fall of 2009. This factor means that we cannot 

assign sampling weights to the data, nor can we do statistical analysis. The report findings therefore 

should be considered qualitative and exploratory and should be interpreted with caution.

A second limitation is the lack of detailed information on client outcomes after receiving counseling. 

The credit report data obtained for the study show how each client’s credit standing has changed since 

receiving counseling and whether the client has an open mortgage loan, indicating the purchase of a 

home and the monthly payment amount for that mortgage. Without a follow-up survey we have no 

further information on the type or terms of the home mortgage loan for those who purchased.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 8

1. INTRODUCTION
1.5 ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

The remainder of this report is organized into five chapters. Chapter 2 describes the study 

methodology, including the sampling approach, data sources, and data collection methods. Chapter 

3 presents the characteristics of the study sample at the time participants first sought pre-purchase 

counseling, and Chapter 4 describes the characteristics of the counselors and educators who provided 

pre-purchase services to study participants. Chapter 5 describes the counseling services sought and 

received by study participants. Finally, Chapter 6 discusses the information available on the outcomes 

of study participants approximately 18 months after starting counseling, focusing on participants who 

purchased homes.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 9

1. INTRODUCTION
2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION

This chapter provides an overview of the study methodology, including how agencies and clients were 

selected and recruited for participation, and which types of data were collected.

2.1 SAMPLE SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT

The objective in designing the study sample was to provide the U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development with a national probability sample of housing counseling clients. Because no 

national list of clients exists, we used two-stage cluster sampling to select the sample of agencies. 

Cluster sampling takes advantage of the hierarchical nesting that exists for most populations. For 

counseling clients, the hierarchical nesting consists first of HUD-approved counseling agencies and 

then of clients at intake within agencies. As described previously, the broader Housing Counseling 

Outcome Evaluation has two components—pre-purchase counseling and foreclosure counseling—

and the sample was developed to capture a representative sample of a total of 2,000 clients, divided 

roughly equally between the two counseling types.

SAMPLING AND RECRUITING AGENCIES

The universe of counseling agencies from which we drew the sample was HUD-approved and HUDfunded housing counseling agencies. The latter requirement was imposed as the terms of HUD 

funding require agencies to participate in evaluations of the funding program. The sampling process 

used HUD 9902 data (HUD Housing Counseling Agency Activity Report) from 2007 to help define 

strata for sampling to take into account information such as the distribution of clients served and the 

size of the agency.

A probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) sample of agencies was drawn at the first stage of sampling. 

The measure of size for the PPS sample was the average weekly count of clients.

The target sample size of agencies for the first-stage sample was 30. Among the 30 agencies, some 

agencies would enroll only one type of client—pre-purchase or foreclosure mitigation—and some 

would enroll clients of both types. Before selecting the sample of 30 agencies, we stratified all eligible 

agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia on the basis of the 9 census divisions and the 

number of foreclosure mitigation clients in the agency (which at the time was the smaller of the two 

client groups). In addition to selecting an initial sample of 30 agencies, we also selected at least 1 

backup agency for each agency in the initial sample using the same sampling criteria.

Agencies were recruited to the study in May and June 2009. We developed a memorandum of 

understanding (MOU) to give agencies a clear explanation of what counselors and other agency staff 

would be required to do. Agencies were required to

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 10

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
1. Obtain clients’ consent to participate in the study.

2. Administer the study’s baseline survey to clients upon intake (in paper-and-pencil format).

3. Enter detailed information on the services received by clients over time into the web-based 

counseling services data system (CSDS) developed for this study.

4. Enter information into the CSDS on the demographic characteristics and qualifications of all 

counselors and educators providing services to study participants.

Given the study’s goal of enrolling a total of 2,000 clients across the 30 sampled agencies, the 

average agency was asked to undertake these tasks for 67 clients and 3 to 4 counselors or educators. 

Altogether, we expected that agencies would have to spend approximately 1 hour per enrolled client 

to meet the study’s data collection needs. For nonprofit agencies with limited staff resources, the data 

collection requirements of this study represented a nontrivial burden. As a result, we provided agencies 

with a $1,000 payment in partial compensation for the effort they were asked to undertake. The 

payment was provided in two parts—one-half when the agency agreed to participate and the other 

one-half when the agency completed client recruitment.

The research team approached a total of 34 agencies during the recruitment phase. One agency was 

found to be no longer eligible for the study as it had ceased offering housing counseling, and two 

agencies refused to participate. In these three cases, we were able to obtain the agreement of a backup 

agency to replace these agencies in our sample. A fourth agency that refused to participate, however, 

did not have a substitute agency; it was large enough to only have one backup agency and this backup 

was no longer in operation. As a result, at the conclusion of the recruitment phase in June 2009, 29 

agencies had agreed to participate in the study.

Staff from these 29 agencies received thorough training in the study’s protocols and methods via 

webinar (that is, telephone conference calls supported by information presented online) and, in 

one case, in person. The training covered the process for enrolling participants and obtaining their 

consent, having clients complete the baseline survey and checking for completeness, logging clients 

into the CSDS, and recording services over time. The agencies were also given guidance on how to 

seek help with the study and assigned a site liaison from the Abt Associates team. We conducted eight 

webinar trainings during July and August 2009 to accommodate the schedules of agency staff. We 

also distributed a CSDS user manual to participating agencies, which contained detailed screenshots 

illustrating how to perform various tasks within the system.

Client enrollment began in late August 2009. (Client enrollment procedures are described in the 

following section.) At about that time, 4 of the 29 agencies had to be dropped in the study, 3 of which 

were branches of ACORN Housing Corporation, which was barred from receiving federal funding 

shortly after client recruitment began. In addition, one other agency agreed to participate in the study, 

signed an MOU, and was trained in the study protocols, but then failed to recruit any clients into the 

study. As a result, the final number of agencies participating in the study was 25, including 15 agencies 

that enrolled clients into the pre-purchase study. Exhibit 2-1 identifies the 15 agencies that participated 

in the pre-purchase study.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 11

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
Exhibit 2-1. Agencies Participating in the Pre-Purchase Study

Agency Name Central Office 

Location

Chicanos Por La Causa Tucson, AZ

Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK

Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Dallas Dallas, TX

CCCS of Kern and Tulare Counties Bakersfield, CA

CCCS of Lutheran Social Services–South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD

Du Page Homeownership Center, Inc. Wheaton, IL

Family Services, Inc. Charleston, SC

Houston Area Urban League Houston, TX

Mission of Peace Community Development Corp. Flint, MI

National Council on Agricultural Life and Labor Dover, DE

Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of American (NACA) Buffalo Buffalo, NY

NACA Charleston Charleston, SC

Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Chicago, IL

Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks Reading, PA

St. Petersburg Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. St. Petersburg, FL

SAMPLING AND RECRUITING CLIENTS

To make client enrollment as simple as possible for the participating agencies, we developed a 

sampling approach in which agencies would attempt to recruit all clients seeking services for the 

first time from the agency, up to a pre-determined maximum number of clients. To be eligible for 

the study, a pre-purchase client had to be seeking pre-purchase services from the agency for the first 

time, but did not need to be a first-time homebuyer. As discussed in Chapter 3, 14 percent of study 

participants reported having owned a home in the past.

At the time we recruited the agencies to the study, we asked each agency to estimate the current 

number of new pre-purchase clients seen per week. Using these estimates, we calculated the total 

number of new clients that each agency would be likely to see during an 8-week period. Using this 

this calculation, we established enrollment targets for each agency, with the goal of enrolling 1,000 

pre-purchase clients.

Client enrollment began in late August 2009, after the agencies had been recruited to participate 

and had been trained in the study protocols. Each agency was given an enrollment target with the 

expectation that they would meet or exceed that enrollment target within 8 weeks. A client was 

considered to be enrolled after signing the written consent form and completing the baseline survey.

The process for enrolling clients was as follows:

•	 As new clients approached the agency for pre-purchase counseling services, trained agency staff 

described the study and asked each new client if he or she was willing to participate.

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2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
•	 Clients who indicated they were willing to participate were asked to read and sign the study 

consent form, with the agency staff person available to read the form or answer questions

if needed.

•	 Each client was then asked to complete a baseline survey in paper-and-pencil format, with the 

counselor remaining available to answer questions as appropriate.

•	 After the agency staff had the signed consent form and completed survey in hand, the client was 

considered enrolled.

As an incentive for enrolling in the study, clients were told they would receive a copy of their trimerged credit report with their credit score free of charge. We intended to obtain individual credit 

reports for each client as a “soft pull” (that is, not affecting the client’s credit score) at two points 

in time via a partnership between Abt Associates and a nonprofit housing counseling provider. We 

determined after client enrollment was underway, however, that we could not obtain the individual 

credit reports as a soft pull. Not wanting to jeopardize clients’ credit ratings, we found an alternative 

way to obtain credit report data (by purchasing the data with personal identifiers from Equifax, 

as described in Section 2.2). We sent a letter to all study participants explaining the situation and 

providing them with $7.95 to cover the cost of obtaining their own credit report with a credit score.

Although many agencies were able to meet their recruitment targets within the 8-week period, the 

overall recruitment period lasted for 16 weeks, as some agencies needed more time to recruit clients. 

At the conclusion of the enrollment period in December 2009, a total of 573 pre-purchase clients were 

enrolled into the study. The sample fell short of the anticipated 1,000 clients because of the smaller 

number of agencies participating and because several agencies were unable to achieve their client 

enrollment targets, even with the extended enrollment period.

Taken together, the 15 agencies in the pre-purchase study served about 1,600 new pre-purchase clients. 

Our sample therefore captured approximately 35 percent of all new pre-purchase clients seen during 

the period. We attempted to conduct a non-response bias analysis to determine whether the study 

sample was representative of the broader population of new clients served across the 15 agencies. We 

could not obtain sufficient data on the characteristics of all new clients served during the enrollment 

period to conduct the analysis, however, because we did not ask for that information in advance and 

a small number of counseling agencies were not able to provide the data retrospectively in the format 

we required.6 We were therefore were unable to confirm the validity of the sample or develop statistical 

weights. Thus, the results presented in this report should not be used to draw inferences about the 

broader population of all clients receiving pre-purchase counseling.

6. We needed complete information on race, ethnicity, income (dollar amounts, not ranges), and age from all 

participating agencies and on all pre-purchase clients served to conduct the non-response bias analysis. We obtained 

complete information from 11 of 15 agencies.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 13

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
2.2 DATA SOURCES AND DATA

COLLECTION METHODS

The analysis presented in this report draws on four main data sources: baseline survey, service tracking 

survey, counselor survey, and credit report data. Each data source and how the data were collected are 

described briefly in the following sections.

BASELINE SURVEY

All study participants completed a baseline survey in paper-and-pencil format when they enrolled in 

the study. Appendix A contains a copy of the baseline survey. The survey covered the following topics:

•	 Counseling experiences: Reasons for seeking pre-purchase counseling services, sources of 

referral for counseling services, prior experience(s) with housing counseling.

•	 Home purchase status: Stage in home purchase process, plans for purchasing alone or with 

others, previous homeownership.

•	Income, savings, and credit: Gross monthly income and income sources, amount of savings 

and retirement accounts, self-assessment of credit standing.

•	 Demographics: Gender, age, race, ethnicity, foreign-born status, language spoken at home, 

educational attainment.

•	 Housing characteristics: Type of housing, monthly rent, monthly utilities.

SERVICE TRACKING SURVEY

The housing counselors and educators working with study participants were instructed to complete 

a service tracking survey each time a study participant received a counseling service. The service 

tracking survey consisted of a series of questions about the nature of the services provided. A copy of 

the service tracking survey is provided in Appendix B. Topics covered by the service tracking 

survey include—

•	 Type of session (pre-purchase workshop, pre-purchase counseling, financial literacy workshop, etc.).

•	 Length of session.

•	 Session format (face-to-face, phone, Internet, etc.).

•	 Topics covered.

•	 Name of counselor who led session.

•	 Fee for session.

•	 Counselor assessment of client’s mortgage readiness.

•	 Whether session marks completion of counseling or whether additional sessions are planned

or recommended.

Counselors completed the service tracking surveys using the CSDS created for this study. The CSDS 

was a web-based data system that enabled real-time data entry on individual clients by counseling 

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 14

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
agency staff all over the country.7

 The most important function of the CSDS was to collect and store 

information on study participants and the services they received throughout the project.

Abt Associates project staff worked closely with the participating agencies to ensure that each 

service provided to participating clients was entered into the CSDS. Project staff used reports and 

data extracts generated by the CSDS to identify missing information or information that seemed 

inaccurate and followed up with individual counselors and their supervisors on a weekly basis to 

discuss. For the most part, counselors entered the information required by the study. Even with the 

monitoring and troubleshooting done by project staff, however, we found that in a few cases (18 of 

573) counselors failed to provide any data at all on services provided. Given that most (if not all) 

clients were enrolled in the study at the time they received their first counseling service, we believe 

these 18 clients received some type of counseling, but we have no information on the type or duration 

of the service engagement. We also suspect that some counselors might have combined separate 

sessions into a single entry for a given client to reduce data entry time. As discussed in Chapter 5, this 

possibility could mean that the number of separate sessions per client is underreported.

COUNSELOR SURVEY

All housing counselors and educators providing services to study participants were asked to complete a 

brief pencil-and-paper survey about their demographics and experience with housing counseling.

A copy of the counselor survey is provided in Appendix C. The counselor survey covered the

following topics:

•	 Gender.

•	 Race and ethnicity.

•	 Level of education.

•	 Years of experience as a housing counselor/educator and years of experience with current agency.

•	 Relevant training received during past 3 years.

•	 Relevant certifications.

The survey also recorded the counselor’s name to link his or her characteristics to the service 

record from the CSDS for each client. We determined the response rate to the counselor survey by 

comparing the names of the counselors who completed a survey to the names of counselors who 

entered information on services provided to clients in the CSDS. Of the 45 named counselors who 

provided services to clients (87 percent), 39 completed a counselor survey. Most counselors completed 

the survey between August and December 2009.

CREDIT REPORT DATA

We obtained credit report information for all enrolled clients at approximately the time of enrollment 

(October 2009) and 18 months later (March 2011). We obtained the credit report data from Equifax, 

one of the three largest credit-reporting bureaus in the country (along with TransUnion

and Experian).

7. Counselors could enter data into the system in real time. The study team was able to track when a client had been 

entered into the system, but not the completeness of the information entered.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 15

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
To obtain client-level credit report data for the clients in the study, Abt Associates provided Equifax 

with personal identifying information of clients enrolled in the study who had consented to grant us 

access to their credit history. In most cases, clients provided their name, Social Security number, date 

of birth, and an address where they could be contacted. Equifax was able to identify approximately 95 

percent of study participants in its database for October 2009 and for March 2011.

After clients were identified, Equifax retrieved the credit report for each client and provided it to 

the research team in a deidentified data set that enabled the research team to append the credit 

information to the survey data obtained through the study but preserved the anonymity of the data.

Equifax provided a large number of variables developed using the client’s Equifax credit report. Key 

variables include—

•	 Beacon 09 score (Equifax’s version of the FICOTM score).

•	 VantageScore (alternative to FICOTM developed by Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian).

•	 Number of first mortgage, home equity, and other loan accounts.

•	 Estimated monthly payments on first mortgage, home equity, and other loan accounts.

•	 Balance on mortgage accounts and all accounts.

•	 Total monthly scheduled payments on all debts.

•	 Bankruptcy within 24 months.

•	 Foreclosure within 24 months.

These variables usually were available for most study participants whom Equifax was able to locate 

in its database. Variables for which a greater share of data are missing are Beacon 09 score (available 

for 88 percent of the study sample for the October 2009 extract and 91 percent of the sample for the 

March 2011 extract) and bankruptcy within the past 24 months (available for 88 percent of the study 

sample for the October 2009 extract and 90 percent of the sample for the March 2011 extract).

The Equifax data set provides a snapshot of all the data collected on the set of study participants by 

Equifax toward the end of the month (either October 2009 or March 2011). Toward the end of every 

month, Equifax takes whatever data it has at that moment in time and archives it. Lenders report 

the data at different intervals, however, leading to inconsistent coverage across clients. Reporting 

times also vary by account type, and changes in the status of first mortgage accounts may take 2 

to 3 months to appear in the Equifax data. For example, in the follow-up data, a home purchase in 

February 2011 would likely not be reflected in the March 2011 data set. Nevertheless, in the absence 

of a follow-up survey, the Equifax data are extremely useful for estimating the proportion of study 

participants who purchased homes and comparing the attributes of participants who purchased to 

those who did not.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 16

2. SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION
3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS

This chapter describes the demographic characteristics of participating clients at the time of study 

enrollment, based on self-reported information on the baseline survey. The chapter also presents 

findings from the survey and the credit data on clients’ financial situation at the time of study 

enrollment, the types of housing they were living in, and their estimated rent burden.

3.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

Exhibit 3-1 presents the demographic characteristics of the study sample. No ready comparison group 

puts these characteristics into context. As one point of comparison, however, the exhibit presents data 

from the American Community Survey (ACS) on the occupants of rental housing in the metropolitan 

statistical areas (MSAs) in which the study members were living at the time of enrollment.8

The pre-purchase counseling clients enrolled in the study were more likely to be African American 

and/or Hispanic or Latino than the overall population of renters in their MSAs. As shown in Exhibit 

3-1, 52 percent of study clients, compared with 25 percent of renters overall, were African American; 

19 percent of study participants, compared with 15 percent of renters, were Hispanic or Latino. Study 

participants were one-half as likely as renters overall to be White (32 percent as opposed to 64 percent).

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administrative data provide another point of 

comparison. HUD collects data on the race and ethnicity of all individuals who receive HUD-funded 

counseling. These data do not differentiate between types of counseling, so include people who received 

post-purchase and rental counseling in addition to pre-purchase counseling. Overall, 50 percent of the 

individuals who received HUD-funded counseling between October 2009 and September 2010 were 

White, 39 percent were African American, 11 percent were another race or more than one race, and 19 

percent were Hispanic or Latino.9 Without administrative data separated by counseling type it is difficult 

to know whether the racial and ethnic composition of the study sample is consistent with or different 

from that of the subset of HUD counselees that received pre-purchase services during this period.

Study participants were more likely to be women (72 percent) than renters overall (55 percent). Study 

participants were also markedly younger than the overall renter population: 51 percent of study 

participants, compared with 16 percent of renters, were under the age of 35 at the time of enrollment. 

Study participants were also more likely to have dependents under the age of 18 in the home: 57 percent, 

compared with 31 percent of renters, had minor dependents in their households. These findings on 

8. We geocoded study participants’ addresses to identify the MSAs in which participants were living at the time of 

enrollment and then took an average of the ACS data for those MSAs, weighted by the proportion of participants 

living in each MSA.

9. HUD-9902 data from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 17

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
age and dependents are consistent with the conventional wisdom that people seeking pre-purchase 

counseling tend to be young families with children trying to become first-time homebuyers. The 

study sample had a somewhat higher level of educational attainment than the broader population of 

renters—67 percent, compared with 55 percent of renters overall, had at least some college education at 

the time of enrollment.

Exhibit 3-1. Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment 

Compared With Renters in Select MSAs

Percent 

of Study 

Participants

Percent of 

Renters in 

Select MSAs

Gender

Female 72 55

Male 28 45

Race

White alone 32 64

Black or African American alone 52 25

Asian alone 1 3

Other race alone 11 5

More than one race 4 2

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 19 15

Age

18–34 51 16

35–44 26 30

45–54 16 31

55–64 7 17

65 + 1 6

Marital status

Now married 26 24

Not married 74 76

Presence of minor dependents

One or more minor dependents 57 31

No minor dependents 43 69

Educational attainment

Less than high school diploma 8 17

High school diploma 25 28

Some college or associate’s degree 43 34

Bachelor’s degree or higher 24 21

MSA = metropolitan statistical area.

N = 573 study participants (missing values vary somewhat by characteristic).

Sources: Baseline survey; tabulations of American Community Survey, 2009; tabulations of data from Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, 

Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek; Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]; 

Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2010 (gender for renters in select MSAs)

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 18

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
3.2 EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIAL SITUATION

EMPLOYMENT

Exhibit 3-2 presents information collected through the baseline survey on the employment status of 

study participants at the time of seeking pre-purchase counseling services. Most participants were 

employed either full time (81 percent) or part time (7 percent). The sample also includes participants 

who were retired (7 percent), unemployed or on temporary leave (3 percent), and homemakers or 

students (2 percent).

Exhibit 3-2. Employment Status of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment

Employment Status Percent of Study 

Participants

Employed full time 81

Employed part time 7

Homemaker or student 2

Unemployed 2

Temporarily laid off or on leave 1

Retired or disabled 7

N = 564 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

INCOME

The baseline survey asked study participants to report the combined gross monthly income for 

themselves and any people with whom they intended to share a mortgage (co-borrowers). The 

reported gross monthly incomes ranged from $0 (two people) to $27,000 (one person), with a median 

of $2,500 per month, or $30,000 a year (Exhibit 3-3).10 The largest share of study participants (52 

percent) reported gross earnings of between $20,000 and $40,000 per year (Exhibit 3-4). Nearly all 

participants (91 percent) earned less than $60,000. As a point of comparison, the median annual 

income for homeowner households nationwide in 2009 was $63,306, suggesting that most study 

participants would be at the low end of the income scale if they ended up purchasing. The median 

annual income for renter households was $30,576 (Census n.d.).

For most study participants, employment was the main source of household income; 87 percent of 

clients reported receiving income from employment, 12 percent reported receiving income from child 

support or alimony, and another 12 percent reported receiving Social Security retirement or disability 

benefits. (Clients were permitted to report more than one source of income.) Less than 5 percent 

of clients reported receiving pension or other retirement income, unemployment benefits, veteran’s 

benefits, or some other type of income.

10. One person reported earning $27,000 per month in gross income ($324,000 per year). The person could have 

intended the $27,000 to be his or her household’s annual income, but the person also reported a high level of savings, 

so it is difficult to know. Removing the $27,000 from the statistic reduces the mean to $3,014 but does not change the 

median or quartiles. A total of 13 participants reported gross monthly income of $10,000 or more.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 19

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 3-3. Distribution of Gross Monthly Income of Study Participants and Co-Borrowers at 

Time of Study Enrollment

Gross Monthly Income

Minimum $0 

First quartile (25th percentile) $1,889 

Median $2,500 

Third quartile (75th percentile) $3,600

Maximum $27,000

Mean $3,059 

N = 564 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

Exhibit 3-4. Gross Annual Earnings of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment

< $20,000 $20,000–$39,999 $40,000–$59,999 $60,000–$99,999 $100,000 +

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

17%

52%

22%

7%

2%

SAVINGS AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS

Study participants in general had little money in nonretirement savings or retirement accounts at the 

time of seeking pre-purchase counseling services (Exhibit 3-5).

Nonretirement savings represents the money a client could use for a downpayment on a home or 

closing costs.11 One-fifth of study participants (20 percent) reported that they had no nonretirement 

savings and one-fourth (24 percent) did not answer the question, suggesting that the true share of 

participants with no savings could be greater. The median amount of savings, including those who 

reported zero savings, is $700, and the maximum reported savings is $56,000. Most clients who 

answered the question reported savings of less than $5,000, which is not much to put toward

a downpayment.

11. The baseline survey defined nonretirement savings as including “money in checking accounts, savings accounts, 

money market accounts, certificates of deposit, mutual funds, brokerage accounts, savings at home, savings with 

others who are keeping it safe, and any other kids of savings.” Study participants were asked to report the total of their 

own savings and the savings of anyone with whom they expected to purchase (co-borrowers).

N = 564 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 20

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 3-5. Amount of Money in (Nonretirement) Savings at Time of Study Enrollment

N = 573 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

Total Amount of Savings

Zero $1–$999 $1,000–$4,999 $5,000 + Missing

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

20% 21% 22%

13%

24%

Percent of Study Participants

Few study participants reported having money in retirement accounts. Three-fourths of clients either 

said they had no money in retirement accounts (36 percent) or did not answer the question (38 

percent). Among those who reported having some retirement savings, the minimum was $99, the 

maximum was $80,000, and the median was $4,000.

Exhibit 3-6 shows the total reported savings, including both nonretirement savings and retirement 

savings, at the time of enrollment. The exhibit excludes the 87 participants who answered neither the 

question on nonretirement savings nor the question on retirement savings. (Participants who answered 

one question or the other are included in the exhibit.) The exhibit shows that nearly three-fourths 

of study participants (73 percent) reported less than $5,000 in combined savings and retirement, 

including 26 percent with no savings, 20 percent with between $1 and $1,000 in savings, and 27 

percent with between $1,000 and $5,000 in savings. This finding does not suggest much money for a 

downpayment or much of a financial cushion in the event of a job loss. Another 13 percent of study 

participants reported between $5,000 and $10,000 in combined saving and retirement and 15 percent 

reported $10,000 or more.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 21

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 3-6. Total Savings (Retirement and Nonretirement) Reported at Time of

Study Enrollment

CREDIT STANDING

As discussed in Chapter 2, we obtained credit scores for about 90 percent of study participants in 

October 2009 and again in March 2011. The credit report data obtained from Equifax included two 

credit scores, the FICOTM score (branded Beacon 09 by Equifax) and the VantageScore, which is a new 

credit score measure developed by the three main credit bureaus, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. 

FICOTM scores range from 300 to 850, and a score of 620 or below has historically been the industry 

cutoff for prime loans.

Consistent with the findings from the Links to Homeownership study in 2003, study participants had 

fairly low credit scores at the time they sought counseling (Herbert et al., 2003). Most study participants 

(55 percent) had FICOTM scores below 620. As shown in Exhibit 3-7, the median FICOTM score at baseline 

for study participants was 610. As a point of comparison, the average (mean) FICOTM score nationwide was 

slightly less than 700 in 2009 and 2010 (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2011).

The VantageScore operates on a different scale from FICOTM. VantageScores range from 501 to 990, with 

the higher score indicating the best credit rating. The median VantageScore among study participants at 

baseline was 651. This score places the average counseling client at baseline in the D range for lending risk, 

on a scale of A to F.12 Of clients in the pre-purchase sample, 72 percent had a D or F rating at the time 

they sought counseling.

12. The VantageScore rating system is as follows: 901–990 = A, 801–900 = B, 701–800 = C, 601–700 = D, 501–600 = F.

Total Amount of Savings and Retirement Combined

Zero $1–$999 $1,000–$4,999 $5,000–$9,999 $10,000 +

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

26%

20%

27%

13%

15%

Percent of Study Participants

N = 487 study participants (87 participants answered neither question).

Source: Baseline survey

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 22

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 3-7. Credit Score of Study Participants at Time of Study Enrollment

FICOTM Score 

(Beacon 09) VantageScore

Minimum 424 501

Lower quartile (25th percentile) 548 588

Median (50th percentile) 610 652

Upper quartile (75th percentile) 675 707

Maximum 829 934

Mean 614 656

N 507 527

N = shown in exhibit.

Source: Credit report data obtained from Equifax for study participants for October 2009

The credit data also show that a small number of clients—7 of the 499 for which data are available—

had a bankruptcy in the past 24 months. One study participant was reported to have a foreclosure in 

the past 24 months.13

The baseline survey asked clients to estimate how easy or hard they thought it would be for them to 

get a mortgage, given their credit standing. Nearly one-half of the clients in the sample (44 percent) 

said they thought it would be “very easy” or “somewhat easy” for them to get a mortgage, 35 percent 

thought it would be “very hard” or “somewhat hard,” and 21 percent said they did not know. As 

might be expected, we found a correlation between responses to this question and clients’ credit 

scores—the higher the credit score, the more likely the client was to report that it would be very or 

somewhat easy to obtain a mortgage.

3.3 HOUSING SITUATION

Enrollment into the study focused on individuals seeking pre-purchase counseling services from one 

of the participating agencies for the first time. As far as we can tell, none of the clients were existing 

homeowners at the time of seeking counseling, although 15 percent of the sample reported on the 

baseline survey that they had previously owned a home.14

Study participants reported paying monthly rents ranging from $0 (16 percent of clients) to $6,000, 

with a median rent of $553 per month (Exhibit 3-8). Total monthly utility costs, for utilities not 

included in the rent, ranged from $0 (21 percent of the sample) to $1,000. The median cost of utilities 

was $175 per month.

13. As discussed previously, the sample was not limited to first-time homebuyers.

14. Also, as discussed in Chapter 5, 15 clients in the sample were identified in Equifax data as having mortgages as of 

October 2009. The baseline survey did not ask clients whether they currently owned a home, only whether they had 

done so in the past, so they could in theory be existing homeowners seeking pre-purchase services for some reason. 

However, these clients’ service tracking records include no indication that they were already homeowners at the time 

they sought counseling.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 23

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 3-8. Monthly Rent and Utilities Paid By Study Participants at Time of

Study Enrollment

Monthly Rent Monthly Utilities

Minimum $0 $0 

Lower quartile (25th percentile) $300 $55 

Median (50th percentile) $553 $175 

Upper quartile (75th percentile) $738 $300 

Maximum $6,000 $1,000 

Mean $545 $187 

N 548 540

N = shown in exhibit.

Source: Baseline survey

We used the information reported by study participants on the baseline survey to create a basic 

measure of rent burden, defined as monthly rent plus monthly utilities as a percentage of monthly 

income. As shown in Exhibit 3-9, for 58 percent of clients, monthly rent and utility costs were 30 

percent or less of gross monthly income, suggesting that most clients were not rent burdened. This 

group likely includes the 16 percent of all study participants who reported living rent-free. Another 20 

percent of clients had rent burdens between 31 and 40 percent, meaning that more than three-fourths 

of clients spent 40 percent or less of their income on housing costs. Only 11 percent of clients had rent 

burdens of 50 percent or more.

Exhibit 3-9. Monthly Rent Burden at Time of Study Enrollment

N = 523 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

Rent Burden (Rent + Utilities/Gross Income)

Percent of Clients

30% or less 31%–40% 41%–50% More than 50%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

58%

20%

11% 11%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 24

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
As shown in Exhibit 3-9, 42 percent of study participants paid more than 30 percent of their incomes 

for rent and utilities. The median annual income for study participants was $30,000. As a point of 

comparison, nationwide more than 60 percent of households with incomes between $15,000 and 

$30,000 were paying more than 30 percent of their incomes on housing costs in 2009 (JCHS, 2011). 

Among households with incomes between $30,000 and $45,000, about 40 percent had housing cost 

burdens in excess of 30 percent. This comparison suggests that the housing cost burdens of study 

participants were consistent with, and somewhat lower than, those for low to moderate income 

households overall.

3.4 SUMMARY

The 573 individuals who sought pre-purchase counseling in the fall of 2009 and enrolled in the study 

are racially and ethnically diverse—52-percent African American, 32-percent White, 16-percent 

another race or more than one race, and 19 percent Hispanic or Latino. Larger shares of study 

participants are racial and ethnic minorities and women than of the broader population of renters in 

their communities. Study participants are also younger than the broader population of renters: slightly 

more than one-half were under the age of 35 at the time of study enrollment. The study sample is also 

relatively well educated—67 percent, compared with 55 percent of renters overall, had at least some 

college education at the time of enrollment.

At the time of seeking counseling, most participants were employed either full time (81 percent) 

or part time (7 percent), but with relatively low incomes: 91 percent of study participants earned 

$60,000 a year or less at the time of enrollment, with more than one-half earning between $20,000 

and $40,000 per year. Study participants in general had little money in nonretirement savings or 

retirement accounts at the time of seeking pre-purchase counseling services. Most clients (73 percent) 

reported nonretirement savings of less than $5,000 at the time of study enrollment, not much to put 

toward a downpayment or closing costs.

Given their relatively low incomes and absence of a financial cushion, it is not surprising that study 

participants in general did not have very good credit ratings. The median FICOTM score among study 

participants at the time of enrollment was 610; 55 percent of counseling clients had FICOTM scores 

below 620.

At the time of study enrollment, most clients were paying between $300 and $738 per month in rent, 

although 16 percent of clients reported were living rent free. For more than one-half of the clients 

(58 percent), the amount they paid in rent and utilities amounted to 30 percent or less of their gross 

monthly income, suggesting that most clients were not rent burdened at the time of study enrollment. 

Another 20 percent of clients had rent burdens between 31 and 40 percent, and 11 percent of clients 

had rent burdens of 50 percent or more.

In general, the study participants seem to have some advantages in pursuing homeownership but also 

to face important challenges. On average, the study participants are more educated than other renters 

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 25

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
in their MSAs and had somewhat lower rent burdens than other low-to-moderate income households 

overall. At the same time, they had little savings and low credit scores. That younger people and 

African Americans are overrepresented in the sample may indicate that these groups have greater need 

for assistance in understanding the benefits and drawbacks of homeownership and the home purchase 

process; it could also indicate that these groups are more motivated to seek counseling.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 26

3. CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS
4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS

Ensuring that counselors have access to adequate training is important for pre-purchase counseling to 

provide clients with maximum benefits. The State of the Housing Counseling Industry report, based on 

a 2007 survey, found that the level of expertise or training of staff was a significant problem for about 

two-thirds of the agencies surveyed and that agency concerns centered on the cost of training and 

access to training (Herbert et al., 2008).

This chapter describes the characteristics of the counselors and educators that provided pre-purchase 

services to study participants in the fall of 2009: race, ethnicity, and gender; level of education, years 

of experience, and housing counseling training and certifications. The information comes from the 

survey of counselors conducted as part of the study. Of the 45 counselors who provided pre-purchase 

services to study participants, 39 completed the counselor survey.

4.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS

AND EDUCATION

Exhibit 4-1 shows the demographic characteristics and educational attainment of the counselors who 

worked with study participants. Most counselors were women and slightly more than one-half (54 

percent) were non-White. About one in five (21 percent) was Hispanic or Latino, and about 13 percent 

were born outside the United States. Overall, the racial and ethnic profile of counselors and clients is 

quite similar, although counselors were somewhat more likely to be White than their clients.

Overall, most counselors who participated in the study were college educated, with 56 percent holding a 

bachelor’s degree or higher and another 38 percent having attended some college. Counselors in general 

had a higher level of education than their clients, but this field is not one in which a 4-year college degree 

is required.15

The findings on counselor demographics and education are similar to those reported in the 2008 State 

of the Housing Counseling Industry report. In that report, analysis of a 2007 survey of counseling agencies 

showed that 56 percent of counselors were White, 38 percent were African American, and 26 percent 

were Hispanic or Latino. The report also found that 90 percent of housing counselors had some college 

education, with 51 percent holding a 4-year college degree or higher (Herbert et al., 2008).

15. The NIS for Homeownership Education and Counseling recommend that counselors receive training, certification, 

and continuing education related to the housing counseling they provide but do not suggest that counselors should 

have a college degree. The Standards can be found at http://www.homeownershipstandards.org.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 27

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 4-1. Demographic Characteristics of Pre-Purchase Counselors Surveyed Compared 

With Study Participants

Percent of 

Counselors

Percent 

of Study 

Participants

Gender

Female 87 72

Male 13 28

Race

White alone 46 32

Black or African American alone 41 52

Asian alone 3 1

Other race or more than one race 10 15

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 21 19

Place of birth

United States 87 90

Outside United States 13 10

Educational attainment

Less than high school diploma 0 8

High school diploma 5 25

Some college or associate’s degree 38 43

Bachelor’s degree or higher 56 24

N = 39 counselors and 573 study participants.

Sources: Counselor survey and baseline survey

4.2 COUNSELING EXPERIENCE, TRAINING,

AND CERTIFICATIONS

The counselor survey asked counselors how long they had been working as a housing counselor or 

educator and how long they had been with their current organizations. As shown in Exhibit 4-2, most 

counselors had several years of experience. The largest share of counselors (32 percent) had 2 to 5 years 

of counseling experience, and slightly less than one-half of all counselors (47 percent) had at least 6 

years of experience. Only 2 of 38 counselors had been providing housing counseling services for 1 year 

or less. The median across all counselors was 4.5 years of experience.

Most counselors started as housing counselors at their current organizations, so the information 

on organizational tenure is similar to the information on counseling experience. One-half of all 

counselors had been with their organizations for at least 6 years, with an average tenure across all 

counselors of 5.8 years.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 28

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
Exhibit 4-2. Counselors’ Years of Counseling Experience

< 1 year 1 year 2–5 years 6–10 years 11 + years

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

 Years of Experience Tenure with Organization

5%

16% 16%

32%

21%

26%

18%

32%

29%

5%

N = 38 counselors.

Source: Counselor survey

N = 37 counselors (2 counselors said they had received training but did not specify how many days).

Source: Counselor survey

In addition to years of experience, most housing counselors and educators had some formal training or 

certifications in the housing counseling field. All of the counselors surveyed had received some type of 

training related to housing counseling in the past 3 years, and about two-thirds had received a total of 2 

weeks or more of formal training (not counting on-the-job training) during that period (Exhibit 4-3).

Exhibit 4-3. Total Days or Weeks of Training on Housing Counseling in Past 3 Years

1–2 days 3–5 days > 5 days but 

< 2 weeks

2–4 weeks > 4 weeks

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

5%

14% 16%

32% 32%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 29

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
The National Industry Standards (NIS) for Homeownership Education and Counseling recommend 

that new homeownership educators receive at least 30 hours of formal training within 18 months 

of being hired and at least 10 hours per year of continuing education on topics relevant to 

homeownership education. The survey findings suggest that most counselors in the study met this 

standard. Of the 13 counselors with 2 or fewer years of counseling experience, 12 had received at least 

3 days of training and 1 had received 1 to 2 days of training. Of the remaining 22 counselors, 95 

percent received at least 3 days of training in the past 3 years (the equivalent of 8 hours per year) and 

83 percent received more than 5 days (the equivalent of 13 hours per year). Although the survey does 

not tell us if counselors are getting training on an annual basis, as suggested in the standards, the total 

amount counselors received during a 3-year period is consistent with the standards.

The most common topics for training were pre-purchase homebuyer education, pre-purchase 

counseling, and default and delinquency counseling (Exhibit 4-4). Of counselors surveyed, 90 percent 

reported having training in either pre-purchase homebuyer education or pre-purchase counseling 

in the past 3 years, and 90 percent received training in default and delinquency counseling. The 

prevalence of default and delinquency counseling training reflects the effect of the foreclosure 

crisis, which resulted in many pre-purchase counselors becoming trained in foreclosure mitigation 

counseling as their agencies sought to respond to the increased demand for those services.

Exhibit 4-4. Types of Training Received in Past 3 Years

Topic Percent of Counselors

Pre-purchase homebuyer education 85

Pre-purchase homebuyer counseling 79

Credit counseling or credit repair 69

Financial literacy counseling 69

Mortgage lending 51

Predatory lending 56

Default and delinquency counseling 90

HECM or reverse mortgage 36

Fair housing 74

N = 39 counselors.

HECM = Home Equity Conversion Mortgage.

Source: Counselor survey

To become HUD-approved, counseling providers must certify that at least one-half of their counselors 

are trained in housing counseling with at least 6 months of experience in the job they will perform in 

the counseling program.16Among the counselors working with study participants, 95 percent reported 

having some type of formal certification. This finding is consistent with the Herbert et al. (2008) 

analysis of HUD grant applications, which found that 94 percent of counselors had some type of 

training or certification. That report, however, was not able to distinguish between training

and certification.

16. “Housing Counseling Program; Final Rule,” Federal Register 72 (188) September 27, 2007.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 30

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
NeighborWorks® America was the single most common provider of training and certifications for 

the counselors in the study. As shown in Exhibit 4-5, two-thirds of counselors had one or more 

certifications from the NeighborWorks® Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling 

(NCHEC). Other common sources of training include the National Foundation for Credit 

Counseling (NFCC), one of the largest housing counseling intermediaries, and the National 

Association of Housing Counselors and Agencies (NAHCA). About one-fourth of counselors reported 

receiving one or more certifications from state and regional entities.

Exhibit 4-5. Types of Certifications for Housing Counselors

Number of 

Counselors

Percent of 

Counselors

NCHEC certifications

NCHEC certification in homeownership education 19 49

NCHEC certification in homeownership counseling 14 36

NCHEC certification in post-purchase homeownership education 7 18

NCHEC certification in foreclosure intervention counseling 16 41

One or more NCHEC certifications 26 67

Other certifications and accreditations

AFCPE-accredited financial counselor 1 3

AFCPE-certified housing counselor 4 10

AFCPE-accredited credit counselor 1 3

NFCC-certified consumer credit counselor 10 26

NAHCA-certified professional comprehensive housing counselor 8 21

NAHCA-certified professional housing counselor specializing in 

homeownership 2 5

NFHC-certified housing counselor 8 21

State or regionally certified 10 26

Other type of certification 6 15

AFCPE = Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. NAHCA = National Association of Housing Counselors and Agencies. NCHEC= 

NeighborWorks® Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling. NFCC = National Foundation for Credit Counseling. NFHC = National Federation of 

Housing Counselors.

N = 39 counselors.

Source: Counselor survey

The NIS recommend that all counselors and educators receive certification within 18 months of 

starting employment, but do not specify the type of certification. With 95 percent of counselors 

having some type of certification, most counselors in the study meet this standard. This finding is 

important, because the State of the Housing Counseling Industry report found that the level of expertise 

or training of staff was a significant problem for about two-thirds of the agencies surveyed and that 

agency concerns centered on the cost of training and access to training. The high rate of certification 

among counselors at the time of this study (fall of 2009) is likely related to the increased funding 

for foreclosure counseling and counselor training available starting in 2008 through the National 

Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 31

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
4.3 SUMMARY

This chapter presented a profile of the individuals who provided pre-purchase counseling to study 

participants—their race, ethnicity, and gender; level of education, years of experience, and housing 

counseling training and certifications.

In terms of race, the counselors were racially diverse but more likely to be White than study 

participants. Of the counselors in the study, 46 percent were White and 41 percent were African 

American, compared with 32 percent and 52 percent, respectively, of study participants. Counselors 

were about as likely as clients to be Hispanic or Latino—21 percent as opposed to 19 percent.

Overall, most housing counselors were college educated; 95 percent had some college education and 

56 percent held a bachelor’s degree. Counselors were more likely to be college educated than clients.

Most counselors had more than 1 year of counseling experience, and about one-half of all counselors 

had at least 4 years of experience. The median across all counselors was 4.5 years of experience. In 

addition to having experience, all counselors in the study had received formal training related to 

housing counseling during the past 3 years, the most common topics being purchase homebuyer 

education, pre-purchase homebuyer counseling, and default and delinquency counseling. The 

prevalence of training on default and delinquency counseling among this group of counselors reflects 

the effect of the foreclosure crisis on the counseling industry. Most counselors had one or more 

certifications by industry organizations or state or regional entities. NCHEC was the most common 

source for certifications.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 32

4. COUNSELOR CHARACTERISTICS
5. COUNSELING SERVICES

This chapter explores different facets of study participants’ receipt of housing counseling services. The 

chapter begins by presenting the findings from the baseline survey on why clients seek counseling 

services, how they find out about the services at their respective agencies, and what prior counseling 

experiences they bring to pre-purchase counseling. The chapter then considers information provided 

by clients about their stage in the home purchase process and plans for purchasing, and information 

on clients’ mortgage readiness (as defined by counselors). The third section of the chapter discusses 

the type and amount of services provided to study participants based on the service tracking surveys 

completed by counselors for each participant during a 6-month period. Also drawing from the service 

tracking surveys, the final section of the chapter discusses the content of the counseling services 

provided, including the topics covered and who led the sessions.

5.1 STAGE IN HOME PURCHASE PROCESS AND 

REASONS FOR SEEKING COUNSELING

The effectiveness of pre-purchase education and counseling is influenced by the stage of the home 

purchasing process at which counseling occurs. Pre-purchase counseling services seek to improve 

homeownership preparedness, which ideally begins with general financial literacy long before 

contacting a lender or realtor. Also, households must weigh the costs and benefits of homeownership 

relative to renting before deciding whether to purchase. Having decided to purchase, potential 

homeowners must identify a home to buy and obtain a mortgage loan to finance the purchase. Most 

homebuyers will also arrange for a property inspection. Pre-purchase education and counseling 

can help inform the homebuyer’s decisions on all these issues, and the conventional wisdom is that 

counseling services are most effective if started early in the process, before the buyer selects a mortgage 

loan product and enters into a contract to purchase a house.

The baseline survey provides information on where study participants were in the homebuying process 

at the time they first sought pre-purchase counseling services. As shown in Exhibit 5-1, 74 percent of 

participants reported that they were planning to purchase within 1 year, including 15 percent who 

had a signed purchase agreement in hand. The National Industry Standards (NIS) recommend that 

homeownership education takes place before a purchase contract is signed. For most clients in the 

study, this scenario seems to be the case; that is, education and counseling took place early enough in 

the process to make a difference. In addition to the 15 percent of clients with a purchase agreement, 

however, the 23 percent of clients planning to purchase within 3 months could have already made 

crucial decisions about how much house they could afford or what type of loan to take out.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 33

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-1. Stage at Which Study Participants Seek Counseling Services

Percent of 

Clients

Planning to purchase within 1 year 74

Have a signed agreement to purchase a house 15

Planning to purchase within 3 months (but no signed agreement) 23

Planning to purchase 3 months to 1 year from now 36

Planning to purchase but not for at least 1 year 8

Prequalified for a loan but timeframe for purchasing not specifieda 8

Have not yet decided to purchase 11

Total 100

N = 507 study participants.

a

 Clients who said they prequalified for a loan and also specified when they planned to purchase were included in the other categories. Overall, 22 percent 

of clients said they had prequalified for a loan at the time of seeking counseling.

Source: Baseline survey

The baseline survey also collected information on the reasons for seeking pre-purchase counseling. 

Clients were permitted to record more than one reason, and the full set of reasons cited is shown 

in Exhibit 5-2. The two most common reasons, each cited by 58 percent of the sample, were to 

find homebuyer assistance programs and to obtain assistance or qualify for a specific loan program. 

The relative importance of these two reasons suggests that many study participants had already 

decided to purchase at the time of seeking counseling, and were looking for ways to make the loan 

more affordable or to gain access to a homebuyer assistance program or loan that they had already 

identified. At the same time, some clients clearly saw the need for further education; about two-fifths 

of clients were seeking help with finding the most appropriate mortgage (44 percent) or determining 

how much house they could afford (41 percent).

Exhibit 5-2. Reasons for Seeking Pre-Purchase Counseling Services

Why Client Is Seeking Counseling Percent

To identify any assistance programs to help purchase a house 58

To obtain down-payment or closing-cost assistance or to qualify for a specific loan program 58

To find the most appropriate mortgage 44

To determine how much house I can afford 41

For help with the final stages of buying a house 33

For help improving credit or getting out of debt 32

For help searching for the right house 30

To learn how to avoid high-cost or predatory lenders 28

For help deciding whether to try to buy a house 26

For help with financial education or money management 24

Other reasons 4

N = 573 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 34

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibits 5-1 and 5-2 are not entirely consistent. For example, 26 percent of clients said they were seeking 

counseling to help them decide whether to buy a house (Exhibit 5-2), but only 11 percent of clients said 

that they had not yet decided to purchase (Exhibit 5-1). Exhibit 5-3 compares the data on purchase stage 

to several of the reasons cited for seeking counseling. Focusing on column 2, the exhibit suggests that 

the people seeking counseling to obtain downpayment assistance or to qualify for a particular loan are 

not just those coming to counseling with purchase agreements in hand or with plans to purchase within 

the next few months. It is interesting that more than three-fourths of those who reported that they had 

prequalified for a mortgage but did not provide a timeframe for when they planned to purchase sought 

counseling (at least in part) to fulfill a program or loan requirement. Some of these clients may have 

expected to purchase relatively soon; others may simply have understood that counseling was required for 

the type of loan or downpayment assistance they would like to obtain at some point in the future.

Those clients who said they were seeking counseling to help them decide whether to purchase housing 

(column 5 of Exhibit 5-3) were more likely to also report that they had not yet decided to purchase (59 

percent) or that they did not plan to purchase for at least 1 year (36 percent). Nevertheless, it is striking 

that nearly one-fifth of those planning to purchase within the next 3 months were seeking, among other 

things, help with deciding whether to purchase. This finding suggests that some people who are close to 

purchasing a home are still receptive to pre-purchase counseling and seeking information to help inform 

their purchase decision.

Exhibit 5-3. Reasons for Seeking Counseling by Purchase Stage

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

To Identify 

Homebuyer 

Assistance 

Programs

To Obtain 

Assistance 

or Qualify for 

a Program or 

Loan

For Help 

Finding an 

Appropriate 

Mortgage

For Help 

Determining 

How Much 

House To Afford

For Help Deciding 

Whether To 

Purchase

(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Have a signed agreement to 

purchase a house 32 69 14 8 7

Planning to purchase within 

3 months (but no signed 

agreement)

62 54 45 38 19

Planning to purchase within 

3 months to 1 year 72 59 55 57 29

Planning to purchase but not 

for at least 1 year 73 59 61 64 36

Prequalified for a loan but 

timeframe for purchasing not 

specified

50 76 36 17 17

Have not yet decided to 

purchase 56 46 51 56 59

Average (all clients) 58 58 44 41 26

N = 507 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 35

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
5.2 PRIOR COUNSELING EXPERIENCES

In addition to asking their reasons for seeking counseling, the baseline survey asked clients whether they 

had received housing counseling or financial education in the past 3 years on any of the following topics:

•	 Improving credit or managing debt.

•	 Budgeting or financial management.

•	 Buying or owning a house.

•	 Renting.

•	 Retirement planning.

Two-thirds of clients reported that they had not received housing counseling or financial education on 

any of these topics in the past 3 years (Exhibit 5-4). Of those that had, credit and debt counseling was 

the most common. Nearly one-fifth of clients (18 percent) reported receiving counseling or education 

on improving their credit or managing their debt in the past 3 years. In addition, 16 percent had 

received counseling on homebuying or homeownership.17 Others had exposure to general budgeting 

or financial management counseling (13 percent). A small share of clients had attended specialized 

financial instruction on retirement planning (6 percent) and renting (3 percent).

Exhibit 5-4. Counseling and Education Received by Study Participants in the 3 Years Before 

Study Enrollment

N = 573 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

The baseline survey also collected information on how study participants heard about the pre-purchase 

counseling services they sought. Exhibit 5-5 presents the most common sources of information and 

shows that the largest share of participants learned about the services at their respective agencies 

through a family member or friend (43 percent). Other common sources of information for 

17. As a condition of enrolling in the study, clients were not supposed to be existing clients of the agency for pre-purchase 

services. However, some study participants could have been clients in the past—especially if the agency did not have a 

record of their services—or could have received pre-purchase services from a different agency.

 Improving credit or managing debt

 Budgeting or financial management

 Buying or owning a house

 Renting

 Retirement planning

 None

13%

16%

3%

6%

18%

66%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 36

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
N = 573 study participants.

Source: Baseline survey

pre-purchase counselees were banks or lenders (22 percent) and real estate agents (17 percent). About 

10 percent of clients reported hearing about the service through the mass media; the other sources of 

information were all mentioned by less than 10 percent of survey respondents (for example, the U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development website, landlords, employers, places of worship, or 

social service agencies).

Interestingly, only about one-half of the study participants who came to counseling with signed 

purchase agreements were referred by a lender (54 percent) or a real estate agent (40 percent). The same 

is true for the group of participants who said they were seeking counseling to obtain downpayment 

assistance or qualify for a particular loan.

Exhibit 5-5. How Clients Heard About Pre-Purchase Counseling Services

Through a family member 

or friend

Through my bank or 

lender

Through a real 

estate agent

Through the newspaper, TV, or radio

50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

22%

17%

10%

43%

5.3 COUNSELOR ASSESSMENTS OF

MORTGAGE READINESS

As part of the service tracking survey, counselors providing pre-purchase services to study participants 

were asked to assess each client’s readiness to purchase after each service engagement, using one of 

three categories:

•	 Mortgage ready.

•	 Expected to be mortgage ready within 90 days.

•	 Not expected to be mortgage ready within 90 days.18

18. The survey did not provide any guidance on how to define “mortgage ready,” so the data presented reflect each 

counselor’s assessment.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 37

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-6 summarizes the counselors’ assessments after each client’s first service engagement. For 

one-half of the clients in the sample, counselors thought more than 90 days were needed before 

the client would be mortgage ready. The other one-half of the sample was split between clients 

characterized as currently mortgage ready (23 percent) and expected to be mortgage ready within 90 

days (28 percent).

Exhibit 5-6. Counselor Assessment of Mortgage Readiness After First Counseling/Education 

Session, All Clients

 Mortgage ready

 Mortgage ready within 90 days

 Needs more than 90 days

50%

28%

23%

N = 555 study participants (counselors did not report service information for 18 clients).

Source: Baseline survey and service tracking survey

Exhibit 5-7 presents the same information for the subset of clients who reported having a signed 

purchase agreement at the time of seeking counseling. As might be expected, counselors designated 

most of these clients as mortgage ready or mortgage ready within 90 days. Almost one in three clients 

(28 percent), however, was assessed by counselors as needing more than 90 days to become mortgage 

ready. (Chapter 6 discusses how counselors’ assessments of mortgage readiness relate to whether clients 

ended up purchasing homes.)

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 38

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-7. Counselor Assessment of Mortgage Readiness After First Counseling/Education 

Session, Clients With Signed Purchase Agreement

N = 83 study participants with signed purchase agreements at the time of seeking counseling.

Source: Baseline survey and service tracking survey

 Mortgage ready

 Mortgage ready within 90 days

 Needs more than 90 days

28%

22%

51%

Counselors’ opinions of mortgage readiness are only somewhat correlated with clients’ credit scores.19

Based on the Equifax data obtained for all clients from October 2009, the average FICOTM score 

among clients designated by counselors as mortgage ready was 644, compared with a 610 score for 

those designated as mortgage ready within 90 days, and 600 for those needing more than 90 days. 

Exhibit 5-8 shows that clients designated as mortgage ready at the last recorded counseling service 

engagement were most likely to have FICOTM scores of 600 or greater, but no clear credit score cutoff 

is behind counselors’ assessments. Because most study participants had only one or two service 

engagements (see Section 5.4), in many cases counselors were probably not aware of their clients’ credit 

scores at the time of making the assessment of mortgage readiness.

19. However, as discussed in Chapter 6, those clients who ended up purchasing were more likely to have been assessed as 

mortgage ready or mortgage ready within 90 days than clients who did not purchase.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 39

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
N = 491 study participants.

Source: Equifax dataset, October 2009

Exhibit 5-8. FICOTM Scores by Counselor Assessment of Mortgage Readiness

Mortgage ready Within 90 days > 90 days

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

9%

36%

30%

25%

3%

23%

51%

23%

12%

37%

35%

16%

 700 +

 600–699

 500–599

 400–499

Counselor Assessment of Client’s Mortgage Readiness, Last Service Engagement

5.4 TYPE AND AMOUNT OF SERVICES RECEIVED

The service tracking data collected for this study enable us to observe the counseling services provided 

at the client level and at the service level. The service tracking dataset provides information on 555 

clients and 872 service engagements.20

The vast majority of clients (89 percent) had either one or two service engagements documented in 

the service tracking dataset (Exhibit 5-9). The actual number of times counselors interacted with 

clients during the 6-month period could be slightly higher, however. The data on length of service 

engagement suggest that a small number of counselors might have combined several interactions 

with a client into a single entry into the counseling services data system to reduce data entry time or 

because they (mistakenly) thought that was what they were supposed to do.

20. A service engagement is a single counseling or education session. Counselors were instructed to complete a service 

tracking survey for each service engagement and for each client. For 18 of the 573 clients in the sample, counselors 

did not enter any service engagement information at all. Because all clients were enrolled during their first counseling 

session, we know that all clients should have had at least one counseling session.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 40

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-9. Total Number of Service Engagements Within 6-Month Tracking Period

N = 555 study participants.

Source: Service tracking survey

N = 555 study participants.

Source: Service tracking survey

Number of Service Engagements

One Two Three Four or more

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

57%

32%

9%

Percent of Clients

1%

Consistent with the modest number of service engagements, most clients (59 percent) received all of 

their counseling services on a single day (Exhibit 5-10). However, 15 percent of clients received services 

over the course of a month and another 19 percent received services for a period of between 

1 and 3 months. Only a small share of clients (6 percent) engaged in counseling services for 3 months 

or more. For the same reasons cited previously, the data presented on length of service engagement 

may underrepresent the actual number of days or weeks during which counselors interacted with their 

study participants.

Exhibit 5-10. Length of Service Engagement

Duration of Service Engagement

1 day 1–30 days 31–90 days 90 days or more

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

59%

15%

19%

6%

Percent of Clients

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 41

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Most service engagements were conducted in person, face to face (Exhibit 5-11). Only a small 

number of engagements were conducted by telephone and Internet, and a handful of engagements 

included an Internet component as part of an in-person session. The low occurrence of telephone and 

Internet counseling reflects the study’s design, which called for in-person enrollment. For most study 

participants, any telephone or Internet counseling received would have been a follow up to an inperson session. The 24 clients who received telephone counseling were served by 3 of the 15 agencies.

Exhibit 5-11. Mode of Service Engagement

Number Percent

In person 843 97

Telephone 24 3

Internet 2 0

In person plus Internet 3 0

N = 872 service engagements.

Source: Service tracking survey

About two-thirds (64 percent) of the 872 service engagements provided to study participants (64 

percent) were group education sessions or workshops and one-third (36 percent) were individual 

counseling sessions. As shown in Exhibit 5-12, 57 percent of clients in the study received only group 

education, whereas 26 percent received a combination of group education and individual counseling 

and 18 percent received only individual counseling.

The findings in Exhibit 5-12 are similar to those of the 2003 study of the Links to Homeownership 

Program, in which 56 percent of program participants received group education only and 39 percent 

received a combination of group and individual counseling (Herbert et al., 2003). By contrast, 

the State of the Housing Counseling Industry report, based on a survey of HUD-approved housing 

counseling agencies in fall of 2007, found that across all agencies surveyed, on average, 29 percent 

of clients receive group education only, 43 percent receive a combination of group education and 

individual counseling, and 28 percent receive only individual counseling (Herbert et al., 2008). 

It could be that in responding to the counseling industry survey, agencies presented a model of 

the services provided to those pre-purchase counselees who complete counseling, and clients who 

complete counseling are more likely to have received individual counseling and a group session. The 

findings presented in Exhibit 5-12 include clients who attended a homebuyer education session but 

did not return for additional counseling even if one was offered. These clients are counted as having 

received group education only, even if the agency’s model is to follow group education with individual 

counseling when possible.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 42

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-12. Types of Services Received by Clients

18%

 Group only

 Group and individual

 Individual only 26%

57%

N = 555 study participants.

Source: Service tracking survey

Exhibit 5-13 shows the average hours of counseling services provided to all clients in the study, 

including both group sessions and individual counseling, and the average number of hours for the 

different combinations of services. Across all clients, the average client received 5.5 hours of counseling 

services. Clients receiving group education only and clients receiving a combination of group 

education and individual counseling received a similar amount of counseling on average (6.2 and 

6.3 hours, respectively). Clients receiving only individual counseling spent substantially less time in 

counseling—2.3 hours on average.

Exhibit 5-13. Total Amount of Counseling Services per Client, in Hours

Mean Hours 

of Counseling 

Services Receiveda

Number of 

Clients

All clients 5.5 555

Clients receiving group education only 6.2 315

Clients receiving a combination of group education and 

individual counseling 6.3 142

Clients receiving individual counseling only 2.3 98

N = 555 study participants.

a

 Includes both group sessions and individual counseling, as applicable.

Source: Service tracking survey

Exhibit 5-14 provides information on the length of service engagements (in hours) for the group 

sessions and individual counseling recorded by counselors. The length of a single group session, 

typically a homebuyer education workshop, ranged from 2 to 8 hours, with an average of 5 hours per 

group session. Individual counseling sessions in general were shorter than group sessions, ranging from 

one-fourth of an hour to a maximum of 8 hours, with a median length of 1 1/2 hours.

18%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 43

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-14. Length of Service Engagements, in Hours, by Service Engagement Type

Group Sessions Individual Counseling

Minimum 2.00 0.25

Lower quartile (25th percentile) 3.00 0.75

Median (50th percentile) 4.00 1.00

Upper quartile (75th percentile) 6.50 1.50

Maximum 8.00 8.00a

Mean 4.70 1.40

N 559 313

N = 872 service engagements.

a

 For a single-service engagement, 8 hours is a long time. It could be that the counselor entered the total for several sessions rather than creating separate 

entries for each service engagement as instructed.

Source: Service tracking survey

The number of hours of education and counseling presented in Exhibits 5-13 and 5-14 are lower 

than those cited by other research using different data collection methodologies. Spader and Quercia 

(2009) reported on results from a survey of homeowners who received mortgages through SelfHelp Enterprises’ secondary market portfolio of Community Reinvestment Act loans, for which 

pre-purchase counseling was required. The survey was conducted 2 to 4 years after the homeowners 

purchased, and asked homeowners how much group education and individual counseling they had 

received. Participants in programs based on group instruction reported receiving an average of 7.9 

hours of education and counseling services, whereas participants in programs with an individual 

counseling component reported receiving an additional 3.1 hours on average. The sample of 

homeowners in Spader and Quercia’s study was not intended to be representative of all recipients of 

pre-purchase counseling services, and it seems likely that the lag between the survey and when services 

were received could have introduced recall errors. It could also be that agencies have cut down on the 

number of hours of education and counseling provided to pre-purchase clients in recent years as more 

attention and funding has shifted to foreclosure mitigation counseling.

Using the 2007 survey of counseling agencies discussed previously, Herbert et al. (2008) found that 

agencies that provide mainly group education reported that clients receive an average of 8.4 hours of 

services. This figure compares to the average of 6.2 hours for group-only clients cited in Exhibit 5-13. 

Agencies that provide a combination of workshops plus individual counseling reported on the industry 

survey that clients receive an average of 8.9 hours of services (compared with the 6.3 hours of services 

for participants in the current study), and agencies that provide mainly individual counseling reported 

that clients receive an average of 7.2 hours of services (compared with 2.3 hours in the current study). 

It is difficult to explain these differences, but (as mentioned previously) it could be that agencies 

responding to the industry survey presented an estimate of the amount of counseling provided to a 

typical person who completes counseling (that is, not counting those who drop out after one session). 

The average of 7.2 hours of individual counseling implies that most clients receive more than one 

session; in this study, however, most clients had only one service engagement reported.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 44

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
N = 872 service engagements.

Source: Service tracking survey

5.5 CONTENT OF COUNSELING SERVICES

WHO LEADS AND PARTICIPATES IN COUNSELING SERVICES?

Counselors from the participating agencies reported that housing counselors or educators employed 

by the agency led 100 percent of the 872 service engagements in the study. About one-third of 

the sessions were run by the counselor on his or her own, but the other two-thirds featured copresenters or co-speakers. As shown in Exhibit 5-15, these co-presenters and co-speakers were 

most often mortgage lenders or brokers or other counselors or educators from the agency, each of 

which participated in about one-third of all service engagements. However, real estate agents, home 

inspectors, and insurance agents also participated in a substantial share of sessions. A smaller share of 

sessions (not shown on Exhibit 5-15) featured environmental or energy experts (6 percent), attorneys 

(6 percent), title or escrow agents (4 percent), and representatives of state or local government agencies 

providing homebuyer assistance (3 percent). One agency used former counseling clients who have 

purchased homes as guest speakers.

Exhibit 5-15. Instructors Providing Counseling Services (Other Than Lead Counselor)

Mortgage lenders or brokers

Housing counselors or educators employed by the agency 

Real estate agents

Home inspectors

Insurance agents 21%

22%

28%

30%

33%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

TOPICS COVERED DURING COUNSELING SESSIONS

For each service engagement, whether group education or individual counseling, counselors were 

asked to record all topics covered during the session. Exhibit 5-16 shows, for each topic area, the 

percentage of clients who received some type of education on the topic. The shaded areas indicate 

those topics on which at least 80 percent of study participants received counseling or education.

It is apparent from the exhibit that topics covered for group education are more consistent than 

those covered in individual counseling. This finding is consistent with the NIS for Homeownership 

Counseling and Education, which defines a set of core topics for homeowner education but states that 

individual counseling should be tailored to the needs of the client.21 The topics covered in individual 

counseling may also differ depending on whether the counseling is provided as a supplement to 

classroom education or as a standalone service.

21. The NIS can be found at http://www.homeownershipstandards.org/standards.

Percent of All Service Engagements

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 45

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
The NIS core topics for pre-purchase homeownership education are

•	 Assessing Readiness to Buy a Home.

•	 Budgeting and Credit.

•	 Financing a Home.

•	 Selecting a Home.

•	 Maintaining a Home and Finances.

Exhibit 5-16. Topics Covered in Group Education and Individual Counseling

Percent of Clients by Type of Counseling Received

Group 

Education 

Only

(N = 315)

Individual

Counseling

Only

(N = 98)

Group and 

Individual 

Counseling

(N = 142)

All Clients

(N = 555)

Topics related to NIS core topic “Assessing Readiness to Buy a Home”

Affordability analysis 93 73 73 85

Topics related to NIS core topic “Budgeting and Credit”

Budgeting 98 92 92 96

Creating a savings plan 81 88 92 85

Understanding credit and 

credit repair 90 87 99 92

Topics related to NIS core topic “Financing a Home”

Mortgage qualification 96 78 94 92

Mortgage options 96 73 55 82

Shopping for a mortgage 81 68 57 72

Financial assistance options 84 78 55 75

Predatory lending 87 71 87 84

Topics related to NIS core topic “Selecting a Home”

Home purchase process 97 92 100 97

Home inspection 94 81 62 84

Fair housing issues 80 78 42 70

Topics related to NIS core topic “Maintaining a Home and Finances”

Home maintenance 56 69 74 63

Housing rehabilitation 32 1 50 31

Resolving or preventing 

mortgage delinquency 48 71 27 47

Energy efficiency 43 50 6 35

NIS = National Industry Standards.

N = 555 study participants.

Note: Shaded areas indicate those topics on which at least 80 percent of study participants received counseling or education.

Source: Service tracking survey

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 46

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
The topics covered by the group education provided to study participants, in general, are consistent 

with the core topics recommended by the NIS. As shown in Exhibit 5-16, in general, more than 90 

percent of clients received education on topics related to the first four NIS core topics. The NIS core 

topic “Maintaining a Home and Finances,” which deals with sustaining homeownership, is the least well 

represented—56 percent of clients who received only group education received information on home 

maintenance and 48 percent received information on resolving or preventing mortgage delinquency.

The individual counseling provided to study participants covered a more heterogeneous set of topics 

than the group education. The most common individual counseling topics were budgeting and saving, 

credit, the home purchase process, and the home inspection.

5.6 COMPLETION OF COUNSELING SERVICES AND 

ACTION STEPS

Slightly more than one-half of the study participants (53 percent) were described by counselors as having 

completed counseling at the time of their last recorded session (Exhibit 5-17). Given that most clients’ 

last counseling session occurred well within the 6-month tracking period, and assuming that counselors 

indeed recorded all service engagements as instructed, this finding suggests that a large share of clients 

stopped participating in counseling before the counselor thought they were ready to do so.

Exhibit 5-17. Counselor Assessment of Client Completion of Counseling

Number Percent

Client completed counseling 295 53

Counseling not completed, next appointment scheduled 85 15

Counseling not completed, next appointment not scheduled 175 32

Total 555 100

N = 555 study participants.

Source: Service tracking survey

After each group and individual counseling session, counselors recorded the steps that they 

recommended clients take before or as part of the next session (called “action steps” in the service 

tracking survey). As shown in Exhibit 5-18, the most common recommendation was to participate 

in additional workshops or counseling. Two-fifths of all service engagements ended with this 

recommendation. Other common recommendations include addressing credit issues (36 percent of all 

service engagements), saving for a downpayment (35 percent), and preparing a budget (32 percent).

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 47

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-18. Counselor Recommendations for Next Steps

Action Steps to be Completed Following the Session

Additional 

workshops 

or counseling

Address 

credit

 issues

Start saving 

for down 

payment

Prepare

 budget

Review credit 

report

Debt 

management 

or financial 

plan

Begin the 

search 

process

Contact 

mortgage 

lenders

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

40% 36% 35% 32%

26%

21% 19% 18%

Percent of Service Engagements

N = 872 service engagements.

Source: Service tracking survey

Counselors were instructed to report whether the client achieved one of the following outcomes, either 

during the 6-month tracking period or at the end of it:

•	 Purchased housing.

•	 Entered a lease-purchase program.

•	 Still pursuing homeownership.

•	 Decided not to pursue homeownership.

•	 Other (specify).

•	 Outcome unknown.

Given that a large share of counselors did not think their client had completed counseling at what 

proved to be the client’s final service engagement, it is perhaps not surprising that few counselors 

were able to record known outcomes for their clients at the end of the 6-month service tracking 

period. As shown in Exhibit 5-19, in the vast majority of cases the counselors either did not provide 

any outcome data or reported that the outcome was unknown. In most cases, the counselors simply 

left the field blank. Therefore, these data are not useful for assessing client outcomes. A better source 

for understanding the rate at which counseled clients purchased housing are the credit report data 

described in the next chapter.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 48

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Exhibit 5-19. Client Outcomes 6 Months After Seeking Counseling

Number Percent

Purchased housing 35 6

Entered lease-purchase program 0 0

Still pursuing homeownership 19 3

Decided not to purchase housing 2 0

Outcome unknown 499 90

Total 555 100

N = 555 study participants.

Source: Service tracking survey

5.7 SUMMARY

The consensus in the counseling industry, reflected in the NIS, is that the earlier in the purchase 

process clients receive pre-purchase counseling, the better their long-term outcomes. Starting 

counseling early in the process gives people the opportunity to do a thorough affordability analysis 

and determine whether homeownership is truly a good option for them. It also gives them more 

information on what to search for in a house and mortgage. Most clients in the study sought 

counseling before they were committed to purchasing. Only 15 percent came with a signed purchase 

agreement in hand and another 23 percent said they planned to purchase within 3 months. The other 

two-thirds of clients either had a longer time horizon for purchasing (52 percent) or had not decided 

whether they wanted to purchase (11 percent).

The two most common reasons for seeking counseling, each cited by 58 percent of the sample, were to 

find homebuyer assistance programs and to obtain assistance or qualify for a specific loan program. In 

addition, a substantial share of clients were seeking help with finding the most appropriate mortgage (44 

percent) or determining how much house they could afford (41 percent). About one-fourth of clients (26 

percent) said that they were seeking counseling to help decide whether or not to purchase housing.

Most clients (66 percent) had not received any related housing counseling or financial education in 

the 3 years before enrolling in the study. Of those who had, credit and debt counseling was the most 

common (18 percent of all clients, or 53 percent of clients who had received some type of counseling 

or training). Most clients had heard about the pre-purchase counseling at their respective agencies 

from family or friends (44 percent) or from a lender (22 percent).

Most clients in the study met with a counselor either once or twice in the 6 months after enrolling in 

the study, with less than 10 percent of clients having three or more counseling sessions. These estimates 

should be considered conservative, as a small number of counselors might have combined sessions when 

they entered data for clients instead of recording each service engagement separately. Almost all sessions 

were conducted in person, face-to-face, with only a small share of sessions (less than 5 percent) conducted 

through a remote method (telephone or Internet). This finding may have more to do with the design of 

the study—which required in-person enrollment—than the state of the art in the industry.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 49

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
Slightly more than one-half of the clients in the study (57 percent) received only group education, 26 

percent received a combination of group education and individual counseling, and 18 percent received 

only individual counseling. Across all clients, the average client received 5.5 hours of counseling 

services. Clients receiving group education only and clients receiving a combination of group 

education and individual counseling received similar amounts of counseling on average (6.2 and 

6.3 hours, respectively). Clients receiving only individual counseling spent substantially less time in 

counseling—2.3 hours on average. These estimates for the total hours of counseling received are lower 

than those obtained from other research studies, which may reflect differences in the composition of 

the study sample or the fact that this study includes the services provided to all clients, including those 

who drop out of counseling.

The topics covered by the group education provided to study participants were consistent with the 

core topics recommended by the NIS for Homeownership Education and Counseling. More than 90 

percent of clients received education on four of the five core topics in the industry standards—those 

that relate to assessing readiness to purchase, finding a mortgage loan, and shopping for a home.

Slightly more than one-half of the study participants (53 percent) were described by counselors as 

having completed counseling at the time of their last session. The most commonly recommended 

“action steps” were to participate in additional workshops or counseling, to work on addressing credit 

issues, and to save for a downpayment.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 50

5. COUNSELING SERVICES
6. CLIENT OUTCOMES

This chapter presents information on the outcomes of study participants approximately 18 months 

after starting counseling, focusing on those who purchased homes. The main source we have for 

understanding client outcomes is credit report data from March 2011.

As described in Chapter 2, we obtained credit report data from Equifax for all clients in the study for 

two points in time: August 2009, approximately the time of study enrollment for most clients, and 

March 2011, approximately 18 months after study enrollment for most clients. The credit report data 

can be used to identify which study participants purchased housing after enrolling in the study and 

how participants’ credit scores changed. For those participants with mortgages, the credit data also 

provide some information on the total loan amount of the mortgage and the monthly cost of

the mortgage.

One limitation of the credit report data is that they do not provide detail about the circumstances 

of the purchase. Moreover, we do not have information on outcomes for study participants who did 

not purchase but may have increased their income, improved their credit, or improved the quality of 

their rental housing. Finally, the findings on client outcomes (as with other study findings) should be 

interpreted with caution because we cannot confirm that the characteristics and experiences of study 

participants are representative of the broader population of pre-purchase counselees.

6.1 INCIDENCE OF HOME PURCHASES

The Equifax credit data show that 195 clients had one or more open first mortgage accounts on their 

credit report as of March 2011. The Equifax data do not have complete information on open first 

mortgage accounts for all clients, however, so the actual number of clients with mortgages could

be higher.

The Equifax data include a numeric value for the number of first mortgage accounts for 221 clients—195 

clients for whom the number of open first mortgage accounts is one or more, and 26 clients for whom 

the number of open first mortgage accounts is zero (Exhibit 6-1). We can safely assume that the people 

with one or more open first mortgage accounts have purchased a home and people with zero open first 

mortgage accounts have not.

For 281 clients, however, the data do not include a numeric value for the number of first mortgage 

accounts but rather show one of two “invalid” codes. For 280 clients, the code indicates “no first 

mortgage account on file.” For one client, the code indicates “items on file that can be considered do 

not have available data to calculate attribute accurately.” We assume that none of these 281 clients has 

purchased a home.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 51

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
Finally, for 56 clients, the data are simply missing. For most of these clients, the Equifax data set 

includes very little information of any kind (for example, only 5 of the 56 have FICOTM scores). We 

assume these 56 clients also have not purchased a home.

Given these assumptions, our best estimate is that 195 clients, or 35 percent of the sample, purchased 

a house within approximately 18 months of receiving pre-purchase counseling services.22 The true 

incidence of purchasing is possibly higher, if lags in reporting to Equifax mean that some people 

who purchased in early 2011 are not identified in the dataset as having open first mortgage accounts. 

Without a follow-up survey of pre-purchase clients, it is difficult to assess the completeness of the 

Equifax data in terms of the share of purchasers captured.

Exhibit 6-1. Presence of Mortgage on Credit Report 18 Months After Study Enrollment

Number Percent

Credit report shows one or more open first mortgage accounts 195 35

Credit report shows no open first mortgage accounts 26 5

Credit report indicates no first mortgage accounts on file 280 50

Credit reports indicates insufficient data to calculate number of open 

first mortgage accounts 1 <1

Credit report missing data on open first mortgage accounts 56 10

Total 558 100

N = 558 study participants (excludes 15 clients with mortgages in October 2009 per the Equifax data).

Source: Equifax dataset from March 2011

The share of clients purchasing housing presented here is roughly in line with the findings of other 

studies. In the early 2000s, researchers at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill conducted 

a survey of 1,433 people who completed homeownership training classes at eight NeighborWorks® 

organizations that participated in the Neighborhood Reinvestment Homeownership Pilot program 

(Rohe et al., 2003). Of the survey respondents, 72 percent were homeowners 1 to 2 years after 

completing the homeownership training. The survey, however, had only a 33-percent response rate 

and was likely biased to some extent toward people who purchased. Taking into account the number 

of survey respondents who purchased (343), the authors can say definitively that at least 24 percent of 

the 1,433 people who received the training purchased; they conclude that the actual purchase rate was 

likely higher, but probably not as high as 72 percent. As another point of comparison, the evaluation 

of the Links to Homeownership program in Michigan found that 27 percent of families receiving 

services from a sample of participating counseling agencies had purchased homes within 2 years 

(Herbert et al., 2003).

22. We identified 15 clients in the sample whom the Equifax data identified as having mortgages as of October 2009, that 

is, at the time they sought counseling. Because we have no indication from the baseline surveys or service tracking 

records that the clients were already homeowners at the time they sought counseling, we have not treated them as 

purchasers and have dropped them from the analysis of outcomes. However, they are included in the analysis of client 

characteristics and counseling services presented in Chapters 3 and 5.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 52

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
Data reported by HUD-approved counseling agencies (9902 data) for 2010 show lower rates of 

home purchase. The 9902 data show that 41,466 out of 244,646 people (17 percent) who received 

pre-purchase counseling or education from HUD-funded agencies purchased housing.23 The 9902 

data likely underestimate the share of clients who purchase housing because they are based on what 

counselors know of client outcomes at the time the data are reported and include a large share of 

people described as still pursuing homeownership.

STATUS OF THE MORTGAGE AS OF MARCH 2011

The Equifax data suggest that the 195 purchasers were generally keeping current on their mortgage 

payments as of March 2011. Two-thirds of the purchasers in the study had had their mortgage loans 

for at least 12 months (the mean age of the mortgage was 14.5 months and the median was 12.9 

months). Only one purchaser had fallen at least 30 days behind on his or her mortgage in the 12 

months before March 2011. None of the purchasers had a major derogatory event on a mortgage 

account in the previous 24 months. One of the 195 purchasers had an open home equity loan on file.

6.2 TOTAL LOAN AMOUNT, MONTHLY PAYMENT 

AMOUNT, AND PAYMENT BURDEN

The Equifax data provide a total loan amount for open first mortgage accounts for 194 of the 195 

purchasers. The loan amounts range from $25,070 to $319,800, with a median loan amount of 

$100,601 and a mean loan amount of $107,006. Exhibit 6-2 provides further information on the 

distribution of loan amounts: 86 percent of purchasers have first mortgage loan amounts of less

than $150,000.

Exhibit 6-2. Total Loan Amount for Open First Mortgage Accounts, March 2011

N = 194 purchasers.

Source: Equifax dataset from March 2011

23. FY 2010 HUD 9902 Fourth Quarter Report, accessed at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_

offices/housing/sfh/hcc/hcc_home

Less than $100k $100k–$149k $150k–$199k $200k +

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

49%

37%

11%

3%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 53

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
The Equifax data provide two useful measures of monthly payment amounts for purchasers in the 

sample. The first is the sum of estimated monthly payments for all open first mortgage accounts on 

file, available for 194 of the 195 purchasers. The second is the sum of estimated monthly payments for 

all open accounts on file, available for all 195 purchasers. Exhibit 6-3 shows the distribution of both 

monthly payment amounts. First mortgage payments range from $119 to $2,434 per month, with a 

median of $795 and a mean of $825. The monthly payment amount for all open accounts, including 

but not limited to first mortgage accounts, is about 50 percent higher than the amount for first 

mortgages alone. The median monthly payment on all open accounts is $1,148 and the mean

is $1,355.

Exhibit 6-3. Distribution of Monthly Payments for First Mortgage Accounts and All Open 

Accounts, March 2011

First Mortgage 

Accounts All Open Accounts

Minimum $119 $385

Lower quartile (25th percentile) $617 $868

Median (50th percentile) $795 $1,148

Upper quartile (75th percentile) $987 $1,566

Maximum $2,434 $5,955

Mean $825 $1,335

N 194 195

N = shown in exhibit.

Source: Equifax data set from March 2011

The study did not collect any information on client incomes as of March 2011. As a result, we do 

not have a way of estimating current payment burden for purchasers in the study. We can, however, 

compare monthly income at the time of study enrollment to estimated monthly payments in March 

2011 for first mortgages and all open accounts for the 188 purchasers for whom we have both types 

of data. This comparison should be treated with great caution, because clients’ incomes are likely to 

have changed between October 2009 and March 2011; also, inaccuracies are likely in the self-reported 

income data and (possibly) the Equifax data.

Notwithstanding these caveats, we find that 56 percent of purchasers have first mortgage payment 

amounts that are 30 percent or less of their gross monthly income at the time of study enrollment 

(Exhibit 6-4). Another 28 percent of purchasers have mortgage payment amounts that are between 30 

and 40 percent of gross monthly income.

Taking into account other types of loans, the situation is reversed. As shown by the green columns in 

Exhibit 6-4, about one-third of purchasers have total monthly debt payments that exceed 50 percent of 

their gross monthly income at the time of study enrollment. Without knowing what has happened to 

purchasers’ incomes since the fall of 2009, it is difficult to assess this payment burden. If the purchasers 

maintained or increased their household incomes between 2009 and 2011, the true payment burden in 

2011 would be lower. A loss of income, however, would result in a greater payment burden.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 54

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
Exhibit 6-4. Monthly Payment Amount for First Mortgage Accounts and All Accounts in 

March 2011 as a Percentage of Gross Monthly Income at Study Enrollment

< 31% 31–40% 41–50% > 50%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

 First Mortgage Accounts All Open Accounts

22% 22%

28%

12%

5%

34%

22%

56%

Monthly Payment in March 2011 / Gross Monthly Income in October 2009

Percent of Purchasers

Exhibit 6-5 compares the total housing costs (rent plus utilities) at the time of study enrollment to 

monthly first mortgage payments as of March 2011 for those study participants who purchased housing. 

As would be expected, the monthly payment for the first mortgage, in general, is higher than the 

monthly rent plus utilities, resulting in the greater payment burdens presented in Exhibit 6-4 compared 

with those in Exhibit 3-9. For most participants, the mortgage payments are low to moderate (less than 

$1,000). Among those participants with mortgage payments of $1,000 or more, about two-thirds (62 

percent) were paying at least $900 for rent plus utilities at the time of study enrollment.

Exhibit 6-5. Monthly Rent Plus Utilities in October 2011 Compared With Monthly Payment 

on First Mortgage Accounts as of March 2011, for Purchasers Only

N = 188 purchasers.

Source: Baseline survey (monthly income) and Equifax data set from March 2011 (monthly payment amounts)

N = 188 purchasers.

Source: Baseline survey (monthly rent plus utilities) and Equifax data set from March 2011 (monthly payment amounts)

$0–$499 $500–$999 $1,000 +

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

 Monthly Rent Plus Utilities 

(October 2009)

 Monthly Payment on First Mortgage

(March 2011)

65%

50%

20% 24%

11%

30%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 55

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
6.3 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH

HOME PURCHASES

Exhibit 6-6 compares the characteristics of the 196 purchasers in the study sample to the 377 study 

participants who had not purchased as of March 2011. Given that the study sample has not been 

validated as being representative of pre-purchase counseling clients and has not been weighted to 

adjust for different rates of enrollment among the agencies, we have not attempted to test for statistical 

significance or do other statistical analysis. We interpret the information presented in Exhibit 6-6 as 

descriptive and exploratory only.

Notwithstanding these caveats, the exhibit suggests some differences between purchasers and 

nonpurchasers. In our study sample, purchasers were more likely to be White, male, and under the 

age of 35 than nonpurchasers, although, overall, most purchasers were women. Purchasers were also 

somewhat more likely than nonpurchasers to have a college degree and to be employed full time 

at the time they sought counseling. As might be expected, purchasers had a higher average income 

than nonpurchasers, but only by about $3,000 per year. Purchasers were also substantially more 

likely to have savings than nonpurchasers—89 percent of purchasers, compared with 64 percent of 

nonpurchasers, had at least some money in savings at the time they sought counseling.

Purchasers had higher credit scores on average and were substantially more likely to have a FICOTM score 

(as of March 2011) of 620 or higher than were nonpurchasers. The fact that 71 percent of purchasers had 

FICOTM scores above 620 suggests that most purchasers would likely have obtained standard mortgage 

products, although we do not have any information on the terms of the mortgages obtained.

Exhibit 6-6. Characteristics of Purchasers Compared With Nonpurchasers

Characteristics Purchasers

(N = 196)

Nonpurchasers

(N = 377)

Gender

Female 66% 75%

Male 34% 25%

Race

White alone 45% 25%

Black or African American alone 38% 60%

Other race or more than one race 17% 15%

Age

Less than 35 57% 47%

35 and older 43% 53%

Educational attainment at baseline

No college 30% 36%

Some college, no degree 28% 34%

Associates degree or higher 42% 30%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 56

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
Characteristics Purchasers

(N = 196)

Nonpurchasers

(N = 377)

Employment status at baseline

Employed full time 88% 78%

Not employed full time 12% 22%

Income at baseline

Mean gross annual income $38,004 $35,728

Savings at baseline

No savings 11% 36%

Savings 89% 64%

Mean savings amount $3,465 $2,415

Credit rating at baseline

Mean VantageScore 699 629

Mean FICOTM score 660 584

FICOTM score less than 620 29% 69%

FICOTM score 620 or greater 71% 31%

Plans to purchase at baseline

Have a signed agreement to purchase a house 31% 6%

Amount of counseling received

Mean total counseling time (hrs.) 5.3 5.6

Completed counselinga 72% 43%

Mortgage ready or mortgage ready with 90 daysa 66% 36%

Type of counseling received

Group education only 46% 62%

Group education and individual counseling 29% 24%

Individual counseling only 25% 14%

a

 As of last counseling session, per counselor’s assessment.

N = 196 purchasers and 377 nonpurchasers (missing values vary by characteristic).

Source: Baseline survey (monthly income) and Equifax data set from March 2011 (monthly payment amounts)

As might be expected, purchasers were more likely to have come to counseling with a purchase 

agreement in hand than were nonpurchasers. About one-third of purchasers (31 percent) had a signed 

purchase agreement at the time of seeking counseling, as compared with 6 percent of nonpurchasers 

(presumably these purchase agreements fell through).

Interestingly, study participants who purchased did not receive more counseling time than those who 

did not purchase. This finding could indicate that counselors spent more time with clients who had 

greater challenges to overcome. Purchasers were, however, more likely to have been characterized by 

counselors as having completed their counseling (72 percent) than were nonpurchasers (43 percent). 

Purchasers were also more likely to have been assessed by their counselors as “mortgage ready”: 66 

percent of purchasers, compared with 33 percent of nonpurchasers, were assessed as “mortgage ready” 

or “mortgage ready within 90 days” at the time of their last recorded counseling session.

Exhibit 6-6. (Continued).

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 57

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
N = 495 study participants with a FICOTM score in October 2009 and March 2011.

Source: Equifax data set from March 2011

Purchasers were more likely to have received individual counseling only than were nonpurchasers, 

and less likely to have received group education only. This finding could reflect the fact that some 

counseling agencies had a greater proportion of purchasers than others, and these counseling agencies 

could be ones whose service delivery model focused on individual counseling. It could also mean that 

counseling agencies put clients who were more prepared into individual counseling and put clients 

who were less prepared into group counseling to get an overview of the homebuying process first.

6.4 CHANGES IN CREDIT RATING

The Equifax data set provides an opportunity to compare the credit ratings of pre-purchase clients 

at the time of study enrollment (October 2009) and approximately 18 months later (March 2011), 

after the completion of counseling services. Because credit awareness and repair are important 

components of many pre-purchase counseling curricula, one might expect to see an improvement in 

clients’ credit scores after completing pre-purchase counseling. The credit data show that 39 percent 

of study participants improved their FICOTM score by at least 20 points between October 2009 and 

March 2011, whereas about 33 percent remained within 20 points of their baseline score (Exhibit 6-7). 

Slightly more than one-fourth (28 percent) saw their credit scores decrease between October 2009 

and March 2011. Most clients’ FICOTM scores continued to be below 620 in March 2011 if they were 

below 620 in October 2009, and vice versa. Only 10 percent of clients’ scores went from below 620 

to 620 or above, and 9 percent went from 620 or above to below 620. In comparison, credit scores 

nationwide remained flat during this period, despite it being a period of relatively high unemployment 

and economic distress (Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2011).

Exhibit 6-7. Changes in Credit Score Between October 2009 and March 2011

 Increased by 20 pts or more

 Decreased by 20 pts or more

 Remained within 20 pts

33%

28%

39%

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 58

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
6.5 SUMMARY

Credit report data obtained from March 2011 suggest that about 35 percent of study participants 

purchased housing within 18 months of receiving pre-purchase counseling services. This home 

purchase rate is higher than the 27-percent rate suggested by both the 2003 Michigan study (Herbert 

et al., 2003) and data reported to HUD by counseling agencies for 2010 (HUD 9902 data). A 

consistent finding across both studies and Rohe et al. (2003), however, is that most people seeking 

pre-purchasing counseling do not buy a house after receiving these services. This finding may not be 

surprising, given the population being served—in general, clients have little savings and relatively low 

incomes. In some cases, postponing a home purchase may be a successful outcome for a client, given 

the high costs associated with unsustainable homeownership.

Although the clients in this study were not tracked for very long after receiving counseling services, 

early indications were that they could sustain homeownership. Most purchasers had been in their 

homes for at least 1 year, only one purchaser had fallen at least 30 days behind on his or her mortgage 

in the past 12 months, and only one purchaser had a major derogatory event on a mortgage account. 

One of the 195 purchasers had an open home equity loan on file.

Furthermore, housing payment burdens of study participants who purchased do not appear to have 

increased dramatically, which also bodes well for their ability to sustain homeownership. Without 

a follow-up survey, the study was not able to collect data on the incomes of study participants as of 

March 2011. It is therefore not possible to estimate precisely the payment burden for clients who 

purchased. Comparing the mortgage payments as of March 2011 to clients’ income at the time of 

study enrollment (fall of 2009), however, suggests that a most purchasers (56 percent) have first 

mortgage payment amounts that are 30 percent or less of their gross monthly income at the time of 

study enrollment, and 28 percent of purchasers have mortgage payment amounts that are between 30 

and 40 percent. Only 5 percent of purchasers appear to have had payment burdens of more than 50 

percent, which is considered a severe burden.

Not surprisingly, those who did purchase homes appear to have been more prepared to do so than 

those who did not. Comparing the characteristics—at the time of study enrollment—of clients who 

purchased during the 18-month study period to those who did not, purchasers had a higher average 

income than nonpurchasers, but only by about $3,000 per year. Purchasers were also substantially 

more likely to have savings than were nonpurchasers, although most people did not have much in 

savings. Purchasers also had higher credit scores on average and were substantially more likely to 

have a FICOTM score (as of March 2011) of 620 or higher than were nonpurchasers. They were also 

somewhat more likely to have a college degree and to be employed full time at the time they sought 

counseling. Finally, purchasers were more likely to be White than were nonpurchasers and more likely 

to be under the age of 35.

Interestingly, study participants who purchased did not receive more counseling time than those 

who did not purchase. This finding could indicate that counselors spent more time with clients who 

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 59

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
had greater challenges to overcome, again suggesting that postponing homeownership could be a 

successful outcome of pre-purchase counseling for some clients.

Although the most direct outcome of pre-purchase counseling is to prepare clients to purchase 

homes, an improvement in credit scores might also be expected to result as clients learn more about 

budgeting, saving, and managing debt. The credit data obtained for the study enable us to compare, 

for all study participants, the credit ratings of clients at the time of study enrollment (October 2009) 

and approximately 18 months later (March 2011). The data show that 38 percent of clients improved 

their FICOTM score by at least 20 points, 33 percent remained within 20 points of their baseline score, 

and 28 percent saw their credit scores decrease by 20 points or more.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 60

6. CLIENT OUTCOMES
APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR 

PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is conducting a study of your housing 

counseling needs and the services provided to you. We’d like to ask you some questions about yourself 

and, if applicable, the people you might be buying a house with. Your answers to all questions will be 

confidential and will not affect any counseling or other services you receive. Completing the survey 

will take about 20 minutes. If you have any questions about the survey, please ask the counseling 

agency staff for assistance.

In this survey, most of the questions provide a list of possible answers to choose from. For example, if 

there was a question that asked about the day of the week, it might read:

Sample Question. Is today Sunday? (Select only one.)

Yes

No 

Please use a pencil or dark-colored pen (black or blue ink) to fill in the circle next to your 

answer. Please fill in the entire circle. For example:

Sample Question. Is today Sunday? (Select only one.)

Yes

No 

Some questions allow you to “select one or more” responses. For these questions, mark all the answers 

that apply. For example:

Sample Question. What color eyes do your friends have? (Select one or more.)

Hazel

Brown

Black

Green

Blue

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 61

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
If you mistakenly fill in the wrong response, please put a large “X” through the incorrect 

response and write a note next to the question telling us which response is correct. If you are 

using pencil, erasing the pencil mark will also work well.

Some questions ask you to write your answer. For these, please print neatly.

Thank you for your assistance.

SURVEY QUESTIONS

1. Why are you seeking housing counseling services at this time? (Select one or more.)

I want help deciding whether I should try to buy a house

I want help determining how much house I can afford

I want help improving my credit or getting out of debt

I want help with financial education or money management

I want help searching for the right house for me

I want help getting the right mortgage

I want to learn how to avoid high-cost/predatory lenders

I want help finding any assistance programs that might help me purchase a house

I need homebuyer education or counseling to obtain down payment or closing cost assistance 

or qualify for a specific loan program

I want help with the final stages of buying a house (e.g., the closing process)

Other reason (specify):

2. How did you hear about the housing counseling services at this agency? (Select one or more.)

Through a family member or friend

Through my bank or lender

Through another housing counseling agency

Through a real estate agent

Through my landlord or housing authority

Through my employer

Through the HUD website or local HUD office

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 62

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
Through another website or web search

Through the newspaper, TV, or radio

Through a poster or billboard

Through a flyer I received in the mail

I just walked in

Other (specify):

3. In the past three years, have you received any counseling or education on the following topics? Include any counseling/education received from this agency and other agencies. (Select one or more.)

Improving your credit or managing your debt

Budgeting or financial management

Buying/owning a house

Renting

Retirement planning

None of the above

4. Where are you currently in the home purchase process? (Select one or more.)

I have not yet decided whether I want to purchase a house

I am planning to purchase a home more than a year from now

I am planning to purchase a home between three months and a year from now

I am planning to purchase a home in the next three months

I have a signed agreement to purchase a house

I am pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage loan to purchase a house

5. If and when you purchase a house, do you plan to take out the home mortgage loan on your own 

or with one or more co-borrowers? (Select only one.)

I plan to purchase on my own, without any other borrowers

I plan to purchase with my legal spouse as a co-borrower

I plan to purchase with my common law spouse as a co-borrower

I plan to purchase with my domestic partner as a co-borrower

I plan to purchase with my son/daughter as a co-borrower

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 63

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
I plan to purchase with a parent or other relative as a co-borrower

I plan to purchase with a non-relative as a co-borrower

I have not yet decided whether I will purchase on my own or with someone else

The following questions ask about the income and other assets you have to purchase a house. Answer 

the questions for yourself plus anyone you plan to take out a mortgage with (your co-borrowers).

6. What is your gross monthly income? (Please provide your best estimate. Include all sources of 

income and the income of any co-borrowers as well as your own income.)

$____________________

Does your monthly income include...? (Select one or more.)

Income from employment

Interest, dividend, or other investment income

Child support payments, alimony, or maintenance payments

Social Security retirement or disability benefits

Other pensions or retirement income

Unemployment benefits

Veterans’ benefits

Other income

7. How much money do you have in savings? (“Savings” includes money in checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, mutual funds, brokerage accounts, 

savings at home, savings with others who are keeping it safe, and any other kinds of savings. 

Include your savings as well as the savings of any co-borrowers. Enter 0 if you have no savings of 

any kind.)

$____________________

Don’t know

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 64

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
8. How much money do you have in retirement accounts, such as 401(k) accounts, 403(b) accounts, 

or IRAs? (Include your retirement accounts as well as those of any co-borrowers. Enter 0 if you do 

not have any retirement accounts of any kind.)

$____________________

Don’t know

9. Given your credit, how easy or hard do you think it will be for you (and any co-borrowers) to get 

a loan to purchase a house? (Select only one.)

Very easy

Somewhat easy

Somewhat hard

Very hard

Don’t know

Answer the remainder of the survey just for you. Do not include information on people you 

might be planning to purchase with.

10. What is your gender? (Select only one.)

Male

Female

11. What is your age? ________________ years

12. Which describes your ethnicity? (Select only one.)

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Not Latino

13. Which describes your race? (Select one or more.)

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

Some Other Race

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 65

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
14. Were you born in the United States? (Select only one.)

Yes

No

15. Is English your primary language? (Select only one.)

Yes

No è a. What is your primary language?

______________________________________________________

b. How well do you speak English? (Select only one.)

Very well

Well

Not well

Not at all

16. What is your marital status? (Select only one.)

Now married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

Never married

17. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? (Select only one.)

Less than 12th grade

12th grade, no diploma

High school diploma or equivalent (e.g., GED)

1 or more years of college, no degree

Associate degree

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree, professional degree, or doctorate degree

18. What is your current work status? (Select only one.)

Employed full-time

Employed part-time

Homemaker or student

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 66

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
Unemployed, looking for work

Unemployed, not looking for work

Temporarily laid off or on leave

Retired or disabled

19. How many dependents (under the age of 18) do you currently have living with you?

(Select only one.)

0 2 More than 3

1 3

20. What type of housing do you currently live in? (Select only one.)

Single family home

Duplex or two-family home

Multifamily apartment building, condo, or co-op

Manufactured or mobile home

Other (specify): ______________________________

21. How much do you pay each month for rent? (Enter 0 if you pay no rent.)

$____________________

22. How much do you pay each month for utilities, such as electricity, heat, gas, and water? (Do not 

include utilities that are included in your rent. Enter 0 if you pay no utilities)

$____________________

23. Have you ever owned your own home? (Select only one.)

Yes

No

Those are all the questions we have.

Thank you for participating in this survey!

Please return this questionnaire to the housing agency staff person overseeing this survey.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 67

APPENDIX A. BASELINE SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
APPENDIX B. SERVICE TRACKING 

SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS

Client Name: ____________________________ Client ID:_________________________

Answer the following questions for each workshop or counseling session the client attends over the 

six-month tracking period.

1. What type of session was it? (Check one.)

Pre-purchase homebuyer education workshop

Financial literacy workshop

Predatory lending workshop

Pre-purchase homebuyer counseling

Other individual counseling (specify):_____________________________________________

Other workshop/group education (specify):_________________________________________

2. When did the session occur? (If it is a group session spanning multiple days, record the last day of 

the group session.)

MM/DD/YY

3. How long did the session last?

a. For workshops and group sessions, record length of session in hours. (If the session 

spans multiple days, record the total number of hours through all the days of the session.)

Hours

b. For individual counseling sessions, record length of session in minutes.

Minutes

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 68

APPENDIX B. SERVICE TRACKING SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
4. Was the session conducted face-to-face, by telephone, or over the Internet, or some other way? 

(Select one or more.)

Face-to-face

Telephone

Internet

Video conferencing

Other (specify):_______________________________________________________

5. What topics were covered during the session? (Check one or more.)

Searching for a home Budgeting 

Home purchase process Affordability analysis

Home inspection Understanding credit and credit repair

Fair housing issues Creating a savings plan 

Mortgage options Resolving or preventing mortgage delinquency 

Mortgage qualification Home maintenance 

Shopping for a mortgage Housing rehabilitation

Predatory lending Energy efficiency

Financial assistance options

(i.e., grants, special loans, etc.) Other (specify):

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 69

APPENDIX B. SERVICE TRACKING SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
6. Who led the session? (Check one.)

1. Housing counselor/educator (Name: ___________________________________________)

2. Other agency staff person (Name and title: ______________________________________)

Real estate agent Representative of government agencies 

providing homebuyer assistance 

Mortgage lender or broker Insurance agent

Attorney Tax advisor/accountant/financial planner

Title or escrow agent Environmental or energy expert

Home inspector Other nonprofit organizations or agency 

representative

Other (specify):

7. Who else was involved in the session, for example, as a guest speaker? (Check one or more.)

Housing counselors or educators 

employed by the agency

Representative of government agencies 

providing homebuyer assistance

Other agency staff persons Insurance agent

Real estate agents Tax advisors/accountants/financial planners

Mortgage lenders or brokers Environmental or energy experts

Attorneys Other nonprofit organizations or agency 

representatives

Title or escrow agents None of the above 

Home inspectors Other (specify):

8. Did the client pay any fee for the session? (Check one.)

No

Yes è How much did the client pay for the session? $____________________

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 70

APPENDIX B. SERVICE TRACKING SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
9. Did the client complete any of the following action steps before or during this session, or was the 

client asked to complete any of the steps after the session? (Check one or more.)

Action Step Completed before or 

during session

Asked to complete 

after session

Prepare a household budget

Review their credit report

Take steps to repair their credit

Begin saving toward amount needed to purchase 

a home

Follow a debt management or other type of 

financial plan

Begin the housing search process

Contact mortgage lenders

Participate in additional workshops or counseling

10. What is the counselor’s assessment of the client’s homebuyer status?

(Check most appropriate category.)

Mortgage-ready Expected to be mortgage-ready within 90 days

Will need more than 90 days to become mortgage-ready

11. As of the end of this session, did the client complete their counseling or education? (Check one.)

Yes No, next appointment not scheduled

No, next appointment not scheduled

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 71

APPENDIX B. SERVICE TRACKING SURVEY FOR PRE-PURCHASE CLIENTS
APPENDIX C. COUNSELOR SURVEY

Agency ID: 

This survey is intended to gather basic information on the educators and counselors providing 

assistance to clients included in the study to be able to link this information to the services received 

by each client. This survey asks a few basic demographic questions and seeks information on your 

background and experience as a housing counselor or educator. Your answers to all questions will be 

confidential to the extent provided for by law. Answering the questions will take about 10 minutes.

1. Counselor Name:________________________________________________________________

 First Name Last Name

2. What is your gender?

Male

Female

3. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? (Select only one.)

Less than 12th grade Associate degree 

12th grade, no diploma Bachelor’s degree

High school diploma or equivalent 

(e.g., GED)

Master’s degree, professional degree, or 

doctorate degree

4. Which describes your ethnicity? (Select only one.)

Hispanic or Latino

Not Hispanic or Not Latino

5. Which describes your race? (Select one or more.)

American Indian or Alaska Native Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

Asian White

Black or African American Some Other Race

6. Were you born in the United States?

Yes

No

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 72

APPENDIX C. COUNSELOR SURVEY
Agency ID: 

7. In what year did you start working as a housing counselor/trainer? _________________ (YYYY)

8. In what year did you start working for [counseling agency name]?_________________ (YYYY)

9. Have you ever worked as a...? (Select one or more.)

Lender/mortgage broker

Realtor

Financial planner

None of the above

10. Have you received training on any of the following topics in the past three years? (Select one or more.)

Pre-purchase homebuyer education Default and delinquency counseling

Pre-purchase homebuyer counseling Foreclosure prevention

Credit counseling/credit repair HECM or reverse mortgage 

Financial literacy counseling Fair housing

Mortgage lending Training or counseling methods in general

Predatory lending

11. In total, about how many days of housing counseling-related training have you received in the 

past three years? (If you have attended several training sessions over this period, estimate the 

length of each and add them together. Do not count on-the-job training.) 

1-2 days More than 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks

3-5 days More than 4 weeks

More than 5 days but less than 2 weeks

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 73

APPENDIX C. COUNSELOR SURVEY
Agency ID: 

12. Have you received any of the following certifications? (Select one or more.)

NeighborWorks® Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC):

Certification in Homeownership Education

Certificate in Homeownership Counseling

Certificate in Post-purchase Homeownership Education

Certificate in Foreclosure Intervention Counseling

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (AFCPE):

Accredited Financial CounselorTM

Certified Housing CounselorTM

Accredited Credit CounselorTM

National Foundation for Credit Counseling:

Certified Consumer Credit Counselor

National Association of Housing Counselors and Agencies (NAHCA):

Certified Professional Comprehensive Housing Counselor

Certified Professional Housing Counselor Specializing in Tenancy

Certified Professional Housing Counselor Specializing in Home Ownership

Certified Housing Counselor Administrator

National Federation of Housing Counselors:

Certified Housing Counselor

State or regional certification (specify):________________________________________

Other certification (specify):_________________________________________________

Passed HECM Counselor Exam

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 74

APPENDIX C. COUNSELOR SURVEY
REFERENCES

Agarwal, Sumit, Gene Amromin, Itzhak Ben-David, Souphala Chomsisengphet, and Douglas 

D. Evanoff. 2009a. Do Financial Counseling Mandates Improve Mortgage Choice and 

Performance? Evidence From a Legislative Experiment. Working paper 2008–03–019. 

Columbus, OH: Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business.

———. 2009b. Learning To Cope: Voluntary Financial Education Programs and Loan Performance 

During a Housing Crisis. Working paper 2009–23. Columbus, OH: Ohio State University, 

Fisher College of Business, Charles A. Dice Center.

Collins, Michael J., and Collin O’Rourke. 2011. Homeownership Education and Counseling: Do We 

Know What Works? Research Institute for Housing America Special Report. Washington, 

DC: Mortgage Bankers Association.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 2011. “Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit.”

http://www.newyorkfed.org/research/national_economy/householdcredit/DistrictReport_

Q22011.pdf (accessed March 14, 2012).

Herbert, Christopher E., Jennifer Turnham, and Christopher N. Rodger. 2008. The State of the 

Housing Counseling Industry. Report prepared for the U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and

Urban Development.

Herbert, Christopher E., Jennifer Turnham, Michelle Wood, and Christopher N. Rodger. 2003. 

Evaluation of the Michigan Links to Homeownership Home Purchase Program. Cambridge, MA: 

Abt Associates Inc.

Hirad, Abdighani, and Peter M. Zorn. 2001. A Little Knowledge Is a Good Thing: Empirical Evidence of 

the Effectiveness of Pre-Purchase Homeownership Counseling. Washington, DC: Freddie Mac.

Jefferson, Anna, Jonathan Spader, Jennifer Turnham, and Shawn Moulton. Forthcoming. Foreclosure 

Counseling Outcome Study: Final Report. Report prepared for the U.S. Department of 

Housing and Urban Development. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development.

Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS). 2011. The State of the Nation’s 

Housing. Cambridge, MA: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 75

REFERENCES
Rohe, William M., and Roberto G. Quercia. 2003. Individual and Neighborhood Impacts of 

Neighborhood Reinvestment’s Homeownership Pilot Program. Report to Neighborhood 

Reinvestment Corporation. Washington, D.C.: Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. 

http://neighborworks.issuelab.org/research/listing/individual_and_neighborhood_impacts_

of_neighborhood_reinvestments_homeownership_pilot_program (accessed March 14, 2012).

Spader, Jonathan, and Roberto G. Quercia. 2009. Pre-Purchase Homeownership Counseling

and Mortgage Search. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Center for

Community Capital.

U.S. Census Bureau (Census). No date. American Community Survey, 2005-09 5-Year Estimates. 

http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults.xhtml?refresh=t (accessed March 

14, 2012).

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). No date. HUD 9902 data for FY 2010. 

Available at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/hcc/

hcc_home. (accessed March 14, 2012)

PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING OUTCOME STUDY: RESEARCH BRIEF HOUSING COUNSELING OUTCOME EVALUATION 76

REFERENCES