Stage 2: Meeting with People who Provide Assistance

The initial gathering

Now you are ready to bring together all of the people who have agreed to assist you with your home purchase. For your first gathering, you might choose to come together at your home, the home of a friend or family member, or even the community room at a church, library, or recreation center. An informal, relaxed atmosphere is best. You may also want to include food at your get-together. The purpose of inviting people to come together is for you to share your dream of owning a home, and to ask people for assistance. If it is hard for you to communicate, ask your facilitator to help. Share your personal profiles with the group by giving them copies that they can keep and/or on large sheets of paper hung on the wall. You and your planning group may want to begin the process right away by determining your wants and needs, as described in Stage 3.

Because it is so complex, the home-buying process can take anywhere from a few months to a year to complete. Your planning group must be prepared to work with you over an extended period of time, whether it requires five or fifty meetings. It is important to maintain a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere throughout all meetings, and to let members of the group know that their assistance is valued and appreciated. Meetings that follow the initial gathering will adhere to a format that involves checking on progress and revising the plan, as described later in this chapter.