Home-Buying 101 Published Sept. 18, 2009 By Staff Sgt. James M. Hodgman 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Are you ready to purchase your first home? Have you decided on the size you want it to be? What else would you like to know before you purchase a house? The home-buying workshop offered by the Airman and Family Readiness Center here provides a great deal of information to people looking to buy a home. The next workshop is scheduled Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Bldg. 323C, Room 206. According to Barry L. Wilkinson, a community readiness consultant with the 55th Force Support Squadron and leader of the workshop, those who attend the home-buying workshop will learn a lot of valuable information. The program covers understanding and obtaining financing and loans, searching for the right house, using realtors, understanding the negotiation process and contracts, as well as government programs, inspections, the closing process and documents, Mr. Wilkinson said. In 2008, approximately 450 people attended the home-buying workshop, a class that has been offered by the AFRC for the past eight years. So far in 2009, approximately 178 people have attended the class. However, Mr. Wilkinson said he'd like to see more people attend each session, because prior to spending hundreds of thousands of dollars people should know what they're doing. Real estate is a highly profitable business, Mr. Wilkinson said. "This makes (buyers) very vulnerable to unethical practices if they don't understand the basics," he continued. The workshop teaches people about these practices, Mr. Wilkinson said. After attending the workshop in the winter of 2008, one Offutt chief master sergeant said he learned everything he needed to know to finally purchase his first home. "I attended the workshop because I had never purchased a home before and wanted to learn as much as possible about the process," said Chief Master Sgt. James A. Pangle, operations superintendent for the 55th Operations Group. The chief said he found great information in the class like how to pick a lender, how to get pre-qualified for a mortgage, how to find a house, the process of making an offer and the importance of a home inspection. A few short months after attending the home-buying workshop and applying the tools he learned, Chief Pangle and his family purchased their first home. "It was a thrill to buy our first house, but it was also nerve racking," Chief Pangle said. "Even after taking the class, I questioned myself as to whether or not I was making the right decision at each step of the process." Chief Pangle said if he didn't attend the class, he would have been much more nervous and may have made some mistakes along the way. Master Sgt. Lonnie R. Moore, a flight chief in the 2nd Systems Operations Squadron in the Air Force Weather Agency, also attended the workshop and recommends Airmen looking to buy a home attend as well. Knowledge is power and the home-buying class presents a great deal of information essential to buying a house, Sergeant Moore said. One important thing Sergeant Moore said he learned during the course, was to ensure the house you're planning to buy is properly inspected. During Sergeant Moore's home inspection, the inspector found three safety code violations and numerous other issues that previous inspections hadn't. One violation was an uncovered vent in the roof big enough for small animals to crawl through. Since the home inspection found the violations prior to final purchase, the home owners had to fix what was wrong with the house before it could be sold. This saved Sergeant Moore and his family at least $1,000 in repairs, he said. "I always tell my students that I don't believe anyone gets up in the morning and states that I think I will go out and do something stupid today," he said. "However, we do manage to do some things badly because we don't know that we have other options," he continued, "do not make any large purchases without first exploring the Airman and Family Readiness Center and talking with professionals that can help save your dollars." It only takes a phone call and the AFRC staff is always available, Mr. Wilkinson added. For more information about the home-buying workshop, call the AFRC at 294-4329.