[Blindtlk] Government Program For first Time Home buyers with Disabilities

[Chaim B. Segal]

Hi All:

I am asking the following question on here with extreme caution. Knowing that in the past, some members of the NFB have not been in favor of blind people getting discounts and certain special treatment, I hope I will not come across as looking for a handout. Being a member of Nagdu, I am aware that I have at-large membership status at this point.

At this point in time, my wife and I need to leave our rented town house within the next two months. My wife works at home as a reservationist for Red Roof Inn, and I work part-time with a decent hourly wage doing marketing and customer service for Sinclair College, Dayton, Ohio's prominent community college. 
Unexpectedly, we are finding it extremely difficult to find a suitable place for rent. We do not have any children at this point, though I am a guide dog user and we have one pet cat. I intend to cultivate my hobby of composing and recording music, and she has a rather sentimental collection of music boxes and other assorted items. We have been married for around six-and-a-half years, and feel the time is right for us to purchase our own home. As of last Friday, I have been pre-approved for a mortgage through my nearby bank, which happens to be a reputable credit union. With our income, it will be rather tight to handle albeit doable if we are careful. However, I want to shop around to see if we can get a better rate of interest elsewhere. Parenthetically, my wife has never established credit yet, largely because she has never wanted a big-name credit card. I plan to help her in that regard in the near future, because it seems that a lot of important decision-making on the outside regarding business is based on one's credit score.

Anyway, I have been hearing here and there that the Federal Government has a program in place for first-time home buyers who have disabilities. My realtor, who has shown us a few houses so far has no knowledge of such program. Yesterday, I tried researching FHA online, but was forwarded on to Hud. I called Hud, and they cannot seem to give me any information about this program. 

Does anybody on here know anything about this program? Is there a particular bank or lending institution which has a good track record of dealing with blind clients? 
Any suggestions and advice from anybody on here who has been through the process of purchasing a first home will be extremely welcome at this point. As I am behind on list messages in Digest mode, please send any responses to the list at large with a carbon copy directly to me at chaimsegal at sbcglobal.net.

 

Thanks!

Chaim

Chaim B. Segal
Contact Marketing Representative
 Sinclair Community College
Dayton, Ohio

Every Man, woman, every boy and girl,
Let your love light shine, make a better world.

Daryl Hall And John Oates

Sent from my Braille Sense U2 Mini