U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Documents the Benefits of Pre-Purchase Counseling

TRIP & RCHR, our customers, and our supporters know all about the importance of pre-purchase homebuyer counseling, but now the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released a study corroborating that knowledge.

Released in May, the study written by Jennifer Turnham and Anna Jefferson, sampled 573 individuals and found significant levels of achievement in homebuyers who received pre-purchase housing counseling. They were more likely to be mortgage-ready, have a signed purchase agreement, and havevdecent credit scores as a result of the financial, budgeting, and homebuying information received.  Additionally, the study tracked participants at 12 to 18 months after receiving pre-purchase counseling services and found that "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."

If you or someone you know is considering homeownership, don't miss out on pre-purchase education and its benefits. At the TRIP NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center we offer free, professional housing counseling with certified counselors. For more information, go to http://www.triponline.org or call us a (518) 690-0020.

To read the complete HUD Pre-Purchase Counseling Outcomes Study go to  http://www.huduser.org/publications/pdf/pre_purchase_counseling.pdf.

Call for Nominations: Troy Treasure Award

TRIP is seeking nominations for the 2012 Troy Treasure Awardee -- an individual, group, or business committed to improving Troy! We know there are many of you, and we would love to see you honored as a Troy Treasure. This year's Troy Treasure Awardee will be recognized at the TRIP & RCHR Homecoming Dinner on October 29th.

Please nominate your favorite Troy resident, business, group, etc. today! The deadline for nominations is July 16th.

More information and nominations forms may be found at http://triponline.org/news_and_events/2012TroyTreasureNominations.html .

New Faces at TRIP: Welcome Joel Levy, Summer Intern

TRIP would like to welcome our newest intern, Joel Levy! Joel is a rising senior at RPI double-majoring in Business Marketing and Electronic Media Arts and Communication. Growing up in Florida, this is his first New York summer!

Joining the TRIP team as a Marketing and Communications Intern, Joel will be developing templates for and designing printed materials, assisting with online promotion of TRIP and our partners, and serving as a photographer at events. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Joel, and look forward to a productive summer!

"Thank You" to our Spring RPI Interns

TRIP would like to say a big "thank you" to our two spring interns! Oscar White and Kristi Nelson, RPI students, worked with us for the semester as part of their Community Service Internship class. They were great to have and really helped to motivate and speed up several projects.

Thank you to both of you! TRIP's partnership with RPI is incredibly valuable to us, and we hope that you got a lot out of seeing the inside of a local non-profit. Best of luck to you as you continue your studies! Come back and visit when you get a chance!

Calling for a Troy Treasure!

TRIP is seeking nominations for the 2012 Troy Treasure Awardee -- an individual, group, or business committed to improving Troy. We know there are many of you and we would love to see you honored as this year's Troy Treasure.

More information and nomination forms may be found at our website or by calling TRIP at 272-8289.

The deadline for nominations is July 16th, 2012. This year's Troy Treasure Awardee will be recognized at the TRIP & RCHR Homecoming Dinner on October 29th, 2012.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind -- Hide Your Car's Valuables

Police Chief Tedesco reported at May 9th's TNAC (Troy Neighborhoods Action Council) meeting that there have been a number of car break-ins recently. He asked that everyone put all their valuables-- including power cords-- out of sight and make sure to lock their cars. If police see that your valuables are in open view, they may leave you a flyer advising you to remove them from sight.

Mark Your Calendars!

The TRIP & RCHR Annual Homecoming Dinner will be held on October 29th, 2012 at the Franklin Terrace Ballroom. Come support Honorable Ron Canestrari as he receives the 2012 Community Citizenship Award. Also presented will be the 2012 Troy Treasure Award to a soon-to-be-named awardee.