Homebuyer Education Is Required on Every MHC Program
Program and regulatory figures verified October 6, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
It is the least interesting requirement on the list and the one that most often holds up a file. Handle it in week one.
Is homebuyer education actually mandatory?
Yes, and MHC leaves no room on it. The requirement appears on MHC's buyer-facing pages as applying to all of its products, and your lender needs proof that you have completed a pre-purchase class before moving forward with mortgage assistance from MHC.
There is no program in the MHC stack that skips it. Smart7, Easy8, Trusty10 and JustRate all carry it.
When should I do it?
Before you are under contract, ideally before you start looking seriously. The certificate is a document your lender has to have, and getting it at the end means a closing date that waits on a class schedule.
MHC's own process puts education ahead of shopping: get pre-qualified, increase your knowledge, then start shopping. That order is deliberate.
What if my credit is not ready?
MHC runs a separate path for this and it is worth knowing about. Its stated process for a buyer who needs credit help is: contact a lender for pre-qualification and an interview, the lender refers you to an approved credit counselor, the counselor reviews your file and refers you to a homebuyer education counselor, then you return to the lender.
So education is not only a box to tick. For a buyer who is six months out, it is the on-ramp.
Where do I take the class?
MHC maintains a list of homebuyer education providers and approved counselors. Your participating lender can point you at the current list, and we will do that as part of pre-qualification. HUD also publishes HUD-approved housing counseling agencies nationwide, and CFPB's buying-a-home resources cover the same ground independently.
We are not going to publish a provider list here that could go stale. Call (480) 296-6513 and we will send you the current one.
What do the classes cover?
MHC's description of the content includes how to shop for a home, what makes a good home inspection, what information to take to a lender when applying for a mortgage, and understanding the documents involved. Certificates are issued to those who complete the class.
Some buyers find it genuinely useful and some find it a formality. Either way it is the same certificate.
Do teachers using HAT need it too?
If HAT is paired with an MHC product, that product's requirements apply, education included. HAT's own published requirements focus on the three-year service agreement, the 1% own-funds contribution and the district designation.
In practice almost every HAT file pairs with an MHC first mortgage, so plan on the class. HAT in full.
Does it cost anything?
Costs vary by provider and MHC does not publish a single fee, so we will not quote one. Ask the provider when you register.
What we can say is that no MHC product waives the requirement, so the question is which provider rather than whether.
Frequently asked questions
Is homebuyer education required for Mississippi down payment assistance?
Yes. MHC states that all of its products require completion of pre-purchase homebuyer education, and your lender must have proof of completion before moving forward with MHC assistance. The requirement applies to Smart7, Easy8, Trusty10 and JustRate without exception. Verified against MHC 2026-10-06.When should I take the MHC homebuyer education class?
Before you are under contract, and ideally before you start seriously shopping. MHC's own published process places education after pre-qualification and before house hunting. Leaving it until the end is a common cause of closing delays, because the certificate is a document your lender must have in the file. Verified against MHC 2026-10-06.What if my credit is not good enough yet for a Mississippi MHC loan?
MHC publishes a specific path. You contact a lender for pre-qualification and an interview, the lender refers you to an approved credit counselor, that counselor reviews your file and refers you to a homebuyer education counselor, and you then return to the lender for a referral and to reserve the loan once the requirements are met. Verified against MHC 2026-10-06.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not tax or legal guidance. MHC program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Mississippi Home Corporation and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against MHC's published pages and its Homebuyer Guide. Smart7 and Easy8 are 0% second mortgages with no monthly payment, deferred until sale, refinance, loss of owner-occupancy or payoff of the first mortgage. Trusty10 is a 15-year second at a 2% rate set by MHC and does carry a monthly payment. Housing Assistance for Teachers is Mississippi Department of Education grant money forgiven on completion of three years' service in a district the Department designates as critical-shortage. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.