REACH Offers Online Housing Education

With more than 30 years of experience in the real estate industry, mortgage broker and realtor Patricia M. Tracey is passionate about supporting her Florida community through offering counseling and other services for low to moderate income individuals who are considering home buying or dealing with foreclosure. In 2015, Patricia M. Tracey’s organization, Real Estate, Education and Community Housing (REACH), won TRUINFO’s Non Profit of the Year in 2008 and HomeFree-USA’s Affiliate of the Year for 2010.

REACH partners with various businesses and organizations in order to help home buyers with financial management and protect families from foreclosure. Housing counselors can give people personalized advice when the latter are dealing with specific issues, and REACH also offers courses in order to educate people on best practices for buying a home and managing debt.

The population REACH typically serves tends to consist of working people who may not have a lot of time to attend courses in person. In light of this fact, REACH recently partnered with eHome America, an online homebuyer education website used all over the US. eHome America meets national industry standards for education and offers courses on money management, foreclosure, and home buying and maintenance. Through these accessible courses, homeowners and homebuyers can attain the education they need to manage their finances, prevent foreclosure, and enjoy their homes with a sense of security.

Real Estate, Education and Community Housing

In 2006, Patricia M. Tracey founded Real Estate, Education and Community Housing (REACH), an organization that assists low to moderate income families in Florida with homeownership and foreclosure prevention. As a part of her work at REACH, Patricia M. Tracey has collaborated with several children and family organizations, including the new programs being established for children within REACH.

REACH4HealthyKids is a nonprofit that aims to make high quality education and childcare more affordable and accessible to children in Florida. One of the organization’s programs is to be exercise and healthy food training. In partnership with a community of organizations that can help children who have developmental and behavioral issues, REACH will give families the ability to access the community, resources, and support they may need to address a child’s specific concerns early and effectively.

With a focus on a child’s first eight years of life, REACH will endeavor to provide information and counseling to families to connect with the services that may be able to help them. The program also conducts research, collecting data and educating the public about the importance of early screening and detection.

How to Avoid Foreclosure in Florida: Three Preliminary Steps

Patricia M. Tracey and her associates at Real Estate, Education and Community Housing, or REACH, help Florida residents who are facing foreclosure on their homes. Motivated by a sense of community and a desire to help others, Patricia M. Tracey serves as executive director of the nonprofit organization. Between the US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program and nonprofit services like REACH, there are many resources available to struggling homeowners in the state.

If you live in the state of Florida and are concerned that you will soon be behind on your mortgage payments, do not panic. Review the following steps and take action to protect your family and your home before it is too late.

1. Get in touch with your lender as soon as you know there is a problem. Financial institutions will generally work with you if you are honest and forthcoming.

2. If your circumstances are beyond just missing a payment or two, contact a HUD-approved non-profit counseling service. It is best to avoid becoming involved with a for-profit foreclosure company or any institution that wants you to pay them for assistance. The full list of approved Florida services is available online: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm
3. Educate yourself about your rights. Read Florida Statutes Chapter 702 to learn what protections you and your family are entitled to under state law.

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