14 May & June 2017
Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau
When to rent – when to own ?
“ To rent or own – that is the question ,” wrote Shakespeare in his early draft of Hamlet in 1603 . Well , maybe that is not an exact quote but Hamlet might have avoided some of his ‘ sea of troubles ’ if he had not been burdened with all those family castles and family feuds and could have instead concentrated on whether it is best to own or rent one ’ s dwelling .
Chris Burk , Consumer Credit Counseling Supervisor and Home Buyer Specialist at Housing and Credit Counseling , says , “ I help people begin a list of pros and cons for buying or renting . The top two issues to sort through are your lifestyle and your mobility .” Mobility in this example is not about walking gracefully in spike heels or balancing on a Harley but it is all about how frequently or how suddenly you may need to relocate . Burk says lifestyle choices can often be decided quickly based on how much you enjoy mowing grass and repairing faucets to save on the maintenance costs of owning a home . He says life changing decisions such as where you want your children to attend school , how far you may need to commute to work or if you can have a pet can tip the scales – one way or the other - toward buying or renting a home .
If you are dreaming of owning a home , Burk recommends scheduling an appointment with an HCCI Certified Counselor . HCCI will pull your credit report , do a thorough review of your spending habits and help you create a budget you can live with that also lets you pay down debt and build credit so you can be pre-approved for a home loan .
If you are renting now or expect to be a renter in the near future , Burk recommends you talk with the Rental Housing Counselors at HCCI . Teresa Baker , Supervisor , says her staff provides free counseling for renters , landlords and property managers based on the Kansas Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and Fair Housing Law . “ It ’ s sad to say that renters often feel they don ’ t have rights , but they do ,” says Baker . She said a majority of renters calling HCCI are simply trying to get their landlord to provide good maintenance . Baker recommends every renter read and understand the lease that is offered to them before they pay
a deposit and sign on the dotted line . “ Renters have rights . We help people understand steps they can take when landlords are not helpful .”
About HCCI [ 133 words ]
HCCI counsels by phone , by video-conferencing from the Lyon County Extension Service in Emporia , or at HCCI ’ s Topeka office . For an appointment call 1-800-383- 0217 .
Financial counseling is free for low and moderately-low income households ( earning $ 48,250 or below annually for a family of four , for example ). HCCI counsels about student loan debt , medical debt , home mortgage questions , credit card spending , budgeting , credit issues , garnishments , bankruptcy and more .
Rental housing counseling is free for both renters and landlords .
Founded in 1972 as a nonprofit agency , Housing and Credit Counseling , Inc . ( HCCI ) is celebrating 45 years of providing financial , debt management and rental housing counseling in northeast Kansas . HCCI is funded in part by the United Way of the Flint Hills , is certified by HUD , and is licensed and regulated by the Kansas Bank Commissioner .