- Online Resource Boosts Knowledge from Finance Basics to Owning a Home -
CALABASAS, Calif., Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Countrywide Financial
Corporation (NYSE: CFC) and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling
(NFCC) encourages consumers to take advantage of the Home Ownership
Mortgage Education (H.O.M.E.) program at http://www.HomeByCountrywide.com
and http://www.MiHogarCountrywide.com. The H.O.M.E. program, which was
launched in early-2007, provides consumers with a convenient and
comprehensive means to increase knowledge of basic finance, credit, home
buying and homeownership.
"We are pleased that the H.O.M.E. program includes elements from our
'Keys to Homeownership' educational workbook," said Susan C. Keating,
president and CEO of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. "The
H.O.M.E. Web site should prove to be a very valuable resource to home
buyers and homeowners."
Providing a no-cost, no-obligation experience, the H.O.M.E. Web site
offers an interactive learning center which includes comprehensive coverage
of five topics: Basic Finance, How Credit Affects You, Preparing for Home
Ownership, Steps for Buying a Home, and Life as a Homeowner. Also featured
are extensive resources, including downloadable brochures, worksheets and
checklists; links to dozens of other sites that offer consumer financial
education; and a comprehensive glossary.
"At Countrywide, we believe that consumer financial education is
intricately linked to the health and well-being of the mortgage industry
and the overall economy. We are committed to providing consumer education
that supports individuals and families in their ability to achieve and
sustain home ownership," said Susan Martin, EVP Countrywide Home Loans. "By
offering engaging and accessible online financial and home buyer education
resources, Countrywide supports consumers' ability to make well-informed
financial decisions."
Countrywide has a long-standing tradition of supporting efforts to
increase knowledge of home-buying and home loan processes. In addition to
the H.O.M.E. program, Countrywide's consumer education outreach efforts
include support of programs offered by non-profit and community
organizations. A partial list, in alphabetical order, includes:
-- Homeownership Preservation Foundation
-- National Foundation for Credit Counseling
-- NeighborWorks Campaign for Homeownership
-- U.S. Conference of Mayors' (USCM) National DOLLAR WI$E Campaign
Portions of the H.O.M.E. program have been produced in cooperation with
the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and are based in part
on the NFCC publication "Keys to Homeownership," (C) National Foundation
for Credit Counseling.
About Countrywide Financial Corporation
Founded in 1969, Countrywide Financial Corporation is a member of the
S&P 500 and Fortune 500. Through its family of companies, Countrywide
provides mortgage banking and diversified financial services in domestic
and international markets. Mortgage banking businesses include loan
production and servicing principally through Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.,
which originates, purchases, securitizes, sells, and services primarily
prime- quality loans. Also included in Countrywide's mortgage banking
segment is the LandSafe group of companies that provide loan closing
services. Diversified financial services encompass capital markets,
banking, insurance, and global, largely through the activities of
Countrywide Capital Markets, a mortgage- related investment banker;
Countrywide Bank, a division of Treasury Bank, N.A., a banking entity
offering customers CDs, money market accounts, and home loan products;
Balboa Life & Casualty Group, whose companies are national providers of
property, liability, and life insurance; Balboa Reinsurance, a captive
mortgage reinsurance company; and Global Home Loans, a European mortgage
banking joint venture in which Countrywide holds a majority interest. For
more information about the Company, visit Countrywide's Web site at
http://www.Countrywide.com.
About The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC)
Knowing the Difference Can Make All the Difference
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), founded in 1951,
is the nation's largest and longest serving national nonprofit credit
counseling organization. The NFCC's mission is to promote the national
agenda for financially responsible behavior and build capacity for its
members to deliver the highest quality financial education and counseling
services. NFCC members annually help more than two million consumers
through nearly 1,000 community- based offices nationwide. The NFCC
represents the largest and most experienced national counseling network
with more than 2,200 certified counselors, including more than 1,200
housing counselors. Housing counseling services include: foreclosure
prevention and loss mitigation counseling; individual pre-purchase housing
counseling; homebuyer education programs and seminars; down payment
assistance programs; individual post-closing counseling; homeless
counseling; post-closing education programs; predatory lending education;
homeownership voucher counseling (Section 8); and reverse mortgage
counseling. For free and affordable confidential housing advice through an
NFCC member, call (866) 557-2227 or visit http://www.nfcc.org.
SOURCE Countrywide Financial Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.countrywide.com
http://www.nfcc.org http://www.HomeByCountrywide.com
http://www.MiHogarCountrywide.com
CONTACT:
Media, Christa Keivan of Countrywide
Financial Corporation, 800-796-8448, pressroom@countrywide.com
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