At this time there are no in-person classes offered in Washington County for First Time Home Buyers (FTHB). However, all prospective buyers have the option of taking a class online or traveling to Bangor. If the buyer is applying for a first home loan through Maine State Housing Authority (MSHA) they can take the FTHB course and then they are eligible for a $3,500 grant called “Advantage” to use towards closing costs/down payment. The cost of the class is approximately $99 to take online and even less expensive in-person. It is a great benefit to all first-time homebuyers regardless of whether they are doing a loan with MSHA or not. For more information, please visit http://www.mainehomeworks.org/ and refer to the schedule of classes for 2022. Or, click here for information on FTHB classes through Penquis/MaineStream Finance (which offers the first time home buyer class for Washington County).