All of our housing counselors at NeighborWorks Home Partners have extensive training and certification through HUD and NeighborWorks America that equips them to provide valuable advice to our customers. One thing that can’t be achieved through training is a passion for helping others. Thankfully, all of our advisors have big hearts for our community. Nick Yang is one example.
Q: How did you decide to become a homeownership advisor?
A: I wanted to help people, but I thought it would be in a different role! The job I was hired for after I finished my bachelor’s with a major in Psychology was a newly developed Program Coordinator position for Mental and Chemical Health Services at another nonprofit. Right as I started, the organization’s Housing Services department experienced a complete turnover of all four of their staff. As a result, I was put into that department to complete a small side project until the position I had originally applied for was fully developed. As it turned out, I was good at it! I completed all the projects that I was tasked with, and after a month I was fully transitioned into the Housing Program Coordinator position. I’ve always believed that things happen for a reason. Although I was thrown into this line of work, I’ve grown to really enjoy the work that I do.
Q: What are some of the rewards of being a homeownership advisor?
A: In this role, I have met a lot of non-English or limited-English speaking families who have come through the process and it has been rewarding to see them achieve the “American Dream” of homeownership. Even for those who chose not to go through the homebuying process, they have shared that they feel more empowered to manage their finances and have become more financially stable.
Q: What are some of the ups and downs of your work? What’s the toughest challenge you face?
A: The biggest challenge in our community that I see right now is the lack of affordable housing. It’s hard to see customers who are low income work hard to get ready for homeownership, only to hit another barrier that prices of homes right now are too high and that there is too much competition for those homes that they can afford.
Q: What do you value about working at NeighborWorks Home Partners?
A: We have comprehensive housing services, from down payment to home improvement to housing counseling and education, so we can serve people in any stage of homeownership. I also appreciate that our ED and board listen to the staff who work most closely with our customers so we can be responsive as an organization to the needs of our community.
