During times of crisis, it is normal to feel nervous. These tense feelings sometimes drive us to make decisions quickly out of fear. This combination opens up even normally cautious people to scams.

Scammers often think and work ahead of the organizations working to stop them. This is especially true during a time of crisis when the work of authorities is being adjusted and spread to cover increasing community needs.

Here is the good news – there are things that we can do to prevent ourselves from falling victim to a scam. Here are tips to avoid common scams:

1. Do not take out a loan to repay debt. Predatory lending organizations create enticing advertisements that seem too good to be true. That’s because they are. Written in the fine print of these loans are clauses meant to trap you with high interest rates and unrealistic repayment timelines. If you have debt with a reputable banking or lending institution, and you’re nervous about your ability to make payments during this time, contact United Housing at 901-272-1122 – we can help you navigate available deferment options. Also, be especially cautious of any institution offering low-interest loans against property you own, like a home equity line of credit. 
2. Do not open links in emails from senders you do not recognize. Scammers often create emails that look like they’re coming from legitimate companies and even copy their email design. Some pretend to be your family, friends and loved ones. Look for suspicious email addresses with small misspellings or punctuation placed throughout the address. These are signs that the email sender is not legitimate. To be safe, you can navigate to a website by typing the URL into your browser or searching for the content in Google rather than clicking to a web page directly from an email. 
3. Do not give anyone your information over the phone. The FBI, IRS and other reputable organizations do not call consumers directly over the phone to ask for information. Do not provide your email, password, social security number or other information to anyone who calls you directly over the phone. If you are suspicious of someone who calls you, tell them that you’ll hang up and call their organization using the outreach number listed on the organization’s official website (ending with a .gov or .org). For example, if someone claiming to be with the IRS calls you, tell them that you’re concerned about their legitimacy, and you’re going to visit IRS.gov to call the organization directly. If the person you’re speaking with is legitimate, they will not have a problem with this, and might even offer to give you a case number so the representative you call can continue the interaction. If they are not legitimate, then they will try to keep you on the line or give you a number to call instead of the number listed on the official website. 
4. Do not take medical recommendations from anyone other than your health care provider. Social media is a common source of information for many consumers, but oftentimes information shared is either inaccurate or misleading. Medical information shared on social media or through other channels should not be trusted, as advice can be harmful if not deadly. This extends to advice offered by friends and family. If they are not a physician, a nurse or a trained medical expert, do not take their advice. Seek medical advice only from your trusted health care provider. 
5. Do not submit secure information to access online contests, coupons or giveaways. Scammers sometimes create false advertisements for incredible deals – like $100 in free groceries. To get the deal, you only have to provide personal information like your checking account number or your social security number. Follow this old adage: if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. Reputable companies will never ask you to submit anything other than your email address or basic contact information to access a deal or coupon.

To support social distancing efforts related to COVID-19, United Housing is adjusting its operations. Our team will maintain regular business hours, but many of them will work remotely. 

We will still be available to support you on your homebuying journey. We will still offer many of our essential services, but all of them will transition to telephone or online platforms. Read the important notes below to learn how your service with United Housing will change. 

• All Homebuyer Education classes scheduled from March 18 through April 8 will be rescheduled for sometime in May. If you have a closing date before May, please take the online Homebuyer Education class using this link.  
• All in-person one-on-one counseling sessions will be moved to Zoom phone and web conferencing. Your counselor will contact you with more information about accessing and using this tool. All credit report fees may be mailed in, dropped off, or paid online using this link.
• If you are interested in a home repair loan, we are still accepting applications. Please complete your application online using this link.
• We are still accepting applications for our Cherry Mortgage loan. You can call 901-272-1122 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive your application via mail or email.
• Please call 901-479-6699 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions, need help scheduling a phone conference session or need support arranging your online Homebuyer Education Course.

An often forgotten part of the homebuying process is the home inspection. This critical step in the process protects the buyer from purchasing a home that might have flaws or issues by uncovering and disclosing them before the final contract is signed. 

For some mortgage types, home inspections are required. For others, it is an optional step. Regardless of your mortgage type, United Housing strongly encourages all homebuyers to have a home inspection. In fact, we have two home inspectors on staff! Will and Matt go out into the community, inspecting homes and reporting findings to current owners and future buyers alike. They’ve shared three reasons why a home inspection is important! 

1. Home inspections protect your investment. 

Every home has minor issues or quirks. They’re man-made, and inevitably time and weather will cause small leaks, cracks and mechanical failures in varying areas of your home. But there is a big difference between small, fixable issues – like a leaky window that needs new sealant – and major issues – like a problem with a home’s foundation. A home inspection will identify all issues, big and small, so you can understand the state of a home before you sign on a dotted line. Think about it – you’re about to spend tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home. You want to make sure it’s in the best condition possible!

2. Home inspections give you bargaining power. 

Inevitably you will uncover something in your home inspection that needs to be repaired. When these issues are uncovered, your Realtor can help you negotiate a lower sale price or ask for these repairs to be fixed. The seller can then decide whether or not they want to meet your requests. With the knowledge you gain from a home inspection, you might be able to save money on your all-in payment, and save yourself money on the back end by having the seller fix preexisting issues. 

3. Home inspections ensure you’re safe. 

Older homes often have windows that are painted shut. This is a safety hazard – as every room in your home should have an emergency fire exit. Home inspectors are trained to identify necessary safety features and can point out any that are missing. Some mortgage types require safety issues to be resolved before you can close on the home, and oftentimes a seller will oblige and accommodate these issues. 

4. Home inspections can protect sellers, too!

If you’re thinking about selling your home, you can also work with a home inspector! Rather than waiting for a buyer to uncover issues, you can proactively have your home inspected and make changes BEFORE you put your home on the market. This saves you from losing negotiating power during the home selling process. 

If you have questions about home inspections, or need a home inspector to take a look at your property, connect with United Housing! We can help you identify a qualified home inspector to meet your needs.

If your financial situation kept you from buying a house in 2019, you’re not alone. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling found that half of Americans tried to buy a house but ultimately weren’t able to. There were several reasons why buying a house was difficult for Americans, including the cost of houses, a lack of down payment funds, existing debt and a low credit score. 

While we can’t directly control the cost of houses in the market, we can work together to get our finances in order. By creating a budget to pay off debt, save for a downpayment and build strong credit, you can be well on your way toward purchasing a house in the near future. Your financial circumstance now does not have to dictate your ability to buy a home!

If you want to get your finances in order and start saving for a house, there are a number of things you can do. First, attend a local Homebuyer Education Course. In Memphis, United Housing offers multiple courses each month. In this class, you’ll learn how to build and keep up a budget – which can help you save for a downpayment while paying off your debts. You’ll also learn about the importance of building credit and how to monitor your credit score. 

Homebuyer Education courses also help you understand the homebuying process. You’ll learn about mortgage types, the importance of working with a trusted Realtor and how to choose a neighborhood. Ultimately, you’ll leave feeling confident that homeownership is something you can achieve.

At United Housing, we understand how challenging it can be to buy a home, especially when you’re unfamiliar with the process. That’s why we offer support to Memphians – from Homebuyer Education to lending. If you want to start working toward becoming a homeowner, contact us today. 

While buying a house is a great step toward your future, it isn’t always a feasible option. Just because you’re renting a house or an apartment now doesn’t mean you have to give up on buying your own place in the near future. The key is creating a plan to save money for a home while still turning in your rent check on time. Luckily, there are many practical steps you can take to do just that:

Decorate simply. While basic necessities are needed in your living space, your decor budget is a great place to cut back. Of course your space will need a little sprucing up, but just remember to purchase budget-friendly decor, and not too much of it. Just think of every wall that needs a frame as a sign that you’ll be able to buy your own home soon. 

Check your budget. If you’re already operating from a budget, you may think you’re already on track. Still, when you take a closer look, you may find ways to save money. Is there an entertainment expense you make each month, (maybe going to the movies, buying a video game or a subscription service), or a weekly takeout expense that adds up? Remember, finding an extra $20 to save a month adds $240 to your home fund in a year! You could even start slowly by cutting the expense out every other month.

Save. Any “extras” you might receive, whether it’s a gift, a tax return or a bonus from an employer – put it toward your down payment savings. While getting “surprise” funds is exciting, it’s money you’ll be able to put away without dipping into your monthly budget. 

Share the expense. Finding a roommate is a great first step toward adding to your down payment savings fund. While adding a roommate to the mix isn’t practical for families, roommates can help individuals split rent costs in half or even in thirds, making your rent check smaller without having to cut down on any of your other spending.

Other possibilities for saving could be anything from holding a garage sale, negotiating your rent or even picking up some freelance work on the side. Saving can be tough, but it’s an important part of being able to one day make your first down payment – and soon!

One of Memphis’ biggest challenges is transforming unused, abandoned property in neighborhoods to productive sites for parks, homes, businesses and other community assets. Blighted properties hinder the community because they waste usable space and make the neighborhood seem unattractive to new families and investors. By donating blighted or abandoned property to organizations like United Housing, many of these issues could be resolved as these sites are repurposed!

How to donate property.

Donating property is a fairly simple process – and a lot of information exists online to help you through it! The IRS hosts a ton of information on their website for anyone considering donating property or buying donated property. They also have links to all of the appropriate forms. Donations of property can be made to the state or charitable organizations registered with the state of Tennessee. If you don’t live in the Tennessee, be sure to check with the rules in your state.

To whom should I gift my property?

When choosing your donation recipient, you must consider where your property is located and your preference for its future use. UHI accepts donated land in an effort to provide more affordable housing, better quality of life and increased neighborhood attraction. We can also work with local nonprofit partners to transform your gift into community assets – like parks and businesses.

There are other organizations to consider! If the property is in Shelby County, you can donate it to the Land Bank of Shelby County. Once donated, this organization is responsible for its upkeep, and they then turn that property into something productive for the community as quickly as possible! Another source for donation is the Blight Authority of Memphis. This organization seeks to convert vacant, abandoned, foreclosed or tax delinquent land into productive use. Doing so increases quality of life and property values, and it revitalizes the neighborhood. 

Benefits of donating property = big tax benefits!

In addition to the good feeling that comes from making philanthropic gifts, donating land can lead to tax benefits. These benefits will vary by person, property and state, so we encourage you to talk with a licensed tax professional about the potential benefits of your donation.

If you have any questions regarding property donation, or any other housing needs, feel free to contact United Housing at (901) 272-1122 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

As you prepare to list your home, there are a few things you might want to update before letting potential buyers take a look. Making even minor updates can seem overwhelming, but they don’t have to be! We’ve compiled a list of things you can affordably do to spruce up your home before listing! 

#1 - Make your home attractive – inside and out.

Curb appeal is important to potential buyers – it is their first impression, after all. Consider mowing the grass, trimming the shrubs and straightening up your front stoop to attract buyers on their first look and increase your home’s value. Also remember that the kitchen is king! Adding new knobs to your drawers and giving your cabinets a fresh coat of paint could increase your home’s value and give you more money in the bank. According to a recent survey, 80% of homebuyers placed the kitchen in their list of top three most important spaces. Therefore, making some minor upgrades in the kitchen can provide long-term benefits!

#2 - Make energy efficiency a priority.

If you’re considering new appliances or windows for your home upgrades, keep an eye out for Energy Star certification. These items help lower your monthly costs and increase your home’s value to buyers. The less money that buyers have to invest in the home, the more money in your pocket after your house is purchased. Make sure you verbalize these upgrades and lower monthly bills to your Realtor as well, as these can justify your higher selling price. 

#3 - Make your home an easy purchase for buyers by handling maintenance before you list.

Homebuyers don’t want a house that requires constant maintenance, so make upgrades that reduce maintenance frequency – like replacing the AC unit and having the wiring reviewed by an electrician. By doing this, you increase the value and give buyers some peace of mind when it comes to the amount of work that they would need to do. Large projects like new flooring, roofing or siding may cost you upfront, but that investment is reflected in your home’s selling price. Taking care of some of these bigger projects makes buyers more inclined to purchase a home with a higher value.

While these may seem like daunting tasks, they don’t have to be! Minor upgrades such as painting, replacing hardware and tidying up outside don’t take much time or money to complete. In the end, these minor adjustments could lead to a major increase in your home’s value!   

JPMorgan Chase & Co. commits $3 million to Memphis CDFI Network

The three-year investment aligns with Memphis 3.0 Plan to support homeownership and small business growth in Frayser and Whitehaven.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Oct. 15, 2019) – Four organizations from the Memphis Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Network – United Housing, River City Capital Investment, Communities Unlimited and Hope Credit Union – were awarded $3 million through JPMorgan Chase’s sixth annual national competition, Partnership for Raising Opportunity in Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods). With this investment, the Memphis CDFI Network will launch its place-based strategy of working alongside residents in Memphis’ Frayser and Whitehaven neighborhoods, with hopes of moving to other Memphis 3.0, a 20-year comprehensive plan guiding the city of Memphis, communities in the near future.

“Recognition of our efforts in Memphis, and the support to expand these efforts, is an enormous step forward for the development of a more equitable housing and business landscape in Memphis,” said Amy Schaftlein, executive director of United Housing, “With the support of JPMorgan Chase and in partnership with the three other organizations, we will create opportunities for Memphis families to find social and economic stability through homeownership and business owners to find profitability through stable business loans.”

The proposal submitted by the Memphis CDFI Network, Advancing Resident Priorities for Homeownership and Small Business Growth, focuses on community-level educational opportunities, housing and small business initiatives and access to capital – all in alignment with the needs of the Frayser and Whitehaven communities. Over three years, the commitment will be used to create small business loans, create or preserve affordable housing units, provide consumer loans and increase access to educational programs related to financial literacy, lending and credit and homeownership.

“With this investment, we are excited to launch MEMShops in Frayser and Whitehaven early next year,” said Cynthia Terry, director of entrepreneurship for Communities Unlimited. “We will work with neighborhood partners to recruit and support local residents interested in starting a new business, relocating an existing business, or moving a home-based business into one of these two neighborhoods.”

This national PRO Neighborhoods competition, which launched in 2016 and aims to spark collaboration among community organizations to tackle neighborhood-specific challenges, is part of JPMorgan Chase’s $125-million commitment to neighborhood revitalization.

“We were very impressed by the fact these CDFIs have been meeting for years. They have been collaborating, thinking, and dreaming about a better future for Memphis,” said Tom Simpson, market leader for JPMorgan Chase in West Tennessee. “As a born-and-bred Memphian, I am very proud to see JPMorgan Chase join with these dedicated community partners. Putting this kind of money into neighborhoods that desperately need investment and attention is huge for our city.”

Certified by the U.S. Treasury, CDFIs fill a vital role in the nation's financial services delivery system, offering loan products, financial programs and other services to families and communities that are difficult for traditional financial institutions to serve. The Memphis CDFI Network offers a unique collaborative of mission-driven nonprofits that offer holistic offerings such as housing mortgages, homebuyer education, credit unions, consumer lending, small business technical assistance, and small business lending.

Programming is expected to begin in early 2020.

About UHI

United Housing, Inc. is a nonprofit affordable housing agency that serves the City of Memphis, Shelby County and West Tennessee. UHI targets its services to families that are underserved by the traditional homeownership industry. Its mission is to provide quality housing opportunities to Mid-South residents through financial education, mortgage lending, home building and renovation, and creative partnerships with public, private and nonprofit entities. For more information about United Housing, visit http://www.uhinc.org.

About RCCI

River City Capital Investment Corporation is Memphis' only homegrown Community Development Financial Institution that operates a small business loan fund. It is a mission-driven neighborhood revitalization organization that facilitates loans and support services to entrepreneurs and businesses in underserved communities.

About Communities Unlimited

Communities Unlimited (CU) is a nonprofit CDFI serving Memphis, Tennessee since 1999. CU has offices across seven states to include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Mostly focused on rural communities, its mission is to drive community economic development through infrastructure improvement, community leadership development, small business startups and growth, and access to capital.  

About HOPE 

HOPE (Hope Enterprise Corporation, Hope Credit Union and Hope Policy Institute) provides affordable financial services; leverages private, public and philanthropic resources; and engages in policy analysis to fulfill its mission of strengthening communities, building assets, and improving lives in economically distressed parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Since 1994, HOPE has generated billions of dollars in financing that has benefitted more than one million individuals living in one of the nation’s most impoverished regions.

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.7 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of customers in the United States and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.

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If you’re in the market for a car, you’ll likely spend time researching and visiting dealerships to make sure you find the car and the deal that is perfect for you. While you can’t test drive a mortgage, for a purchase of that size you should absolutely shop around! Different lending institutions can offer different rates, accept individuals with different credit scores and can approve you for different loan amounts.

We know what you’re thinking – that sounds intimidating. And it absolutely can be! But like shopping for a car, you can come into the process feeling confident with a little research and preparation. Before you start shopping for a mortgage, here are a few things you should do first:

Know your current financial situation.

To qualify for a mortgage, you often have to provide a number of financial documents. Start gathering paperwork related to your financial situation – including pay stubs, investment statements and credit card statements. Have a clear understanding of what you have in savings, how much of a “rainy day” fund you have available, and all sources of revenue your family has available. Potential lenders will likely need to see this information to make sure you can afford to pay your monthly mortgage payments. 

Understand what your credit score means. 

In addition to financial information, your lending institution will evaluate your credit worthiness using your credit score. Your credit score uses a number of factors – outstanding debt, regular payments on outstanding loans, the amount of time you’ve had credit – to help financial institutions judge your ability to make prompt and full payments. If you don’t know your credit score, or worry your credit score is too low, United Housing offers credit counseling to help! We can help you understand what your score means and work to raise it. 

Learn about mortgage options.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all mortgage. There are different products that financial institutions offer depending upon your life stage and financial situation. It’s important that you understand the different mortgage types and which products are (and are not) a good fit for your family. We want you to avoid getting your hopes up about a loan product (and then a future home) that is out of your financial reach. This is what we teach in United Housing’s Homebuyer Education course! We break down available mortgage options in the current market and which options are available based on your circumstance. 

Research financial partners. 

Your mortgage lender will be part of your life for the next 15 to 20 years, so you want the relationship to be a good one. Do research and look to partner only with stable, trustworthy institutions. And, these institutions aren’t always banks! Community Development Financial Institutions, like United Housing, sometimes have loan options that you can consider when shopping for a mortgage!