After her mother died in January, Chaquaila Wilson, 28, wanted to provide stability for brother Bobby, 15.

"It was really important that we have a home to go to," said the Hazelwood woman of her decision to buy her first house.

The siblings narrowed their focus to Munhall, Homestead, and West Mifflin for the school districts, while hunting for "a place that is the right size that meets our needs."

But before beginning the process, Ms. Wilson sought assistance in a first-time buyers program at her local bank, and at a free "home buyers education learning program" workshop Saturday at the Mon Valley Initiative, 305 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead.

MVI is a nonprofit community and economic development coalition dedicated to uniting the communities and restoring the economic vitality of the Mon Valley.

The 15 workshop attendees received a certificate which is required to obtain some community development mortgage loans from local lenders.

These loans offer down payment and closing cost assistance to low-income home buyers.

"It was very educational, very helpful, and allowed me to get a grasp of where I need to be," said Ms. Wilson, who manages the Western Pennsylvania office of U.S. Concepts, a New York-based promotional agency.

The next home buyers workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the MVI offices. Registration is required.

Funded partly through grant monies received through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the MVI housing counseling program, through group presentations and individual counseling, has helped 133 families become home owners since Oct. 1, 2007.

There is no cost to the home buyer, and every income level is welcome.

"I have folks with six-figure incomes and folks who barely get into five figures," said housing counselor Mike Mauer, of West Mifflin.

Mr. Mauer said potential home buyers who get into the biggest trouble do not educate themselves about the process before they start.

They also often go with online lenders who may not be offering products that are beneficial to them.

The best avenue, he said, is "to stick with the bank you have a current business relationship with."

"I always found in my experience that the personal touch is very important, being able to sit down with someone face-to-face to assess needs and determine what's the best loan product,'' he said.

His recommendation is to take advantage of government-funded housing counseling programs that educate home buyers for nominal or no cost That assistance is available through MVI and other housing counseling agencies throughout Western Pennsylvania, he said.

To register for the September class, or for more on MVI, call 412-464-4000 ext. 4008, or visit: www.monvalleyinitiative.com.