OUR VISION

A holistic approach to home buying and financial wellness

 Workforce HomePlus (WFHP) is a next gen financial wellness program that is designed to benefit both the employer and the employees.  The focus of WFHP is to help employees navigate the homebuying and financing process, which can be intimidating.

It starts by addressing the main roadblocks to buying – credit, income, and down payment.  For employees that have concerns about this or believe they cannot buy, we do a consultation and put together a workable plan and path to homeownership.  In most cases, we are able to prepare them in 3-6 months. We coach them on best practices to maximize their creditworthiness so that they get the best terms and lowest cost possible.  In other cases, employees can attend lunch and learns or webinars on topics that are more general, like budgeting or simple credit tips. In some cases, an individual employee requires personalized, one-on-one attention.

The second part of the program kicks in during the actual homebuying process in the form of substantial rewards to reduce the cost of buying.  The amount will vary depending on the price of the house and loan amount. For a $300,000 purchase with 5% down, the benefit totals about $4,000 or about 50% of the cost to close.* This does NOT come at the cost of higher rates or fees as is common with many assistance programs.

Once the transaction is over, we continue to provide value to the homeowners, which is part 3 – a commitment to being trusted advisors.  Helping somebody get into a house is not enough… it’s crucial we address potential pitfalls in the future that could jeopardize the financial well-being of the owner.  We educate on estate/investment/tax planning through our network of vetted partners.

For employers, WFHP is an additional, no/low cost benefit that brings substantial value to employees, not just monetarily but also from a goodwill standpoint.  Employees that feel served and appreciated are more likely to stick around and contribute at a high level. There are dozens of studies out there about how financial stress and concerns affect employee productivity.  WFHP addresses a big piece of that with the idea the homeownership is the cornerstone of financial security.

Right now, we are seeing a shift in many industries where consumers are being told that there are simpler, easier and (apparently) cheaper options.  In some of those markets, specifically commodity-type markets / products, there is validity. If you buy a slightly cheaper version of a commodity good and it turns out poorly, the risk is low.  The worst case is you have to return the product and/or switch back to the previous one.

On the flip side, there are situations where you don’t necessarily want a product based only on costs, like flying in a spaceship to save the planet earth.

Granted, buying a house and getting a mortgage is not life and death.  However, having professionals to navigate you through the process is crucial.  The same could be said for great tax, legal, or investment advice. Do you really want to trust your financial well-being on Half Price Anything?  Your best case is that you might save 2-3% long term and your worst case is that you end up with a product/service that you cannot easily “return”.

As important, each person is different and there is no one size fits all.  You are not a commodity and those companies out there want to do just that.

WFHP is an alternative that takes a 180 degree approach.  Our goal is to learn about our clients and to understand what they need.  We ask questions that can drastically improve the outcome and ensure that you receive world-class service. And we actively seek out input from financial professionals (tax, investment, estate planning) which guarantees the best solution holistically, not just from a mortgage/homebuying standpoint.

The companies with whom we want to partner are those that most value their employees and see the immense value of engaging employees to affect their financial well-being.  They realize to be a great employer, you need to help employees in all areas of their life.