NACA — Attraction in Ocoee

I wish I had better things to say about this NACA branch as they were after all the organization that helped us get our house loan. Is the program great and helpful for those who can't afford a down payment? Absolutely 100%. So I am completely supportive of the organization as a whole. But this Orlando branch was a stressful and messy nightmare. The office itself is kind of dilapidated. Our case worker Gladene was completely horrible at communication. She would not answer all our emails asking questions and for clarification (but would always tell us to email any questions we had), repeatedly lost our necessary documents she needed from us and would say she never got them which delayed the process because we had to resend them, got sassy with us when we came to our scheduled appointment with not everything we needed when that was because she had never answered our questions we'd emailed her but when we politely explained the misunderstandings we had she would say "well what had you not understood?" getting upset with us, and also changed our house price that we could afford twice (again comes down to lack of effective communication). We were always scrambling to get things done on time for her because a.) She had lost or "never received" documents we'd sent to her b.) She never got certain emails c.) She changed what she needed from us. We also had never known about the volunteering requirements until a later point, and it wasn't explained to us properly and when we were trying to ask questions about the specifics of it so we could understand she gave us an attitude of "well we're helping you get a house that you can't get on your own, you should be grateful and be willing to do this for us" which wasn't the issue- we weren't ungrateful we were just trying to understand what was needed from us. In the end we got it done because we worked hard getting everything we needed to them, often doing it multiple times, and we bought our first home a couple months ago which we ARE very thankful for. But this Orlando NACA branch was not very professional, didn't have their you-know-what together, and our agent Gladene was not good at maintaining proper and effective communication and we also didn't appreciate the attitude she sometimes sent our way which we did not feel was deserved. All that being said- We are 100% so thankful to be homeowners now and couldn't have done it without the NACA non profit. Not everyone at this branch was horrible. I wanted to write this review just so people know it will take work and dedication and persistence on your part. And it's not the easiest or most pleasant experience. But if you stick through it, it will be...

I want to share my honest experience with the NACA program. While the program is advertised as a groundbreaking opportunity to help people achieve homeownership, my journey has been filled with disappointment, delays, and a lack of genuine support from the people behind it.

From the beginning, I encountered barriers that seemed unnecessary and avoidable. Counselors often did not follow up, and when they did, their guidance felt more like scripted responses than real assistance. Despite following every instruction and submitting all requested documents on time, my progress stalled—without explanation or transparency.

I’ve come to believe that there are hidden qualifications and unspoken criteria that determine whether or not you will actually move forward in the program. It’s not enough to meet the official requirements—there seems to be another layer of approval that no one talks about.

In my opinion, the NACA program is a perfect example of the glass ceiling—a term used to describe invisible barriers that prevent certain people from advancing, even when they are qualified. You may be told that anyone can succeed in the program, but in reality, it feels like only a select few are allowed to break through.

I truly believe in the idea of what NACA stands for, but the execution—especially by those managing the process—is disheartening. I hope they reflect on how their actions are impacting the very communities they...

I will start by saying as someone who has done some research about varying avenues one can take as a first time homebuyer in Florida, NACA is a strong option for first time homebuyers.

My first communication with a counselor started off strong and this counselor was initially very helpful. When I was given a deadline given my timeframe for closing, and when I needed him in order to approach that deadline, I was “ghosted” with no response from him for more than one week (in spite of my reaching out via varying avenues).

Once I switched my counselor, I was promised stronger communication, and it has been so thus far.

What I would suggest thus far, in order to make the program work for you is to be mindful of starting about 6months out from when you are looking to move. My 3months out, is not impossible but it has proved challenging with the speed and the consistency of communication. I would also suggest to remember your “why”, stay in tune with that and keep your eye on the prize, get as much info in as possible at the beginning and ask all the questions, stay on top of your team, and it may all work in your favor. NACA appears to be an excellent opportunity if you allow it to be and have the time to allow it to be so. Check it out, ask all the questions, and make the decision that is...