2026 Thrive Home Buying Forum
Home Buying Forum 2026 has concluded.
Missed this year’s Home Buying Forum? No worries! Check out the recordings and presentations from each session below.
The 2025 Home Buying Forum is presented by Thrive! Thrive is Harvard FCU’s personal finance brand, complete with everything you need along your financial journey. From workshops to weekly blogs, get ready to Thrive with Harvard FCU.
2026 Sessions
The Home Buying Process
On day one of our Home Buying Forum, Harvard FCU’s own Mortgage Loan Originators walk you through the steps to search for and finance your home.
Assembling Your Team
When you are buying a home, your team will include a mortgage lender such as Harvard FCU, a Realtor, and an attorney.
Hear from Dino Confalone, a Realtor at Sotheby’s International and Attorney Sarah Ricciardelli, a highly experienced real estate attorney and partner at Ricciardelli & Small.
Get your questions answered by the experts!
Affordable Home Buying
On the final day of our Home Buying Forum, representatives from the City of Boston and the City of Cambridge provide information on their affordable home buying programs for city residents.
Beth Gavin and Michelle McCarthy from the Mayor’s Office of Housing’s Housing Compliance and Asset Management Division answer your questions about homeownership housing lotteries in the City of Boston.
They’ll cover how to find income-restricted homeownership opportunities, how to apply, what the lottery process looks like, and best practices to help you prepare.
The City of Cambridge’s HomeBuying Coordinator Antonia Finley covers the programs offered by Cambridge to help new home buyers.
Watch Last Year’s Home Buying Forum
The Home Buying Process
On the opening day of our Home Buyer Forum, Harvard FCU’s own Mortgage Loan Originators will walk you through the steps to search for and finance your home. These sessions are open to members and non-members alike.
Affordable Home Buying Options
Hear from Jeff Wright of Mass Housing as he walks you through his program, one of the generous first-time homebuying products offered through the Credit Union. Learn how Harvard FCU can connect you with the benefits of Mass Housing. This session is for home buyers searching in Massachusetts. These sessions are open to members and non-members alike.
Your Team in Home Buying
Learn how to assemble your team for your home purchase! Your team will include a mortgage lender such as Harvard FCU, a Realtor, an attorney, and a home inspector. You will hear from Dino Confalone, a Realtor at Sotheby’s International; Attorney Sarah Ricciardelli and partner at Ricciardelli & Small; and home inspector Ken Ray of Kenra Inspections. These sessions are open to members and non-members alike.
What’s Next? – How to Tap into Your Home’s Equity
On the final day of our home buyer forum, we are offering a session is aimed at people who already own a home and are wondering what’s next. This session, led by Holly Donaldson, Realtor with Coldwell Banker, will delve into the options for those with equity built up in your home. Upsize? Downsize? Tap into home equity for renovations or other goals? We will cover it all. This session is open to members and non-members alike.
