“You have my full attention! Let’s talk.” A conversation with Homeownership Specialist Arcides Nieves
Way Finders’ Homeownership Specialist Arcides Nieves is a HUD-certified expert on all kinds of financial topics—financial literacy, homeownership, fair housing, foreclosure, tenancy. He also has expertise in another art form: reading the room.
Homeownership Specialist Arcides Nieves (at left) and Homeownership Advisor Loren Gumlaw
Take, for example, the workshops on financial literacy and homeownership that Nieves and his colleagues with Way Finders’ Housing Education Services department facilitate regularly for the public, in English and Spanish. Those who complete the workshops are eligible to meet one-on-one with a HUD-certified staff member for a single session or ongoing support. All for free!
“Usually, it’s a silence,” says Nieves, of the response he gets upon extending this invitation for professional counseling and coaching. “Some clients don’t feel as comfortable to speak up or ask a question, especially when there’s a group of people.”
But silence doesn’t mean lack of interest, Nieves knows well. It doesn’t mean people aren’t curious.
“Once you hit the break, usually around noon for an in-person workshop, this is when people are coming up to speak or ask a question. When they feel there’s a little bit more of an intimate, personable moment, right?” said Nieves, who joined Way Finders in 2013 as a temporary receptionist.
Since stepping into his current role—which calls for ongoing education to ensure he passes on the best and most accurate information to the public—in 2019, Nieves has carefully tailored his presentation and teaching style to inspire people to break that silence and come forward to seek help.
“I normally say, ‘If you feel comfortable with the information that you’re obtaining in this workshop, by all means you don’t have to do a one-on-one. But if you want to know what’s been happening in your credit, and you want someone to kind of look at it. Or you want someone to go over how to prepare for homeownership, from A to Z. If you want that support, that coaching, we can be there with you throughout the whole process. We can encourage you, motivate you, and at the same time counsel you,’” said Nieves.
He also makes sure to briefly touch upon lesser-known topics of financial literacy.
“I usually end my pitch by discussing a couple more things, like, ‘Have you ever wondered what happens when you have a debt that goes into collections? How does it affect your credit? For how long? How can you rebuild?” said Nieves, of a credit scenario faced by millions of people in the United States. “These kinds of informational hooks, they let people know there’s more to learn. And there might be something they really need to know! So, I do that, and I’ve been getting more people signing up for counseling from the workshops.”
During an initial one-on-one appointment—in person, online, over the phone—Nieves casually tries to discover what the person is working toward, to assess how he may assist. He asks questions about their goals and struggles, including with housing, and may provide referrals. All while striving to convey, “You have my full attention! Let’s talk about you. Let’s keep talking.”
As he did with a client who was living in shelter when they first connected, who recently reached out to share her reflections. In her words:
“Being in a shelter was the hardest part of my life. After being turned down so many times for housing due to poor credit, I lost a lot of hope. I can’t express how much the credit course and sessions with you, Arcides, changed my whole life!
Homeownership & Financial Education Team, from left: John Gonzalez, Mariola Jarzynska, Arcides Nieves, Loren Gumlaw, Araceli Rivera, and Jaqueline Luna
“After we started working together, you helped break down my whole credit report page by page. You explained exactly what I was looking at and made it make sense (which was very hard to do by myself). You helped me find out exactly who the creditors were on my account. You gave me guidance on different ways I could go about solving the accounts. With that knowledge and understanding, I was able to pay off multiple accounts and increase my credit score.
“You also assisted me with documenting my income, comparing it to my expenses and spending habits. You helped me by making a budget plan. I did struggle for a bit but after looking at the numbers and wondering how I could be spending so much. In filling out the budget and expense paperwork, I saw where I could make changes and save money. All of which you told me I could do. You gave support and guidance throughout the whole process.
“I have worked really hard for this. My credit score is XXX and climbing. I’m currently renting which was not an option when I first started the program. (My goal is to continue on my credit journey in hopes to own a home.) I really do appreciate everything you have done for my family and me. I would not have been able to make this happen without the knowledge and support from the Credit Success program.”
As Nieves likes to tell clients, the best thing about credit is that it can be improved. “It’s going to show your history, but we all have a history. I tell people, ‘Remember, you’re on top of this story. You create the pages. You may not know how the story will end, but I could probably play a role in it.’”
Interested in joining an upcoming workshop? Learn more.