The 2023 Thrive Home Buying Forum has concluded!
HUECU welcomed a panel of home buying experts to speak on the ins and outs of buying a home. You can view recordings from this year’s forum on our YouTube Channel.
Registration
The 2023 THRIVE Home Buying Forum has concluded. View the slides below, or watch the presentations on YouTube!
Schedule
The 2023 Thrive Home Buying Forum has concluded. Here was this years schedule.

The 2023 Home Buying Forum is presented by Thrive! Thrive is HUECU’s personal finance brand, complete with everything you need along your financial journey. From workshops to weekly blogs, get ready to Thrive with HUECU.
What You’ll Learn
Day 1: Market Trends with Real Estate Agent and Appraiser
Led by Kim Rudolf and Dino Confalone, learn where the market is currently and where it’s predicted to go from the point of view of an appraiser and a seasoned real estate professional.
Day 2: Tips from an Attorney and a Home Inspector
Hear tips from attorney Sarah A. Ricciardelli and home inspector Sean Rizzo on the ins and outs of buying your perfect home.
Day 3: Home Buying Process
HUECU Mortgage Loan Originators, Daisy Familia and Mike Levine, will walk you through the steps to search for and finance your home.
Day 4: Affordable Path to Home Ownership
HUECU Mortgage Loan Originators Sharon Cummings and Helen Laskaris will discuss financing options available for low to moderate income buyers. City of Cambridge’s Antonia Finley will discuss Affordable Housing Programs in Cambridge.
Meet the Presenters!

With 31 years of experience as a residential sales broker and appraiser, Kim Rudolf’s experience includes working as a reviewer of appraisals for a large New England Company. She has worked as a residential appraiser and owns her own appraisal company. Kim’s experience includes knowledge of all kinds of single family properties, condos, multifamily dwellings and new construction projects.

A past President of the Greater Boston Association of Realtors as well as a current State and National Director, Dino Confalone leverages his three decades of real estate and corporate management experience to make our real estate community better. Clients and colleagues describe him as a true partner with the ability to incorporate education, analysis, and empathy into each interaction.

Sean Rizzo, Tiger Home Inspection

Sarah Ricciardelli, Ricciardelli & Small, LLC
Sarah Ricciardelli is a founding member of Ricciardelli & Small, LLC. She concentrates her practice on residential and commercial real estate transactions. On the residential conveyancing side of her practice, she represents buyers and sellers in negotiating purchase and sale agreements and represents lenders in all aspects of residential real estate closings.

Daisy Familia, Senior Mortgage Loan Originator
For over two decades, Daisy Familia has been assisting members within the Credit Union industry in achieving their financial dreams. As a Senior Mortgage Loan Originator for the Harvard University Employees Credit Union, Daisy is committed to empowering her clients with the knowledge they need to make confident decisions when funding their financial goals. With her vast 20+ years of experience, Daisy Familia is a trusted expert in the mortgage industry who can guide you through the complex world of mortgage loans and make your financial dreams a reality.

Michael Levine, Senior Mortgage Loan Originator
Michael has over forty years of experience in the financial services industry, including a number of credit unions. He has been with HUECU since 2006 and assumed his current position in 2010. As a Mortgage Loan Originator, he spends significant time working with credit union members to assist them in identifying their goals and taking the proper steps to reach them. He derives a great amount of satisfaction in helping members achieve homeownership and further assisting them with any other mortgage needs in subsequent years.

With 33 years of experience in the credit union industry and over 15 years in the mortgage area, Sharon brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. Her dedication to providing top-notch service and deep understanding of the mortgage loan process has earned her a reputation as a trusted and reliable professional.

Helen Laskaris has been guiding homebuyers at HUECU since 2016, assisting over 300 members in the journey to homeownership. Helen has a background in credit review and skill in qualifying members successfully. She firmly believes that homeownership is a key part of wealth creation and enjoys helping people to determine if the time is right to consider purchasing a home given all factors in a specific person’s life.

Ryan Duckless, Mortgage Loan Originator
Ryan Duckless has been an employee of HUECU for the past 8 years dedicated to providing excellent service to our members. In 2020, Ryan joined HUECU’s mortgage department where he has continued to provide this excellent service to the members of the Harvard community as they achieve home ownership. He enjoys taking the time to educate and work with his members closely to make the mortgage process and route to becoming a home owner seamless.

Antonia Finley, City of Cambridge
Antonia Finley is the First-time Homebuyer Coordinator for the City of Cambridge. She is responsible for the sales of affordable homeownership resales, lotteries, financial assistance programs along with one-on-counseling. She has over 17 years of experience teaching the class and has educated thousands of first-time homebuyers. Antonia loves connecting with people and loves the challenge of breaking down complex processes so that all first-time homebuyers feel empowered.