Coming Home — Homeowner Success Stories
Because HomesFund is with you every step of the way on the road to homeownership, we take great pride when you step through the doors of your new home. We don’t move in with you (laugh), but all the knowledge, education and guidance you’ve received along the way does, giving you confidence for continued success. Below are some stories of families we worked with over the years. Will you be next?
Brenda now enjoys the stability of homeownership
Brenda is a chef at Mercy Hospital. “Buying a home means I am here for good. I now have stability. My home is my refuge,” Brenda says. Brenda has been working at Mercy for over two years and now that she has a stable job with benefits, she sought a stable home. Brenda found her perfect home in Durango West which of course, includes a large kitchen for her to create culinary delights. Seeking more space and wanting to own the land, Brenda’s new home is a 3 bed, 2 bath house with unique artistic touches that reflect Brenda’s artistic flair.
Brenda was referred to the Homebuyer Education class by her co-workers at Mercy. As a first time homebuyer, Brenda felt the class was essential to understanding the entire home buying process. After the class, Brenda worked with Pam Moore at HomesFund, to develop a Home Ownership Action Plan, which outlined essential steps to financially prepare for homeownership. Brenda said, “I needed my hand held. Pam walked me through the whole process.” Brenda is looking forward to living in her new home and planting her flower beds.
Kristin seizes a window of opportunity
Kristin, a mom of three young girls, worked with HomesFund for several months to prepare for homeownership. After several dismal rental properties, owning a home became her goal. Following the steps laid out in the housing action plan developed during her advisement sessions, Kristin was able to overcome obstacles and purchased a home in June 2015. The 3-bedroom, 2-bath townhome is the perfect place for her young family to live and grow together. Owning a home is a source of pride and a sign of accomplishment for this determined mom.
Joey and family have a place to call their own
Joey is a tile installation foreman with McCormick Tile and Stone. Sarah is a stay at home mom to their 3 daughters. The family had been living in a multi-generational housing situation for many months. The home they were living in was listed to be sold and they needed to find their own place. The family came through the advisement program and took all the steps to make themselves mortgage ready, including sticking to a budget, writing letters regarding credit items, and planning for the responsibilities of homeownership.
Daughter Gracie sometimes uses a wheelchair, so choosing the right home was crucial. With a good realtor and lender on board, the family was able to purchase a single level home in the Forest Lakes subdivision. With a shared appreciation loan from HomesFund, the family was able to have a manageable house payment and a place to call their own.
Rachelle and Keith move to a larger home in Forest Lakes
Rachelle, Keith and their three kiddos love their new home in Forest Lakes. Keith, a worship pastor at Grace Church, and Rachelle sold their condo in Durango. As their family grew, the one-bedroom condo was just too small! “Owning a home has opened doors for us. I feel a sense of freedom. We can home school the kids, invite friends over, have a full size Christmas tree and not feel like we are on top of each other,” says Keith.
However, it was hard from them to find a home they could afford. “We could not have afforded this home with the help of HomesFund.” says Rachelle, “The housing priority exercise in the homebuyer class really helped us identify the things that were important and the things we were willing to give up.” Working with Pam, Keith and Rachelle evaluated a number of scenarios to make sure they stayed within a comfortable budget. “You can really tell that Pam wants you to succeed and that she is on our side with our best interest at heart,” said Rachelle.
