Stefany always had dreams of buying a house, but in 2020 she started seriously stepping toward that goal. “I felt like buying a house would be cheaper and more fulfilling than renting,” she says.

But she didn’t want to embark on the journey alone. She enlisted HomeFree-USA to be one of her partners along the way.

• First she met with her Homeownership Advisor, who helped Stefany prepare a budget. “I was able to save money according to the plan we came up with. It was hard at times, but for the most part I stuck to it.” Having a Homeownership Advisor made sticking to her plan easier because there was someone to hold her accountable.

• HomeFree-USA also prepared her for what to expect not only from the homebuying process but from the local real estate market. For example, she knew what types of properties she was likely to find within her budget, desired location and price range.

• HomeFree-USA also connected her with a lender who was familiar with homebuying programs in the location she wanted to buy in. Her lender, Dave Kuhns at Fulton Mortgage, helped her secure the financing she needed.

One of the best parts of her experience: Stefany was able to take advantage of free money. She qualified for $39,000 in downpayment assistance and closing cost help.  “I only had to put up $3,500 of my own money,” she says.

Overall, having a team made up of her Homeownership Advisor, lender and real estate agent made the process more seamless than she expected. “It was super smooth, super easy. This was meant to be my house.”