Mindy knew mortgage lenders required eight hours of pre-purchase education counseling if she wanted to qualify for down payment assistance, and she wanted to find a homeownership organization that would provide it.

“I had been calling several different places, but none of them seemed very professional or organized or treated me with respect,” she says. “But HomeFree-USA was completely different.”

Not only did Mindy get the one-on-one attention she desired, but “everyone that I’ve encountered at HomeFree-USA since completing my class has been professional and respectful,” she says. With her pre-purchase education hours completed, Mindy was able to qualify for down payment assistance that made it less costly for her to become a first-time homebuyer.

Now Mindy is filled with pride that she has achieved one of her biggest goals. “Owning my own home was something that I had always wanted to do and dreamed of,” she says. She always thought about the long-term value of owning a home and how it could put her on better financial footing. “I wanted to create wealth and be able to have a property that was an investment,” she says.

Mindy is also happy to be a role model for her younger brother and younger cousins who are still renting. Now that they see that she has become a homeowner, they know homeownership is within their reach as well. Her brother is even planning to work with HomeFree-USA to prepare for the homebuying process so it can go as smoothly as possible.

Mindy would advise other potential homebuyers to work on improving their credit. “I have maintained good credit my entire adult life,” she says and that helped her achieve her goal. Other potential homebuyers who need help getting their credit in order can turn to HomeFree-USA for help.

“I would encourage people to own a home rather than renting,” Mindy says. “Just make sure you’re ready.”