Touger and Mykou Thao were expecting a baby and began exploring the possibility of buying a home. “How to buy a home” turned up search engine results that had a common theme: a good first step is talking to a housing counselor to find out if you’re mortgage-ready. The Thaos found NeighborWorks Home Partners and made an appointment.
Meeting with a housing counselor provided more than the Thaos ever expected. They knew it would help them be more confident as homebuyers, but didn’t realize that it would also save them thousands of dollars and make their monthly payments more affordable. And they didn’t know they would come out of the process with new friends.
“Right from our very first interaction, we felt like we made the right connection,” Touger noted. “We learned about the home buying process, where to look for homes, mortgages, and most importantly, we learned about programs that helped first time home buyers.”
Through NeighborWorks Home Partners, Touger and Mykou were introduced to two down payment and closing cost assistance programs that made their first home more affordable and accessible – Wells Fargo NeighborhoodLIFT and NeighborWorks Home Partners Community Keys program, both of which could be combined for a larger down payment. They also had the opportunity to explore alternative resources that they hadn’t heard of, like a community land bank.
Buying a home is a complex process, and the Thaos had questions at many steps, but they had someone in their corner to turn to for unbiased advice. NeighborWorks Home Partners staff were available to provide answers and support all along the way, and assist in communicating with the bank that provided the mortgage.
“When we finally closed on our home, my wife, baby daughter, and I were so happy and thankful for the assistance that we received. We are now home owners,” said Touger, “and it was made possible through the assistance of NeighborWorks Home Partners. Thank you!”
