Building memories

In a home of their own

Elisa works hard. She teaches second grade in the Creighton School District on a year-round schedule. She's raising her 9-year-old son Jayro. She's working on her master's degree, finishing up her first year now, with one more year to go. And she worked through the purchase of her first home, something she wasn't sure she could manage on her teacher's salary.

"It was the most intimidating thing I've ever done," Elisa says. But thanks to a referral to NHS Phoenix from a family friend, she had help.

Elisa took HomeBuyer Education classes, but worried that she wouldn't be able to qualify for a loan. She'd only been teaching for three years and her salary wasn't large. So when she met with a housing counselor to look over her credit history and finances, Elisa was thrilled to hear it was possible. NHS Phoenix's Lending Supervisor Cindy Espinoza took her mortgage application the same day.

"Cindy is a total sweetheart," says Elisa. "She walked me through it every step of the way. I had so many questions and she always got right back to me with answers.

"Cindy recommended the home inspection, which found problems with the roof. And then she worked the cost of roof repairs into my loan so it could be replaced now. She's going to be right there to help me with that."

As Elisa was looking for a house last year, the home prices kept rising month after month. She was also considering town homes, but the one she could afford was on the second floor and that didn't make her comfortable.

Her new home, though smaller with two bedrooms and one bath, just felt better than the second-story town home. The neighborhood is comfortable, close to work. The house has a big yard. And Elisa can just look out the window to see her son on his bike. That was much more important to her than having a second bathroom. "This is big enough for the two of us. And we can always add on in the future," she says confidently.

Elisa is proud that she managed this first major purchase of her life without the help of her mom and dad. "It's the first time I haven't needed them to co-sign for me," she says with a smile.

"My son and I went through the process together, worked through it together," says Elisa. "I wanted Jayro to have a home of his own before he was a teenager, so he would have good memories of growing up here."

Elisa closed on her home loan on February 21st. The memories begin.

From the Annual Report/Spring 2006 issue of DoorWays