The journey to homeownership is not always a linear path, but it can still lead to exciting possibilities. For Homebuying 101 graduate Danielle (she/her/hers), this path led her to purchasing a dream home in her community.

Danielle started her homebuying journey several years ago while living in a subsidized apartment in the South End. “When I first took a Homebuying 101 class, it was through a self-sufficiency program and I felt completely overwhelmed.” While she did not feel ready to continue the process at that time, as her career started to progress, and her rent started to climb, buying a home started to sound like a more appealing prospect.

At first, Danielle was discouraged since house hunting during the pandemic was stressful. “I would apply for homeownership lotteries and end up as number 500! I started to give up- I wanted to buy a home but it didn’t feel possible.”

One day, Danielle decided to browse Zillow and found a home that she loved in her price range, and right down the street from her current apartment. “Even with the condo fees, it was around the same price that I was paying for rent and I absolutely loved it!”

After she found this home, she decided to apply for MHP’s One+Boston program and enrolled in ABCDC’s virtual homebuying class entitled Framework. “Framework was helpful because I was able to do the work on my own time and receive my certificate quickly. The information was also extremely easy to understand and distilled.”

After finishing the course, she was connected to one of ABCDC’s Housing Counselors to schedule a wrap-up session. These sessions are meant to answer any specific questions that first-time homebuyers have and since the condo that Danielle planned to purchase was deed-restricted, this presented some unique challenges. “It was helpful to have someone to ask questions that were catered to my specific situation.”

When asked about advice for other potential first-time homebuyers, Danielle remarked that the process can take longer than you originally think, but don’t get discouraged! “It took around three months from putting in my offer to moving into my home.” She said that you can take breaks from the process to regroup and figure out your priorities. “Buying a home is still possible!”

When some folks first start thinking about buying a home, the process can feel daunting. It is important to wait until you feel ready to take that next step, and work with a homebuying team that you can trust along the way.

Congratulations to Danielle for purchasing her first home!