My First Home (Becoming A Homeowner)
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In the Spring of 2013, God spoke to me about walking away from my job and stepping out on faith. I didn’t know what He had in store for me, but I turned in my resignation in July of the same year. I took off from working for 6 months and after that period I worked odd end jobs. As a result of not having stable income and insurance, I stayed with different relatives who God enabled to help me by feeding me, letting me stay a few nights with them, etc. As you can imagine, it was very hard for someone in their late 20’s to stay with others and be confined to a room, mattress, or couch for several years. I found steady employment and was able to put a plan in place to save money to rent an apartment. My family and I went out looking for a place to rent in the town I was working. After looking at several homes we found one we weren’t supposed to look at that we thought was perfect. After deciding that it was perfect my mother noticed the address was the same address of my late Grandmother. My family and I had a tough time with the burial of my Grandmother almost a year prior and we took this as a sign. Although I didn’t want a house, I followed God’s leading. I ended up not getting approved to live in that home and I was devastated. It made me feel as though I could not hear God clearly.
Months later, I was driving in the capital city and saw a billboard with a program name on it and meeting time and place. I felt especially drawn to the billboard although I wasn’t familiar with the program. I saw a different sign with the same information on the side of the same building at a different stoplight. I took that as a sign and typed it in my phone to be there. I was determined to figure what the program was about as I was naturally drawn to it. Months later, after forgetting about the program, I revealed to my mother how God had been speaking to me about buying a home for months through people (random conversations, sermons, etc.). I didn’t know how this would be possible seeing as though I had no savings and the little I knew about homebuying was that people saved thousands for years to be able to afford to buy a home. My mother agreed it would be a good move and encouraged me to go through a program called NACA. I researched them and found out that was the very program I saw on the billboard that I felt drawn to earlier in the same year. The program was created to help people who wouldn’t be able to buy a home for several reasons (discrimination, low income, lack of knowledge about saving money, etc). The program is tailored to teach you how to save and responsibly spend money. They monitor your savings account and counsel you every other month to prepare you for homeownership. They ensure that you are not taken advantage of throughout the home buying process.
After being in the program for a little over a year, I was finally qualified to buy a home! I had my eye on several homes and one I even reached a deal on and right before I was about to sign and email it back, the seller withdrew his deal. Although he withdrew the deal for reasons unknown at the last minute, I had total peace about it. After concentrating hard on finding a house because that was what I was shown with my Grandmother’s address, I had a dream with no visual and an audible voice saying the word “townhome” and I woke up. I knew then I should start looking for a townhome. I then looked at this house that already had an offer. It was a cute townhome and I thought it was perfect for me. I decided to offer a bid on the home and found out later that night I lost the bidding war. Unlike the other home, I was totally distraught. I felt I could have prayed more and worked harder to get the home. After deciding to sit back and wait to buy, the realtor called me a week or so later and told me the townhome was back on the market. I immediately put in my offer and felt at peace regardless of the outcome. The sellers accepted later the same night and I was elated! I was finally on my way to being a homeowner. Like many things in life, we sometimes think we know what will suit us better and God knows what is better for us all along. Out of the three homes I was in love with, the one I am in as I type this blog, was the perfect one for me. I love my safe, quiet neighborhood which is in the city and close enough to several malls and restaurants. My home is a 3-bedroom, 3 bath, 2 story townhome that gives me more than enough space for Tux and I. When I let go and decided to let God have control of everything after giving my best effort, I was able to be blessed beyond measure.
If you are looking into homeownership be patient and let God lead you to the perfect home so that you won’t end up buying something out of haste that you will regret. Also, refer the NACA program to anyone you know that may need guidance or extra help in the homebuying process. I was able to close on August 21, 2017 while bring a little over $100 to closing. God is so faithful, and the program is truly a blessing!
