Warren Fikes, Inventory Control Clerk, Women, Infants, and Children program; City of Houston:
I wouldn't have never imagined getting a brand new house. I didn't ever think that I could afford it. But with the help of the LIFT program and the city of Houston, I was able to do it. I enjoy getting in the yard every Saturday or Sunday, even cut the lawn, front and back, edge, blow. I love a nice yard.
Cindy Tessler, Director of Asset Building, Avenue Community Development Corporation:
Sustainable homeownership is the single largest way to build wealth in America. Our goal here at Avenue CDC is to strengthen the communities we work in by helping vulnerable populations achieve that goal of homeownership. Through our work with Wells Fargo, we help connect clients to down payment assistance programs. And the Neighborhood LIFT program is one of those.
Fikes:
The two things I got from the LIFT program was $15,000 toward the purchase of my home. The most helpful was the information in the class about the insurance, working on your credit, finding the right lender, making sure that you're getting the best interest rate and be ready for homeownership.
Tessler:
Most clients take our first time homebuyer class because of a requirement for down payment assistance programs.
Fikes:
Well, it was in the early ‘90s when I bought my first house. I had a two-year adjustable rate mortgage that I didn't know about because I was naive. And then it just went up after the two years, and I couldn't afford it anymore. And when I moved out of the house, I moved around. I stayed with relatives, got an apartment, and then I moved into my brother's house. And ain't nothing like being on your own. It's indescribable, homeownership. I don't have a lot of people around me. It's not like living in an apartment complex. It's not like living in condos. Peace. I love it.
Tessler:
In the past 12 months, we have helped 1,000 households through homebuyer education start on that path to homeownership. About 250 of them have become sustainable homeowners.
Fikes:
I'm going to say it to you again, when you take these classes, pay attention. Please make sure you do this, no matter what they're giving you in grants. When that grant is applied to that house, it's yours, and you have to have the means to pay for it. And now I do because I learned.
