Kirsten’s Story…

Kirsten just purchased her first home! Your gifts help support household’s like Kirsten’s put roots down in the communities they love.

“I moved in with family in 2022 so I could stay in this community. I love it here and I decided it was time to try to figure out my next steps so I could stay here and plan for my future. I immediately began looking at options for rentals because I was ready to live on my own.” Kirsten stated. With the housing crisis, Kirsten could hardly find any rentals at all let alone one close enough to her full-time job at Home Depot in Petoskey and that allowed pets like her dog, Annie. “I decided buying a home was my best option. I worked with a local lender to try to find a mortgage product that fit my needs and my budget but it was nearly impossible to get an approval large enough to compete in today’s market. The homes that were in my budget were unsafe and needed much more than I was able to invest in renovations and updates”

Kirsten’s parents recommended Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity. They’ve participated and volunteered with other Habitats and even worked with families facing homelessness after natural disasters so they had a first-had experience in how Habitat’s model makes homeownership possible. “I took their advice and I reached out. The team steered me in the right direction and connected me with an affordable mortgage product I haven’t worked with before. They even helped me complete the mortgage application and stood by my side as I worked with the lender to get my approval. They really were there for me every step of the way.”

This affordable mortgage product and support from our team allowed Kirsten to receive an approval that gave her confidence that homeownership was still in reach. “Doing it alone was so daunting before I reached out to them, but the team at Habitat encouraged me to not give up, they gave me hope” Kirsten states.

“Before selecting a Habitat home, I kept an eye on the open market and continued searching for homes. This approval was finally large enough for me to have more freedom on the open market, but even with homes in my new budget I was constantly outbid. The competition with cash offers in this region make it nearly impossible for working households to purchase a home” Kirsten says. Our homeownership program removes this barrier by only selling to preapproved buyers and by creating a waitlist that removes the need to compete and bid on our homes. “After my newfound discouragement with the open market I turned back to Habitat and decided a brand-new Habitat home was exactly what I needed. The team helped me complete the application process, which was so easy, and I selected a home almost immediately.”

Kirsten selected a home in the Meadowlands Subdivision of Alanson, our premier neighborhood where 38 brand-new affordable homes will be built for the community by 2025. “I love art. I love anything creative. I paint, draw, sew, and I love big projects. Where I previously lived, I didn’t have a dedicated space to pursue this passion, and this big part of who I am. This kept me determined to find a home. I was even ready to buy a fixer-upper, but now, with a brand-new Habitat home, I have more time and money to invest in myself, and my future.”