The Thai family celebrates their new home
When the Thai family purchased their first home this fall, it was the result of hard work, determination, and preparation. Although they’re just getting started in their new place, their path to homeownership started many years earlier.
As residents at DHIC’s Beacon Ridge community, Benetta Thai, and her family enjoyed living in an affordable community that had convenient access to a grocery store, healthcare, school, and a recreation center. In fact, Benetta was an ambassador at Beacon Ridge, where she worked with other residents to promote an overall sense of safety and community.
Living at Beacon Ridge is ultimately what helped prepare them for the next phase of their lives as well. Living in the community, they learned more about the Homeownership Center, through the DHIC Resident Services team.
When the Thai family was ready to become first-time homebuyers, they knew the Homeownership Center would be a valuable resource for them. “Because we had a consistent and predictable rent payment while living at Beacon Ridge for three years, we were able to save money during that time, which ultimately put us in the position to buy our first home this year,” Benetta says.
When they were ready to take the next step, Counseling Coordinator/Senior Homeownership Advisor, Tammy Simmons, helped guide them through the process. Tammy says, “They had done research on the steps to take to buy a home and came well prepared when I first met with them in December 2022.”
After working with Tammy over several months to prepare their finances and go through homebuyer counseling, the Thai family was pre-qualified by February and ready to begin their homebuyer certification course.
Benetta explains, “My husband and I both have a busy work schedule, so we opted to participate in the eHome America online homebuyer education option, where we could work through the course at our own pace. We helped to keep each other on track, and motivated each other to complete our certifications on time.”
Their commitment to the process never wavered and after completing their certifications, they had their last appointment with Tammy in July, just seven months after starting their path to homeownership.
Tammy goes on to say, “Especially in this current market, I was impressed to see them buy their home so quickly. It’s really a testament to the work they put in and their dedication to realizing their dream of homeownership. I’m proud to have been part of their journey.”
This fall, the family accomplished their goal and moved into their new home. Benetta says, “Being able to achieve the American Dream of homeownership, without feeling like we were getting into something that wasn’t financially feasible, means so much to us. The DHIC team, and Tammy in particular, were amazing and patient with us throughout the process and we’re both just so grateful.”