Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs - Building Homes and Strengthening Communities

Start Out Fresh

Frances Acosta, TDHCA

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Yolando N., Temple TX
HOME Homebuyer Assistance Program
Photo: Frances Acosta, TDHCA

Yolando N. was a renter for over twenty years. Occasionally, the thought of buying a home crossed her mind. However, she convinced herself she would never be able to afford one. “Buying a house costs a lot of money and I never thought I had enough to buy one,” she remembers. “Plus, it looked like it would take too much time.”

Eventually, Yolando became financially secure enough to buy a house. With the help of a realtor, she eagerly began looking for her dream home. However, months of intense searching yielded no new home. Yolando was becoming discouraged. Her early assessment of how much time it would take was coming true. Just as she was about to give up, Yolando discovered the Homeownership Program offered by the Temple Housing Authority (THA) and funded by TDHCA’s HOME Investment Partnership’s Homebuyer Assistance Program. THA worked closely with Yolando and she closed on her new home on March 2010.

When asked about her new home, Yolando could not say enough good things about the experience: “While it did take too much time, I now have peace of mind,” she said. “It is good to start out fresh.” Yolando also learned a lot about financing and gained a new appreciation for budgeting. “It is a good thing! I now know where all my money goes.” She also has a piece of advice she would like to pass on to future homeowners, “Attend a homeownership class! It will open your eyes to the whole process.”

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HOME Homebuyer Assistance Program