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Financial Flash Newsletter

A Tale of Affordable Homeownership

Personal investment, hard work, and matched savings from Mission's employer assistance program made homeownership a reality for the White Family.

When Betty White, a C.N.A. working in Mission’s Emergency Room, first considered purchasing a home, she thought it was way out of her league.   That all changed when she heard coworkers discussing the Mission Home Help Program - a benefit offered to qualified Mission employees that provides free homebuyer and financial education, personalized budget counseling, and up to $2,500 in match money toward the purchase of a first home. 

“If you are considering buying a house, OnTrack's homebuyer education program will teach you information about purchasing a home and –most importantly – budgeting,” says Betty. Working with OnTrack, which coordinates Mission's program, Betty learned the intricacies of smart budgeting, quickly uncovering where her family was losing money each month. 

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“The budgeting and homebuyer education classes prepared us for the life change,” Betty acknowledged, “Having this insight made the real difference in our success.”  With a few budget adjustments, her family began saving with each paycheck.  Increasing their amount little by little, they eventually saved over $3,000 and Mission Home Help added another $2,500 towards their downpayment. 


Through Mountain Housing Opportunity’s Self Help Homeownership Program, Betty and her husband worked 25-30 hours a week with a group of five families to construct their neighborhood homes.  Working through seasons of brisk cold and sloppy mud, this teamwork built an unbreakable sense of community.  

Throughout the building process, the Whites took their children to see the progress and were inspired by their children’s awe that they had a hand in the home construction.  “I never saw myself living in my own home and getting to build it.  I still get teary eyed when I pull into the driveway,” Betty commented.

The experience culminated the day of closing when they were handed the house keys.  Vacant of furniture until the official move the next day, the children insisted on sleeping in the house.  Betty reminisced, “We all slept on the floors before our beds arrived.  Each of the kids went to their own room and slept there alone – so proud of the work we had done and of their new, safe home.” 

Thanks to practical budgeting tools learned from OnTrack and the savings homeownership now provides, Betty currently saves more money as a homeowner than when she was a renter.   

Was it worth it?  The mud, the classes, financial counseling, and trimming their budget?  YES! Betty says, “Every time I see my little boy run out into the yard and come back covered in mud, I know that all the time and energy was well worth the reward of having our own home.”

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Thinking about buying a home?

Want to learn more about the process?

OnTrack offers comprehensive homebuyer education that provides a step-by-step explanation of the homebuying process. Our HUD-certified course includes:

  • Developing a budget for homeownership and evaluating your credit;
  • Determining how much home you can afford;
  • Working with real estate professionals;
  • Understanding mortgage documents and terminology;
  • Choosing a lender and preparing for closing; and
  • Planning for life as a homeowner.

View our current education class schedule here or call OnTrack at 828-255-5166 ext 3 or 1-800-737-5485 for more information on our program.

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