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The path to homeownership can feel long and winding. For many people, it’s filled with starts, stops and the occasional detour. But it’s determination that sets successful journeys apart from the rest. For Finding HOME graduates Avery and Nicole Anhalt, 2023 was the year perseverance paid off. The couple achieved their dream of homeownership by building new financial habits, helping them stay the course.
When you’re on a path that’s new to you, it’s best to have a guide who’s been there before. That’s what Avery and Nicole learned after their second housing review with Lisa Musch, a Finding HOME financial counselor. Although they made progress on their own after their first meeting in 2021, the couple came back and joined the Finding HOME program in 2022 for more support to achieve their dream of homeownership.
“We wanted to get into a house, but we weren’t making it happen,” said Nicole. “We weren’t on track, and we needed some direction.” Lisa helped the couple identify which bills to pay down and where to prioritize their efforts.
“We weren’t paying attention to our credit,” Nicole said. Lisa’s guidance revealed the contrast between making minimum payments versus paying off bills and how it could drastically change their credit scores. Lisa equipped Avery and Nicole with the knowledge they needed to make a plan to meet their goals – and Nicole built an important tool to keep them on track.
“I bought poster board, got some markers and mapped everything out,” she said. “When I first made the board, Avery looked at me and sighed. He said it looked overwhelming, but I felt like we needed to feel overwhelmed so we could work on where we needed to be.”
Nicole mapped out each month along the top of the board and listed their bills, payment amounts and due dates down the side. Each time a bill was paid, she colored in the corresponding square. The visual helped them keep track of payments and kept them motivated. “It was fun to see [our progress] on the board,” Nicole said. “Our payments were going down, and squares were filling with color.”
Over the course of the program, Avery and Nicole reduced their debt by 41 percent. This helped them raise their credit scores a combined 131 points. They also increased their annual income by $25,993 and saved more than $3,000.
By summer, Avery and Nicole were ready to go house hunting. After a search that lasted several months, they found a home with huge potential. Nicole recalled the first time they saw their future home. “The lady who owned it followed us as we walked through,” said Nicole. “We told her we loved her house and were looking for our starter home.” That visit led to an accepted offer, and in August, the couple moved into their new home.
Now, their favorite part of homeownership is having a place they can truly call their own. “This is ours,” said Nicole. “Everything feels a little different when you’re moving into a house forever.” For Avery, the responsibility that comes along with homeownership is worth it. “Even having to do the upkeep is exciting because we know this is ours,” he said. “It’s our responsibility and an investment for the future.”
Now that they’re settled in their new house, Nicole has created a new board to help the family maintain the healthy financial habits they’ve built. Through these habits, they achieved the dream of homeownership and took control of their financial future.
