Expanding family and a place to call homeTitle
When Crystal Connell received the news of a sudden death in her family, she didn’t hesitate to become the guardian of her nieces and nephews. Overnight, the single mother of one became the guardian of five, and her home suddenly felt impossibly small.
“My niece is disabled, I needed to find a home that had her own space and where she could get in and out pretty easily,” said Connell.
Through the help of Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s (THDA) no. 1 loan originator, Tammy Ladd, Connell was able to purchase a home that checked all the boxes for her new family.
“I didn’t have to worry about anything, as soon as I found the house I wanted, she was on it,” said Connell.
Ladd often helps homebuyers navigate options that make the road to homeownership possible. And for Crytal Conell, THDA’s Great Choice Home Loan program checked all the boxes. Provided by THDA through partner lenders, Great Choice loans provide 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages designed for moderate-income Tennesseans.
“Besides the aid for my niece, we are on my single income. If it wasn’t for the program, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the home,” said Connell.
Great Choice loans are available to first-time homebuyers, and even some repeat buyers, who meet income and purchase price limits. Additionally, the program can also offer down payment assistance to borrowers in the form of a second loan.
A year later, Connell and her family still love the home they purchased. When asked what advice she would give to homebuyers, she said, “Be patient and find what you want. Don’t settle, take your time, and if it’s meant to be it will be. I looked at so many houses because I was frustrated with my tiny house and I’m so grateful I didn’t get them because I got the perfect house.”
THDA offers several resources and programs to ensure affordable housing in Tennessee is accessible to those in need. To qualify for THDA’s Great Choice Loan, buyers must complete a homebuyer education course, giving them the tools for long-term homeownership.
