Amber earns the keys to her new home!
Amber began her path to homeownership in September 2017 and was eager to complete her sweat equity and begin sharing her new home with all those who had shared their homes with her. It’s been a long journey, but Amber has worked very hard – putting in well over 300 hours of sweat equity on the job site, taking home ownership classes and working in the ReStores.
What do you feel is the biggest reason you needed to change your housing situation?
“We have overcome many challenges and this is one challenge that I really struggled with – providing a house for my girls. We’ve had so much support from friends and family, but helping us buy a house was an obstacle that friends and family couldn’t help with. The biggest reason I needed an affordable home is financial and the stress it put on me every single day — from rising rent costs to not being able to get items we needed at the grocery store. I felt like I was throwing away money each month but now I am making a true investment.”
What does owning your own home feel like so far? 
“Owning our own home feels like the ultimate victory! My girls are going to feel more security and I know it will be a refuge for them. I think they are proud of their new home and are excited to invite friends over for sleepovers.”
What are some things you couldn’t do before owning your home?
“Gardening! We love being outside, working and playing in the yard, planting flowers and hanging out with neighbors. Also, with an affordable house payment, we can put away money into savings and have more flexibility with our budget. We can afford the extra expenses that come along such as school pictures, clothes, oil changes and even spending a little more money at the grocery store will be nice. I have peace knowing that I can support us on my own.”
Why did you choose Habitat as a way to help your family?
“Habitat was the ONLY way were able to get into our own home. I had met with a realtor and talked with a lender and due to income restrictions and no money in savings, buying a home with a FHA or conventional loan wasn’t going to be an option. I also loved that we could give back to the community by helping Habitat along the way during the construction of our home. I’ve never wanted a hand-out and felt this program would allow me to work towards a goal. I love that my girls were also able to contribute towards the sweat equity hours. We feel a huge sense of pride and feel truly honored.”
Habitat couldn’t have made this all possible for the Mims family without the support of many volunteers & partners such Embree Group, Seeds of Strength, Barker Roofing, Trussmate and the Georgetown Health Foundation!
