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Hello,
I've been lurking on this site for over a year learning and preparing for the day when I could throw my hat into the home buying ring. Today is the day I officially chucked that hat! But before I get to the actual chucking moment, please allow me to explain how I got to this point...
Four years ago I was with a significant other (almost 8 years together) living in a paid off home trying to have a child. We had been trying for several years but it was just not happening and we didn't know why. I also didn't know at the time that I was about to be replaced with a "working model". Out of the blue, my significant other said - get out. I begged and pleaded, asked what was wrong, what did I do? I groveled, I cried, I did it all - I loved this man! None of it worked. He wanted a child and I was broken, so I had to go - I did not have any recourse regarding the home as we were not married and I was not on the deed even though I paid for half of the purchase price. Same thing for the car... Anyway, I was now homeless and far from any family (in North Carolina). I called the only person that might be able to help me, my older brother in Tennessee (where I was from when I met the significant other - moved to NC to start a life with him). Anyway, my brother came and rescued me, let me sleep on the living room floor until I could get on my feet.
A few months went by. I was a disaster, after all, the love of my life just through me away like garbage - I must be garbage. I'm useless, blah blah blah - depressing stuff.
And then it happened, I learned why we couldn't have a baby. I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I knew I had a fibroid tumor but was not expecting to learn that I had two cancerous tumors weighing almost 20lbs combined. I wasn't fat (145 lbs at 5 feet 10) but knew my belly was unusually large. I just thought it was the fibroid causing some inflamation or something.
I was given my odds of survival - 95% of women diagnosed die within a year etc. So, in my depressed/lost state, I accepted my death sentence and actually hoped for it. No more BS from this world, I kinda liked that idea. I went into surgery to have the tumors removed (at the very least to be more comfortable as they were quite painful at times). However, once I came to, my doc said my tumors were large but my body created a wall around them and the cancer could not spread. They were essentially in a sealed, puss filled capsule unable to escape. My lymph nodes were all clear, it was a miracle the doc said. In my state of mind at the time however, I couldn't agree. I was jobless, penniless, no car, living on the floor of my married brother with kid's two bedroom house out in the middle of nowhere. This is no life!
I recovered there at my brother's for a couple of weeks when a family at my church, who had heard my story, offered a room in their home to me. This was truly a blessing from God. After all, who does that??! Offer a room to a complete stranger?! No WAY! Not only did they offer a room, they offered me a job with their start up business. After a bit of soul searching, I accepted and moved in. I mean, I didn't know them either and what if they were crazy people?
A couple of years have gone by and I am still cancer free, now an equal partner in that business, I have a secondary job as well, I own a car and have been able to save a bit of cash for my own home. Over the past year I have brought my credit score from a 519 to a 746 FICO across the board.
So this brings me to this morning. I mailed my mortgage application to my nearest USDA office today - Hat CHUCKED!!
Thanks for reading and for all of you who post their experiences and knowledge!! You all give me such HOPE! I will update as I progress through this minefield.
Yours truly,
Ardent Hope
What a story! Good luck with everything. Hope it all works out for you!
*Feels compulsion to hand over house keys to total stranger*
Okay, you MUST post an update when you get your house!!!!!!
Thanks to all of you! I will most definitely be updating - and asking questions, lots of questions... I will happily be paying for a house on my own but I won't be going through the process alone (that's the scariest part I think); not with all the knowledge and support you guys offer to one another here. You guys really are a remarkable bunch!!! Maybe some part of my journey will encourage someone to think, "Maybe owning my own home doesn't have to be just a dream." or how bout, "I can totally do this!". Yeah, that would be awesome...
bramma_99 - I'm glad your mum is kicking cancer's butt and I'll be praying for you and yours. Congrats on the new home! I bet you can't wait to get in it and make it your own! I dream of a newly constructed home (even have sketches in my dream home folder, but doesn't everyone?).
You didn't play around when picking a username, did you? Thanks for sharing your story. Congratulations on life and all that's good about it. Good luck!
Wow. You are such an amazing woman Ardent Hope!! What an inspiration you are! I will definitely be following your home buying journey.
I am so happy for how things worked out for you. I loved your story.
Wow....You are amazing. God Bless You. Everything will work out for you. God Is Good.