Stephanie is celebrating one year of homeownership this May. This lifelong goal took years of dedication and preparation; now, she relishes every day in her home.
Like many people in their thirties, Stephanie didn’t know if finding a permanent place to call home would even be possible given record high home prices. In 2022, Stephanie was out of college, established in her career as a preschool teacher, and looking for her next step. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she decided to believe in herself against what felt like stacked odds.
“That is how my whole life has been,” she says. “I’m a go-getter. So I was like, ‘okay, I can do this.’”
Believing in the unbelievable
When a family friend mentioned that they were working with Portland Housing Center (PHC) for assistance with buying a home, Stephanie felt a new sense of possibility.
When she decided to apply for a Habitat home, she came in well-prepared. She found a home she loved in SE Portland — freshly built, lots of counter space for her weekend baking, and 15 minutes from her parents.
Immediate connection
For Stephanie, family is everything — including her inspiration to become a homeowner. In middle school, her parents bought the home they still live in today. Growing up, her home felt warm. She watched her parents extend hospitality, hosting friends and family often. Seeing her mother and father, who emigrated from Nicaragua to the United States, achieve their own dream set hers in motion.
So when she found her now-home, the first thing she did was tour with her parents. Right away, her mom said she could already see Stephanie living there.
She put in her application and hoped. Finally, after years of working towards homeownership, she was closer to her dream than ever. One family had applied before her, so she waited anxiously for the news.
Stephanie was working when she got the call, surrounded by toddlers in her classroom. She almost couldn’t believe it when she heard her application was accepted.
She had already warned her colleagues that she would be getting the big call soon, but she wasn’t prepared for the emotions that came with it.
“I started sobbing,” she says, laughing, “and I don’t like crying at work.”
As soon as she could, she called her family.
Space to connect
Moving in felt surreal. Stephanie says she is still getting used to being a homeowner.
The moment everything clicked was hosting all her local family — parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles — for a housewarming party. She laughs, describing how she hardly had more than a couch and chairs, but everyone was eating, laughing, and enjoying themselves regardless.
“Never in my life did I think I would have a housewarming party… seeing that was really emotional, and so heartwarming.”
She beams, describing how fulfilling it is to provide space for her loved ones.
“This is another home for them,” she says. “It feels amazing being able to offer that.”
Now that she has a guest room, she can extend the generosity she was raised to hold dear. She was able to host two cousins from Nicaragua this year in what felt like a full circle moment.
“Being able to extend that hospitality is so important to me… that made me feel so warm inside.”
Home as a sanctuary
One year later, Stephanie is enjoying the peace she finds at home after a long day of teaching toddlers. A plant-lover, her home is serene and green, even as she says she is still finding her personal style.
Her large countertops get lots of use, as she bakes sweet treats for friends and family outside of work.
Thanks to resources that she wouldn’t know existed without advice from a friend, she achieved a lifelong dream. Now, she wants to share her experience with others who may not know what’s possible.
“I didn’t think I could own a home until someone told me I could. And the most important thing is to be able to share that.”
