I Almost Gave Up on Buying a Home in Columbus, Ohio. Here's What Changed My Mind.

I Almost Gave Up on Buying a Home in Columbus, Ohio. Here's What Changed My Mind.

In her own words, here's how Carlyn C. went from renting in Columbus to closing on her first home with an FHA loan.

Before we got this house, we were living in a townhome, paying rent, and every year the rent would just increase by hundreds of dollars. We were like, you know what, this is it. We might as well just go buy a house.

I have two kids. My son is 10 and my daughter is eight. They're getting older, so they needed their own space, their own room. I'd gotten a better job about two years ago, and I remember thinking, now we could definitely afford this. I know the housing market was kind of brutal with the interest rates, but I was finally in a good place in my life financially where I could afford a house.

How I Started Looking Without Really Meaning To

So we just started looking. I took my phone and started googling houses near my area, because I wanted to stay in my kids' school district. I didn't want them to change schools, so I was searching houses around their school area. I just happened to click on a house I saw while browsing. At the time I was just looking at different houses, not seriously shopping yet.

That's when Jennifer reached out and said, hey, I saw you were interested in this house. Ever since then we just kept in contact, and she's been helping me from the beginning. Jennifer Steward with Realty Ohio, if you're wondering.

Honestly, some people say house hunting is stressful. For me it was actually pretty fun. Looking at different houses on the computer, seeing the pictures, then scheduling a time with Jennifer to go visit. One time we saw three or four houses in the same area in a single day. Some houses were a little questionable. Some we fell in love with.

The Part Where I Almost Gave Up

I felt defeated when we went to our bank to get a loan. I did get a preapproval, but they wanted so much money up front, and I remember thinking, I can't do this, this is a lot of money up front.

I was reading in a group online on Facebook, a first-time homeowners group, and people kept saying it's a good idea to shop lenders, try to get two or three, and see who has better rates and better preapproval terms. So I reached out to Jennifer and asked if she had a lender she recommended. She brought up The Stewards.

Waiting to Hear Back on Our Offer

I was nervous. I prayed the seller would accept our offer. At that point we had a lot going on. We were packing to go visit my sister in New Jersey, and it was nerve-wracking. We were hoping they'd take our offer, and they did.

They accepted our offer in less than 24 hours. That was such a relief. I was almost in tears. I kept thinking, is this too good to be true? Am I dreaming? But it was exciting.

If your bank's first number felt like too much, get a second opinion before you assume you're stuck.

Call or Text — 614-767-5273

Closing Day Was the Hardest, Happiest Day

During closing I had mixed emotions. I'd lost my grandma the day before, so I was happy and sad at the same time. My grandma knew I had bought the house before she passed, and she was so excited for me. As I was signing all the papers, I kept thinking about her telling me how proud she was. It was such a heavy day, signing about a hundred documents, but it was a great day too.

Now I'm making the house mine. I'm renovating, fixing a few things. What I'm most excited about is my kids. My son and daughter finally have their own rooms, one is pink, one is blue, and they've got their own themes going on. They just can't stop smiling. My daughter keeps telling me she can't believe she has her own room. Seeing them that happy just melts my heart.

What I'd Tell Anyone Else Trying to Buy in Columbus

Don't give up. Do your research. Columbus has first-time homebuyer programs and grants out there, you just have to look for them. Find a good real estate agent to point you in the right direction, and a lender too, which is what The Stewards did for me. They were phenomenal. Great communication. They were always there when I had so many questions, and I appreciate that.

If one lender tells you no, that doesn't mean you're not getting a house. Find another lender. Keep pushing. You will find your house out there. I'd recommend Ryan and his team to anyone, one hundred percent.

Ready to find out what an FHA loan could actually look like for your family? Let's talk.

Call or Text — 614-767-5273

Ryan Miracle NMLS #497698 | Chris Beal NMLS #514071 | Ruoff Mortgage | Equal Housing Lender

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