Buying a home Q&A: What made three homeowners fall in love with their new home

July 28, 2021

Shopping for a house is tough, but there’s no better feeling than knowing you can make the house you’re touring into a home. Here’s how it happened for three U.S. Bank customers.

Buying a home: it’s one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in a lifetime, so you might be feeling the pressure if you’re on a house hunt — especially in the current seller’s market. Amidst home mortgage shopping, busy open houses and nights spent refreshing Zillow, it’s important to remember that buying a home should also be exciting and fun. Just ask Shavez, Corbin, Dree and Craig.

These three homebuyers and their families all had their own unique situations that made them decide it was time to move — and once they started house hunting, they each found a house that made a stressful process worth the wait.

 

Buying a home: Dream neighborhood

When Shavez Samuels found himself surrounded by gifts from his first child’s baby shower, he and his wife knew it was time to buy a bigger place where they could grow their family. “We had a lot of stuff from the baby shower filling up our entire apartment,” he said. “Once we did start looking, we were thinking about what neighborhoods we wanted to be in, how many rooms we needed, all that good stuff. What made us fall in love with our house was the neighborhood, Beverly, which is outside of Chicago. It was close to family, work, good schools. Everything really worked out.”

Like many families shopping for a new home, Shavez was up against a competitive market where houses were selling for thousands more than the asking price — especially in neighborhoods like Beverly, where he eventually found a fixer-upper that could be remodeled to fit his family’s needs. “The goal is that when we move in, we don’t want to have to fix a bunch of stuff,” Shavez said. “When we were looking in Beverly, which can be a pricier neighborhood, we were looking at houses that weren’t super upkept. It would be cheaper to buy in and rebuild a little — it’s sort of an extreme makeover situation.”

Shavez and his family have a few more projects to complete, like building a deck in the backyard and adding an addition that will hold another bedroom. His advice to new homebuyers? Stay the course. “Don’t give up. If you didn’t get the house you set your eyes on, you might find another house that had something that the original one didn’t even have.”

 

Buying a home: Dream backyard

For Dree and Craig Stokes, finding a home in Los Angeles wasn’t exactly an easy journey. The couple and their two kids had moved three times within 16 months, and they were ready to break the rental cycle and find something permanent. “We wanted stability,” Craig said. “We thought, ‘We’re tired of moving and tired of renting. Let’s find somewhere we can be stationary, get our kids in school and feel like we’re settling down’.”

Dree and Craig looked at nearly 30 properties on their house hunt. As small business owners and parents to two young children, they had a lot on their plates in addition to looking at prospective homes. When they found a turnkey house that checked all their boxes, they were assertive in putting in an offer.

“Most of the houses here in LA were built in the 50s or 60s, or even earlier. They have a lot of character and a lot of charm, but a lot of things need to be updated,” Craig said. “Every house we saw had some kind of concession we’d have to make, especially with price, since there’s been such high demand and low supply. When we saw this house, the price was within our budget and it was larger than any of the other houses we’d seen, especially for that price. We were pretty aggressive putting in an offer, and we got accepted.”

Although the house Dree and Craig chose doesn’t need any major renovations, Dree has big plans for their backyard. “The way [the backyard] was landscaped is really cool,” Dree said. “I think a lot of people could easily envision where the pool would be, where they would grill out, how they could sit outside under some string lights. We want to add that pool and a sitting and entertainment area.”

 

Buying a home: Dream scenario

Corbin Fromm and his wife Jesse were in an especially unique situation when it came time to buy: Their home’s sellers were Corbin’s parents. “As a little kid, I always knew I wanted to be in this area,” Corbin said. “And I always just loved this house. So, Jesse and I lived in downtown Denver for three or four years. And then the opportunity came up where my parents were tired of maintaining a big yard [and house]. So, we’re fortunate to be in a situation where we can purchase it from them.”

Like in many other parts of the country, the Denver market is extremely competitive, with homes being purchased by buyers bidding thousands over the asking price. “During COVID-19, we moved in with my parents for a couple of months to save up a little bit more money, and never really looked at any other houses,” Corbin said. “I didn’t have to deal with the craziness that is the market, which was kind of nice.”

Now that the house is their home, Corbin and Jesse love sitting on the back deck that faces a golf course. And, they’ve given the inside of the house a bit of a makeover: “We took out all of the carpet on the main floor, put in tile and redid the kitchen,” he said. “And then we added a bedroom and a bathroom down in the basement.”

For Corbin and Jesse, one of the biggest assets on their homebuying journey was their mortgage broker Jamie, who had helped Corbin with his accounting and management firm in the past. “She’s been awesome. She was helping us with our business, and then she changed over to the mortgage department. It was kind of a no-brainer to go with her because of how helpful she was the banking. She made [buying a house] as easy as it could be.”

 

Learn more about the homebuying process so you feel more prepared entering the housing market. Our first-time homebuyer's guide to getting a mortgage breaks down the journey.

No matter what your situation looks like, U.S. Bank mortgage lenders are here to help. Make an appointment to get more information on how you can kickstart your house hunt.

Related content

10 ways to increase your home’s curb appeal

Avoiding the pitfalls of warehouse lending

Is it the right time to refinance your mortgage?

Is it cheaper to build or buy a house

6 questions to ask before buying a new home

Should you buy a house that’s still under construction?

5 things to avoid that can devalue your home

What is a home equity line of credit (HELOC) and what can it be used for?

9 simple ways to save

Is raising backyard chickens a good idea financially?

Here’s how to create a budget for yourself

What you need to know about renting

8 steps to take before you buy a home

Military homeownership: Your guide to resources, financing and more

What is refinancing a mortgage?

Are professional movers worth the cost?

What to know when buying a home with your significant other

Building a dream home that fits your life

Mortgage basics: How does your credit score impact the homebuying experience?

Mortgage basics: 3 key steps in the homebuying process

Mortgage basics: How much house can you afford?

Mortgage basics: Buying or renting – What’s right for you?

Mortgage basics: Prequalification or pre-approval – What do I need?

How you can take advantage of low mortgage rates

Mortgage basics: Finding the right home loan for you

Home buying myths: Realities of owning a home

Mortgage basics: What is refinancing, and is it right for you?

A checklist for starting a mobility program review

Tips for realtors to help clients get their homeownership goals back on track

How I did it: Turned my side hustle into a full-time job

It's possible: 7 tips for breaking the spending cycle

Closing on a house checklist for buyers

Multiple accounts can make it easier to follow a monthly budget

Is it time to get a shared bank account with your partner?

Don’t underestimate the importance of balancing your checking account

Which is better: Combining bank accounts before marriage — or after?

How I did it: Bought a home without a 20 percent down payment

5 ways to maximize your garage sale profits 

Housing market trends and relocation impact

Changes in credit reporting and what it means for homebuyers

What’s the difference between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

Why other lenders may be reaching out to your employees

High-cost housing and down payment options in relocation

Crypto + Relo: Mobility industry impacts

For today's relocating home buyers, time and money are everything

Checklist: 10 questions to ask your home inspector

Checklist: financial recovery after a natural disaster

Recognize. React. Report. Caregivers can help protect against financial exploitation

Is online banking safe?

Pros and cons of a personal line credit

3 tips for saving money when moving to a new home

Adulting 101: How to make a budget plan

You can take these 18 budgeting tips straight to the bank

Save time and money with automatic bill pay

Do you and your fiancé have compatible financial goals?

Personal finance for teens can empower your child

How to save for a wedding

What’s a subordination agreement, and why does it matter?

Understanding the true cost of borrowing: What is amortization, and why does it matter?

Know your debt-to-income ratio

Your quick guide to loans and obtaining credit

Checklist: 10 things to look for when touring a home

Overcoming high interest rates: Getting your homeownership goals back on track

For today's homebuyers, time and money are everything

Crypto + Homebuying: Impacts on the real estate market

How I did it: Bought my dream home using equity

Buying a home Q&A: What made three homeowners fall in love with their new home

House Hacks: How buying an investment property worked as my first home

Managing the impacts of appraisal gaps in a hot housing market

How I did it: Built living spaces to support my family

Spring cleaning checklist for your home: 5 budget-boosting tasks

Saving for a down payment: Where should I keep my money?

Your guide to breaking the rental cycle

Checklist: 6 to-dos for after a move

What are conforming loan limits and why are they increasing

Uncover the cost: Building a home

The lowdown on 6 myths about buying a home

4 ways to free up your budget (and your life) with a smaller home

Get more home for your money with these tips

Money Moments: Tips for selling your home

Money Moments: How to finance a home addition

How I did it: My house remodel

First-time homebuyer’s guide to getting a mortgage

Dear Money Mentor: When should I refinance a mortgage?

Beyond the mortgage: Other costs for homeowners

10 questions to ask when hiring a contractor

What is an escrow account? Do I have one?

These small home improvement projects offer big returns on investment

Should you get a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit?

Mortgage basics: What’s the difference between interest rate and annual percentage rate?

Is a home equity line of credit (HELOC) right for you?

How to use your home equity to finance home improvements

How do I prequalify for a mortgage?

Home equity: Small ways to improve the value of your home

Can you take advantage of the dead equity in your home?

4 questions to ask before you buy an investment property

10 uses for a home equity loan

6 essential credit report terms to know

Test your loan savvy

What types of credit scores qualify for a mortgage?

Disclosures

Start of disclosure content

Loan approval is subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rate and program terms are subject to change without notice. Mortgage, Home Equity and Credit products are offered through U.S. Bank National Association. Deposit products are offered through U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.