Welcome to our new homeowner, Keyara Lewis and her son, Hayden Lewis!
Keyara and Hayden moved into their new MWCLT home this summer. Keyara is a 25-year-old Richmond native. After graduating from college in 2020 with a degree in communications and marketing, Keyara was determined to find an affordable home for her and her son. Shortly after graduating and securing a job at a marketing organization, Keyara moved out of her mother’s house and into an apartment to get a taste of living on her own. She quickly became discouraged by the rental market and knew that she could purchase a home of her own for less than she was paying in rent.
As she began the home searching process in 2021, the housing market was at an all time high. Although she was in a good place to purchase a home, she found it impossible to find a home within her budget. After over a year of searching, Keyara nearly gave up on her goal of being a homeowner, assuming that it was out of reach and she would have to try again in a few years.
One day after nearly giving up, she was browsing through Zillow under the “recently sold” tab, and found a home at a reasonable price that seemed too good to be true. She found out from a listing that the home was a part of the MWCLT program and contacted us shortly after. After learning about MWCLT, she researched as much as she could about the program and was quick to submit all of her documents and signed up for an information session. Not too long after, a home became available that she was selected for.
As a single-parent, Keyara has found that MWCLT has been life changing. Her MWCLT home feels safe, has space and a wonderful kitchen and backyard. However, the biggest benefit is that it has provided her a bit of relief and stability. Homeownership through the CLT model has allowed for more financial wiggle room and allows Keyara to provide a better life for her and Hayden. Things that were out of reach before, like sports, extracurriculars and mom and son dates are now attainable. With more housing security, Keyara has even been able to start a savings account for her and one for her son.
Keyara has found that the MWCLT homeownership program is the best program that she has seen that supports single-parent households. “The entire mission is to support lifelong affordable housing and it does just that.” Keyara would recommend that other single-parents in her situation not give up on their homeownership goals. “Patience is key, don’t be afraid to ask questions and communicate with staff.”
Since moving in, Keyara’s favorite thing about her house is the kitchen. She will be hosting Thanksgiving this year at her new house!