Laquanta’s Journey To Buying Her First Home

Laquanta’s Journey to Buying Her First Home

After renting the same apartment for the last 17 years, Laquanta set her sights on making the move to homeownership. She had always dreamed of owning a home, she says.

“When I had children, I really wanted a home they can be raised in,” Laquanta says.

Laquanta has two children, Zykerion – a 17 year old high school student, and Harmony – a seven year old who is on her school’s honor roll.

Laquanta worked hard to get her finances in order in preparation to buy her first home. However, when she approached the open market – like many first-time buyers – she found herself with more questions than answers.

“Looking on the open market, all I was thinking was ‘Where do I start?’” Laquanta says. “I was stuck and didn’t know where to turn.”

She’s not alone. For many first-time home buyers, the market can be intimidating – particularly as housing prices continue to soar. A recent article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that mortgages are hovering near 20-year highs. In the last three years alone, Wisconsin home prices rose more than 30%.

That’s when Laquanta discovered Habitat’s affordable homeownership program. The program works exclusively with first-time home buyers, helping them navigate the challenging homeownership landscape by providing an affordable path to the stability and equity of owning a home.

Laquanta is purchasing a brand new, three bedroom home in Milwaukee’s Harambee neighborhood. As part of our program, she’ll be receiving financial education and home maintenance courses in preparation of becoming a homeowner.

Moving out of their apartment, she’s excited to provide her children with more room to be themselves. She wants to transform their basement into a place for her kids – particularly her son Zykerion, who plays the drums.

“I think they are even more excited than I am,” says Laquanta.

When thinking about what it’s going to be like when she gets the keys to her very own home for the first time Laquanta imagined, “It’s going to be emotional. I think my kids and I will have happy tears.”