Rosa Persevered and Made Home Ownership Happen!

It Starts with a Dream!

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close on October 15th, our happy client Rosa has her own celebrating to do that will extend well beyond a month. In the summer of 2021, Rosa became a first-time homeowner after renting the same apartment for over eleven years. “It’s like a miracle,” Rosa says, and she credits Trellis for guiding her along the homebuying journey. Rosa had been saving for years, but down payment assistance through the WISH program and U.S. Bank were instrumental in helping Rosa achieve her dream of home ownership.

Originally from Sonora, Mexico, Rosa moved to Arizona in 1985 for a better job and soon established herself in the community. For the last twenty-two years, Rosa has worked for the City of Phoenix and has raised three children, who have given her six precious grandchildren. One of her daughters is an ASU student and lives with Rosa, along with her own baby.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

It was through the City of Phoenix that Rosa first heard about Trellis, and when she called in January of 2021, Daniel Gonzalez, loan officer at Trellis, helped her understand what she needed to do to qualify for a loan. He referred her to the WISH program for down payment assistance, a requirement of which is to participate in a homebuyer education class. Maribell Valdez, homeownership advisor at Trellis, was then able to identify yet another down payment assistance program for Rosa, U.S. Bank’s Rebuild and Transform Fund, a very welcome and much needed surprise!

“Our focus is on listening to and learning from community leaders and responding to critical needs,” said Arturo Pérez, Vice President and Community Affairs Manager for the Arizona, Las Vegas and New Mexico markets at U.S. Bank. “While philanthropy can’t solve these challenges alone, we believe funding workforce advancement and providing access to capital for housing and homeownership creates opportunities for catalytic change.”

By March, everything had come together and Rosa was ready to start house hunting with the assistance of her real estate agent, Brisa Moreno, who understands the Trellis programs and was very patient in helping Rosa find a home in her price range. Complicating the situation was a very competitive market in which there were many cash buyers and offers over the asking price. The process was very challenging at times, but with Trellis, Brisa Moreno, and down-payment programs like WISH and U.S. Bank on her side, it all came together. After making nine offers, Rosa finally found success with her Glendale townhome.

A Place to Call Home

Rosa is delighted to finally have her own home. Even after eleven years renting the same place, she knew it was not truly hers and she could not do any remodeling, which she plans to do in her new home. In fact, Rosa had to do some minor repairs to her home even before moving in; perhaps that was her secret to winning the seller’s favor over other offers!

After 22 years working for the City of Phoenix, Rosa has plenty of points to retire soon, but she is not quite ready for that. Once she is, Rosa plans to include some travel to visit her siblings in Sonora, Mexico. For now, she’s just happy to have a place to call her own and where her family helps fill it with joy.

Rosa loves her new home and enjoys staying home on weekends. Her new master bedroom, complete with its own private bathroom, is by far her favorite place in the home. After a hard day of work, she loves to go into her own private space to relax and enjoy the peacefulness of her bedroom, which represents the very meaning of Home – “a place where I can be calm and rest,” she says.

Rosa credits the professional team at Trellis with helping her find her forever home. “Many people don’t know about Trellis,” says Rosa. “I have shared with co-workers my experience and encourage them to call.” Due to the team’s expert guidance and thorough explanations every step of the way, Rosa is eager to tell others that “Yes, Trellis helps!”

*Photo by Everardo Keeme, Photo Fusion Studio on behalf of U.S. Bank

 

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