Sylvia Brandon has lived in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, for over 48 years, paying rent and wanting to make it her goal to become a homeowner.
“I’ve rented all my life…and I didn’t want to keep giving somebody money for something that would never be mine in the end,” said Brandon.
She initially learned about Hope Credit Union from a social media post highlighting HOPE’s mortgage products. Brandon reached out to a mortgage loan officer at HOPE, where they worked to improve her credit and get her mortgage ready. In the spring of 2024, when her brother had an incident, she became his primary caregiver at his home. She contacted HOPE to see if she could purchase the home that her brother was currently renting so that she could better care for him. From there, HOPE began the homebuying process and approved Brandon for a home loan.
“My loan officer was great… she held my hand through everything,” said Brandon. She also took advantage of HOPE’s 20% Down Payment Assistance Program and was granted a $5,000 lender credit toward her closing cost. She closed on her first home in October 2024. “I have a home now…I have freedom,” said Brandon.