Making Homeownership Happen

After purchasing his first home at age 62, Nathan Fuller couldn’t wait to make his first mortgage payment. He paid by phone, which was also new to him, and anxiously checked his account for a few days until he saw that the payment had gone through. Fuller said his next step will be to set up auto-pay because, having become a first-time homeowner, he wants to ensure he never misses a payment.

Fuller closed on his three-bedroom home in Montgomery, AL in December 2023, guided through the process by Lazette Moody, Mortgage Loan Originator II. “If it wasn’t for Miss Lazette, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Fuller said. “When it comes to HOPE, they’re going to help you and let you know what the next step is, what you need to do next, and they don’t let you go.”

Fuller had been considering homeownership for a while. He was living in a group home and working on the maintenance staff of a local apartment complex. He also owned his own business to transport appliances and large items in and out of homes in the area. With his business growing, he needed space for his truck. However, Fuller’s real motivation was to have a place to call his own. “I like taking care of everything I need to take care of. I like paying my own bills. Everything’s in my name,” he said, adding that he loves the peace and quiet of his new neighborhood.

In the summer of 2023, Fuller had applied for a mortgage at other local banks, where he was denied. When he came to HOPE, he said Moody told him how much he needed to increase his income in order to qualify. So Fuller said he began working more, determined to reach the needed income threshold. “At HOPE, they’ll make sure if you’re not ready, they let you know what you need to do to get ready. All the other banks that I tried didn’t do that,” Fuller said.

When he turned 62, Fuller began receiving Social Security payments, which Moody said were enough to qualify him for a mortgage. He was also pleasantly “shocked” to find out from Moody that she had obtained a $37,000 federal grant for Fuller to put toward a down payment.

“He didn’t have much credit because he said he doesn’t trust banks. It was awesome that he trusted me and I was able to help him. I love the mission, I love the vision of what we do,” Moody said.

Like all customers of HOPE’s Affordable Housing Program, Fuller enrolled in a homebuyer education course to learn about mortgage financing and maintaining one’s home once purchased. He praised HOPE for walking him through the mortgage process, ensuring that Fuller knew about any information or documentation needed and next steps along the way.

Fuller’s 30-year mortgage totaled $67,500 and he is thrilled to make his monthly payments to HOPE. “All my life, I’ve been wanting to own my own house. This is the house I want for the rest of my life. And it was a blessing that I was able to come to HOPE to get a house,” he said.