Myra came into our office today to pay off her mortgage! She sat down with us to talk about it. Click here for the video, or read the transcript below.
Interviewer: We are here with one of our Habitat homeowners who has just paid off her house. Tell me about that.
Myra: Thank you. My name is Myra. I am happy to have the opportunity to pay off my house, and the opportunity to have a Habitat for Humanity house. It is a beautiful program. I researched many programs in the past. This was the only one that met all my goals. I say to everyone to look at the website for Habitat for Humanity. Come to the orientation, which does not cost anything. Come and they explain the whole process from beginning to end. Follow it. If you feel that you are in the right place to apply for a house, do it. Everybody here is nice and we all work as a team.
I know I am not going to be here every month any more. Habitat is always in my heart because they are my family. When you become involved in such a beautiful program, you love everybody and everybody is part of your family.
Interviewer: For the people who have not known what the Habitat for Humanity program is like, what has it been for you? What did you have to do?
Myra: It has been a beautiful opportunity for me. When they built my house, my kids were little and I always dreamed of having my own house. I thought I wanted to have my own house for my kids and my kids’ future. Dad and mom, we were thinking, “What is going to happen to my kids if I die today? Or if something happens that I can’t work?” It is a good opportunity, and I have been happy with them for the 10 years I have been in the program.
It may be different requirements for every family or every individual. It is not hard to try. Be open to the opportunity. Listen. If the program works for you, go ahead. In my case, it was the only one because I did not have much money to put down.
Interviewer: You said you paid off your mortgage in 10 years. For people who do not know, normally our affiliate gives a 25-year mortgage. How did you pay off a 25-year mortgage in 10 years?
Myra: My husband and I work hard. We have five kids. You have to save. You have to be organized. You have to say, “This I can spend today. This I cannot spend today. If I spend a $100 dollars a day, what can I do NOT to spend $100 a day?” Do not go over what you are getting. Paper and pencil. Try to see your math. When numbers are together, you see a huge balance. A big part of this too was my dad helped, so I am very blessed.
Interviewer: Was this planning – thinking every day about what you should spend your money on– was this something you learned when you went through the Habitat program or something you were always doing?
Myra: I did learn from beginning here how to manage my accounts, how to pay my bills on time, how to clean and repair my house. I did not have too much of that because my husband works in construction. He helped with a lot of details and all that. However, for those that are not in construction, do not let your house ruin and go into some big issue. You try to fix or clean yourself. They teach us how to do our yard and little builds. If you do it yourself, you do not spend that much in the end. They teach you how to do all those steps.
Interviewer: That is fantastic. You have paid off your house. That is the most awesome feeling in the world. Now what are you going to do?
Myra: Well, continue working. I have kids. Whatever I was paying on the mortgage, I am going to put in savings, because my kids are going to college. Or maybe I get sick, you never know, I will have something.
Interviewer: Thank you so much, and congratulations again on this fantastic event. The best of luck to you and your family.
Myra: Thank you.