Outside Nashville, She Rebuilt Her Life With $200,000 and a Dream
From Rock Bottom to Homeowner
When Katie Israel got the help she needed after tumbling down a yearslong chasm of drugs and alcohol, her first priority was to find a safe home for her three children.
“I made bad choices and got involved with bad people, but losing custody of my son and then giving birth to twins while I was in prison turned me around,” said Ms. Israel, 39. “I thought I was taking good care of my son before that, but the drugs were taking over my life and I was exposing him to the wrong people.”
A Journey of Recovery and Redemption
Ms. Israel’s first step toward her second chance included a stint in a recovery house, followed by transitional housing and a job at ABLE, a local clothing and jewelry company with a mission to empower women. Ms. Israel makes and repairs jewelry at the company’s Nashville store.
“I got my twins back when they were 8 months old and got my son back after I lived in my apartment for a year,” she said. “I was sleeping in the dining room so the kids could have the bedrooms. I never had any privacy at all. I had this dream of buying a house someday, and the head of ABLE introduced me to her friend Jessica, a real estate agent.”
From Dream to Reality
Jessica Tammaro, a broker with eXp Realty in Nashville, has a passion for helping women become homeowners.
“Katie didn’t think she could really buy a house, but I talked to her about how to save money and to get a prepaid credit card to improve her credit,” Ms. Tammaro said. “I kept checking in with her. Then, about 18 months or two years later, she was ready.”
Saving and Preapproving
By last summer, Ms. Israel had saved $10,000 and been preapproved by Bank of Tennessee for a loan for first-time buyers — $180,000 with a zero down payment. She took a homeowners education class to qualify for the program.
A Home in the Suburbs
“Katie really wanted to stay in Nashville near her work, but the median home price there by July 2024 was about $460,000 to $475,000,” Ms. Tammaro said.
That was well above her budget, so they expanded the search to suburbs within an hour’s drive of downtown Nashville. The housing market over the summer was slowing down, which helped with competition. “Plus, homes in her price range were not super desirable, which worked in our favor,” Ms. Tammaro said.
The Final Choice
Ms. Israel, along with her 16-year-old son and 4-year-old twins, considered about 10 homes in all and then narrowed those options to three.
“I wanted three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a yard for my kids so they would have a safe place to play,” she said. “I also wanted a reasonable commute to my job.”
Find Out What Happened Next!
What happened next? Did Katie and her family find their dream home? Did they face any unexpected challenges? The answers to these questions and more can be found in the original article.
Conclusion
Katie Israel’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact that a little bit of support can have on someone’s life. With the help of Jessica Tammaro and ABLE, Katie was able to rebuild her life and achieve her dream of homeownership. Her story is an inspiration to anyone who has ever faced adversity and is looking for a second chance.
FAQs
Q: What was Katie’s budget for her new home?
A: Katie was preapproved for a loan of $180,000 with a zero down payment.
Q: How did Jessica Tammaro help Katie achieve her dream of homeownership?
A: Jessica helped Katie save money, improve her credit, and find a home within her budget.
Q: What was Katie’s biggest priority when looking for a new home?
A: Katie’s biggest priority was finding a safe and affordable home for her three children, with a reasonable commute to her job.
