Stephanie Osuji is looking forward to enjoying the fruits of her labor. The first thing she’d like to do in her new home is host a barbecue.
She purchased her home, a duplex on Milwaukee’s North side, through ACTS for $1,000 in December and is the recipient of a $25,000 ACTS home rehab loan.
She worked three jobs seven days a week: at her childcare business, as a personal care worker, and took a part-time job at Wendy’s to be able to afford her dream of homeownership. All the while she was taking care of her son.
But she was motivated by Director of Homebuyer Counseling Maria Santos.
“She told me what I needed to do,” she said.
Stephanie initially wanted a more move-in ready home; however, homeownership with little to no debt after purchase was attractive to her.
“This house will be paid off in five years and I can kinda make it my own,” she said. “Once I wrapped my head around the idea I figured you have to do what you have to do.”
She is working with contractors on the lower level on the plumbing, flooring, and electrical to be able to move in in the next two months.
Stephanie says she found her home by chance. She saw three other homes, but they were in bad shape.
“It sort of fell out of the sky. God said ‘here you go,” she said. “I also couldn’t beat that price.”
She is the first person in her immediate family to own their own home. She hopes to lead by example and get her other family members to ACTS.
Her family has been particularly helpful in her journey.
“I was fortunate to have family and friends to help me.” she said. “I was blessed all around.”
