Journeys to Homeownership: Cathie

Over nine years ago, Cathie traveled to Toledo's Point Place neighborhood to glace around a garage sale. During her trip, she spotted a quiet home nestled a few houses away from the Ottawa River and shortly after decided to apply to rent. In April of 2026, Cathie purchased the same home after renovating it herself.

"I was determined to 'get' the house, and I did! ...I mean, if you could see the before and after pictures, you'd be amazed." Cathie said, sitting comfortably in a fluffy chair in her living room. When she first moved in, Cathie spent her time cleaning and renovating her space after its previous renters left it worse for wear. "It was so ugly and dark in here...I've gutted every room in this house. I painted my bedroom like five times." she laughed, proudly admiring the sentimental decorations adorning her walls.

Cathie reached out to NeighborWorks® Toledo Region's Financial Wellness Center (FWC) in the fall of 2023 seeking guidance to help her prepare for a home purchase. At the time, she wasn't sure she would be able to purchase her rental home, but knew that she wanted a place to permanently settle. She began meeting with Alesha, a HUD-certified Housing Counselor, to straighten up her finances.

"When Cathie sought out services through the FWC, her goal was to purchase a home.  Starting off, Cathie made it clear that she has limited income. The concern was that her income would not allow for her to purchase a comfortable home. She felt as if she had no hope. As a Housing Counselor we cannot make any promises, but she was under the understanding that she knew that we would exhaust all recourses before giving up." Alesha said.

Cathie smiled: "She made it quite easy, really, for me, you know? I had some debt, but I was starting to pay it all off, and she helped me with that process and told me what I needed to do. It was a long process, but it was very invigorating and exciting."

Cathie and Alesha met regularly to discuss Cathie's strategies to reduce her debt and raise her credit score. Using tools and resources available in the FWC, Cathie's credit score raised over 100 points. "My credit score was like, six-something–low 600's. It's at 760 now. It was the greatest feeling. I mean, I look at it every day!"

Cathie and Alesha worked in tandem with the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union. "Lots of obstacles to overcome, but they really helped me to achieve what I wanted. They taught me so much about financial security and responsibility that over 65 years I never practiced or cared about."

Cathie was eligible to receive down-payment assistance from the City of Toledo after completing some homebuying workshops. This spring, Cathie purchased the same home that beckoned her years earlier.

Alesha reflected: "Because she developed such a strong relationship with her landlord through respect and kindness, her landlord offered to sell her the home that she had been renting for an extended period of time. What made it even more special is that the landlord sold her the house for much less than it was worth to ensure that Cathie could afford it. The next task would be finding a lender who could work with Cathie’s income and a large debt that seemed to be an obstacle. After connecting Cathie with a local lender, he spent months crunching numbers to make this happen. It was truly a team effort that would not have happened without Cathie’s trust and belief in the FWC." Cathie's purchase was a major milestone. After committing her time, effort, and energy to converting her home into her own personalized space, Cathie's hard work with Alesha, the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, and the City of Toledo carved her path to becoming a first-time homeowner after retirement. "I'm a proud homeowner now, you know? I can't wait to have a housewarming party!"

"I worked hard my entire life...it was kind of scary, really, because, I mean, I didn't think I could do it...but if you want it bad enough, keep going for it, because it's worth it in the end."

Cathie's housing counseling sessions with Alesha also instilled healthy financial habits that she practices to this day. She described her methods of maintaining a healthy credit score and remaining debt free that she and Alesha planned. "The scariest part of wanting to purchase a home is the unknown." Alesha says. "You won’t know until you ask. What may seem impossible, may be within reach with the right team and resources. We believe in you and your dream; help us by believing in yourself!"

Cathie's advice to other first-time homebuyers? "Don't give up. Yeah, it's hard work, but it pays off. You just have to do the work and get to the end, and it's all yours."

To help first-time homebuyers like Cathie access their forever homes, make a charitable contribution that supports NeighborWorks® Toledo Region's comprehensive housing counseling services. Visit our Financial Wellness Center page to see what you can achieve, all at no cost to you.