Testimonials

In May of 2019, my husband and I separated. I moved in with my dad after deciding it was time to work on buying a home. I set a goal that within a year, yes a year, I would buy my own house. I knew my credit was good but it needed some work. Initially, I was gifted an acre of my father’s land, had it perced for a well and septic tank, surveyed, and all ready to put a house on it. I visited a manufactured home company, looked around and applied for a home loan. I received an answer within two days. I was rejected, my income to debt ratio was too high. I was devastated but determined that I would eventually get a house, it was just going to take longer than I thought. I am not exactly sure how I found the Virginia Housing program. I’d been looking at some of everything. So, I found a South Boston, VA office for VA Housing and called to make an appointment. I just wanted to see what they were about and how or if they could help me. Mind you, this was around May of 2020, the pandemic had just started. I received a call back in a very short time and was asked to fill out an application and fax it back before my telephone appointment. During my initial appointment, I spoke with a housing counselor. She said your credit is not bad but you need to work on some things. She pulled my credit report and we went through it together. Everythin was explained to me so that I could easily understand it. I had one debt that needed to be paid and I needed to prove that I paid it and had it removed from my credit report. The housing counselor advised me to save as much money as possible to prepare for buying a home. She also went over a budget with me. I already had a “budget plan” at home, but this one was much better, every penny I made was accounted for. I was told that I had done everything I needed to do and now I had to wait to get approved for a loan. Let me add that I had just bought a new car just a year ago and have a large amount of student loan to repay. I still knew that somehow, I would be purchasing a home. The housing counselor sent me a piece of paper that had a picture of a house that said something like “think not when I get my home but I will get my home” speak it into existence. That piece of paper was very important to me, when I would get discouraged I would read it and say it aloud.

During this waiting period, the manufactured home company sent me some information about a program to help someone like me to buy a home. I set those papers aside and waited some more. I don’t think I waited more than two months. I received an email, stating that I was approved for a loan and how much I was approved for, and instructions for looking for a home to purchase. Boy was I ecstatic!! I had to take a homebuyer’s class, which taught me a lot and prepared me for the purchase of my new home. I was connected with a greater realtor who contacted me almost immediately. He asked me what I was looking for and got to work. I made an offer on the first house I physically looked at and the seller accepted. I was in love with this house, it was perfect, and I’d already started decorating in my head. I was once again ecstatic. However, the loan officer denied the loan because of the age of the manufactured loan. I almost felt like giving up, but I didn’t. I was determined. I began the search again. I was shown another house. I liked it but I didn’t like the location. After sleeping on it, I decided I didn’t want to make an offer. By this time it had been a year living with my dad. I tried not to get discouraged. I searched everyday, kept in touch with my realtor and got on his nerves with questions about houses I was looking at. One day while I was at work, I did a search and found a nice home that I wanted to look at. I called my realtor and we went to see the house that day! It had just been put on the market. I fell in love again. I made an offer and the seller accepted. This house was perfect! More perfect than the first home I made an offer on. This home had been newly renovated and was priced lower than my loan amount. Due to COVID there were some delays with getting the house appraised but it finally happened. I went to the lawyer’s office to sign the paperwork and left a new homeowner. I felt a calmness when I left. I stayed the night at my new house that night with nothing but a sofa and my phone. The next day I got the utilities transferred into my name and began the moving in process. I am still decorating and rearranging to get my home as perfect as possible. My kids and I are very happy in our new home. The wait was worth it. This program gave me the tools I needed to understand every step of the homebuying process. There was not a moment that I wasn’t sure about what was going on, each and every person I connected with gave me the information I needed to do what needed to be done. For all of this, I am grateful. 

Ms. Bailey was one of our previous tenants at Miller Homes Apartments. She expressed to Southside Outreach Group that she would like to someday become a homeowner. Debra began participating in our Housing Counseling Program in 2016, and July 2017 Ms. Bailey was finally ready for the Homeownership Program as a first-time homebuyer. She found her dream home, was pre-qualified by Rural Development, and even completed the required home-buyer certificate online right in our office. It took about 6 months from pre-qualification to closing for her entire home purchase. 

March 2020, Ms. Bailey closed on her first home and is now the proud owner of a 2-bedroom, 1 bathroom, basement included home in the Town of South Boston. She states that her entire home-buying experience was great and was extremely satisfied with the assistance of the Southside Outreach Group’s programs offered and staff. Debra is still getting used to her new home. She explained that her new neighborhood was quiet, peaceful and her house was just beautiful!

Jerry & Emily Sydnor is one of our most touching testimonials. They came in stating that were in need of emergency housing. The Sydnors owned a mobile home and paid a lot fee. They had been living in the home for almost 20 years and it needed major repairs but the current conditions made it unrepairable. The mobile home's septic system was failing, with waste flowing underneath the home making their living condition both hazardous and unsafe. The Sydnors expressed that they really needed to find another home and would be willing to rent temporarily but expressed an interest in homeownership. They stated that did not have the money to repair their mobile home but they knew they could not continue to live in that condition. They were both employed but did not know the current status of their credits so they agreed to participate in the Housing Counseling Program. The clients were set up for another appointment to return and go over their credit report and financial analysis. The certified housing counselor discussed some options with them such as mortgage assistance loan, temporary renting until save funds, or staying with relatives/friends until another housing option became available. 

The Sydnors opted to rent one of Southside Outreach Group’s rental homes and Emily immediately fell in love with the new home. As they worked on becoming mortgage ready, Southside Outreach Group worked on making their dream home a reality. Once they were pre-qualified for a mortgage loan, the Sydnors were given the option to buy the rental house that they so loved paying a mortgage even less than the lot fee that they paid for their mobile home The Sydnors are now proud owners of a 3-bedroom, 1 bathroom, and basement included home in the Town of South Boston. Mr. Sydnor stated, “I am really enjoying our new home and my wife is just loving it!” Ms. Sydnor says she enjoys the most “relaxing in her sunroom and having a back porch.”

Doris Clark was a previous renter of a mobile home in the Volens community. The mobile had become run-down and unsafe and the landlord refused to do any repairs. Ms. Clark came to Southside Outreach Group in tears seeking assistance in finding better living conditions. She attended the housing counseling sessions that provided rental counseling and financial literacy. She learned that she had rights as a tenant and did not have to continue to live in those conditions. Southside Outreach Group heard her cry and May 2019Ms. Clark moved into one of Southside Outreach Group’s rental home units. 

Keyona Ferrell is a hardworking mother of 5 amazing children. When her previous landlord decided to sell the home she was renting, Keyona found her 5 children and herself evicted. Ms. Ferrell came to Southside seeking assistance in finding a place to stay. She attended the rental housing counseling program offered at the office and received one on one financial literacy training. 

December 2018, Keyona signed the lease and received the keys to her new rental property belonging to Southside Outreach Group. She stated the she has found the perfect home with Southside Outreach Group. She now rents a 3-bedroom, 1 ½ bathroom house. 

Danny Johnson and his wife Creola have been residents of Miller Home apartment community for over twenty years. Currently they reside in a 2-bedroom apartment with amenities such as new refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, as well as a washer and dryer in the unit. Mr. Johnson states’ “Gloria (the property manager) is the key; any problems and she takes care of it.”

Lanetta Torian has been living in the Miller Homes community since the 80’s, back when it was formerly known as Fairmont Apartments. She discussed that she loves her apartment even more since the remodeling, “It is just beautiful! I love living here the management is great, any problems reported are resolved quickly, there are very little maintenance issues and he (the maintenance worker) is good with fixing things. The grounds are always kept clean, no trash and the landscaping are kept up. Everything seems to always be in order and under control and I like that.”