The Dream that Withstood the Storm: Tina’s Homeownership Journey
A few years ago, Tina set an ambitious goal: to own her own home by her 50th birthday.
With that objective in mind, Tina started working two jobs. From 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. she restocks auto parts at a warehouse. In the evenings, she works from 6 to 10 p.m. at a shipping and logistics facility. In addition to her typical 14-hour workday schedule, Tina continued to build up her savings by renting a house with a roommate.
Everything was going according to plan until Tina’s life was severely interrupted in late September 2022 when Hurricane Ian — the 5th strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. — generated strong winds, widespread heavy rain, lightning, and tornado conditions.
“There was a heavy downpour of rain, and when I woke up, the floor was flooded,” she said. “The water was up to my ankles!” They were without electricity for three days, and she lost most of her furniture to water damage.
Her car was also underwater, leaving her without her only means of transportation. Fortunately, she was able to borrow a car to commute to and from work until she could secure a replacement through her insurance company.
Despite living in Central Florida all her life, Tina had never experienced a hurricane with such catastrophic impact. The surrounding neighborhood and a section of a major highway near the house was closed for days due to the flooding.
Applying for Habitat homeownership
However, despite everything that happened, Tina never lost sight of her dream of owning her own home. A friend, whose mom purchased a Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County home 20 years ago, suggested she investigate the application process. “It was as if all the stars aligned, and I thought, ‘OK, let’s try it,’” she said. “I had already been working on improving my credit score, and I was in the right place at the right time. The application was open, and I went for it.” Tina’s application was approved in June 2023, and over the next 10 months, she worked with Habitat Orlando & Osceola staff on everything from lot and color selections to ensuring her savings and credit score are on track. “This is the first situation in my life where I placed a goal for myself and I’m actually close to reaching it,” Tina said. She attended the required Habitat U classes and the HUD-approved First Time Homebuyer Workshop to learn more about becoming a successful homeowner, including home insurance, budgeting, home maintenance, disaster preparedness, and more. “The class I’m most excited about is estate planning because my grandmother passed away without a will,” she said, emphasizing how important it is to have a plan in place.
A home for the holidays
She closed on her home in April 2024, three months before her 50th birthday. Tina’s home also marked a major milestone for Habitat Orlando & Osceola. Her home was the final one built in Habitat’s Silver Pines Pointe community, consisting of 58 homes that began construction in 2019. Tina does not have to worry anymore during storm season because her new home is Florida Green Building Coalition certified and built with a FORTIFIED roof that is specifically designed to prevent damage that commonly occurs during high winds, hurricanes, hailstorms, severe thunderstorms, and even tornadoes up to EF-2. She can’t wait to host family gatherings around the holidays. “This year is the fifth anniversary of my grandmother’s passing… this Thanksgiving – it was something she loved doing – and as her oldest grandchild, I want to continue to carry that torch.”