Hello Everyone! Big News — We’re Buying Our First Home ❤️

We hope you’re doing well! We have some exciting news to share — we’re officially under contract to buy our very first home, with a closing date set for November 20, 2025!

At 19 years old, we’ve been high school sweethearts for nearly four years, and from the moment we started working, we’ve been saving with this exact goal in mind. Between the two of us, we’ve managed to save $48,500 — every extra shift, every skipped night out, and every budgeted grocery trip has brought us here. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and even prouder to be taking this next step with the full support of both of our families.

We’ve been working closely with our mortgage broker, who is also a Dave Ramsey Certified Financial Coach. He’s helped us carefully weigh the pros and cons between an FHA loan with PMI, but a minimal downpayment requirement and a conventional loan that avoids PMI but requires 20% down. After a lot of thought, prayer, and parental guidance, we decided that the conventional mortgage is the smarter long-term choice — even though it means stretching a bit more up front.

The home we’re buying is listed at $269,000, which means a 20% down payment of $53,485. We’re currently $4,985 short of that goal.

The house itself is in great condition overall, but it does need a few minor repairs and furnishings. Most importantly, we also want to make sure we maintain our emergency fund once we move in — we’ve worked hard to build it and want to stay financially responsible as homeowners.

We’re not asking for a handout — just a little help getting across the finish line. Any amount you feel comfortable contributing would go straight to the down payment or closing costs, and we’ll pay it forward someday when we’re in your shoes. And if you’d rather help in another way (like furniture, appliances, or moving expenses), that will mean just as much.

We’ve attached the home listing and a transparent cost breakdown so you can see exactly where every dollar is going. There’s absolutely no pressure — we’re simply thankful that you’re part of our lives and cheering us on through this milestone.

Thank you for believing in us, supporting us, and helping us make this dream a reality. And thankyou Jesus for this opportunity. We can’t wait to invite you over once we get the keys!

With love and gratitude,

Hope Kelley and Travis Marean