Support me in keeping my house

I am finding myself in a situation where I must refinance my home loan but am unable to obtain funding due to my debt to income ratio and the length of time I've been with my current employer. I can solve this problem by eliminating all other debt! I will need to raise a lot of money, and I need YOUR help!

I feel some background is important... Last summer, after 15 years of marriage, my wife decided she was unhappy and needed change so she moved out on her own. This came as a huge surprise, as the move-out occurred while our boys and I were in Payson for an entire month attending/working at a Cub Scout summer camp. Our time away was planned and much anticipated, and it was ideal for Emily as she was committed to finishing her Montessori teaching certification. We returned home from an amazing summer together only to find our lives upended. I gave her the space she requested and I worked on myself, and although I very much wanted to reconcile our marriage, she had no interest and instead filed for divorce several months later. There was no abuse or infidelity, and to this day we are amicable and cooperative.

I am adapting to independent living and have settled into a new sales job that I enjoy. I work for LKQ, the largest automobile recycler in North America, and my job is to sell a wide variety of new and used car parts to mechanics, body shops, and the general public. Unfortunately, this recent job change and commission-based pay are big obstacles in single-handedly securing this new mortgage. The loan must be refinanced to remove her name from it, and thus comply with our divorce decree.

Job satisfaction is something that has eluded me for much of my life! After 10+ years in the insurance business with Liberty Mutual, I took a leap of faith and joined my then spouse at a small Montessori school to pursue an itch to be an educator. She had just pivoted into teaching after nearly 15 years in sales management. We had a history of working together - we originally met at work while I was finishing my degree, and she followed me to my next job in sales at the University of Phoenix. I loved teaching, but after two wacky pandemic school years ultimately decided it was not for me and we both left at the end of that school year. She committed to another nearby school that promised better resources and opportunities, and I went back to the drawing board. We spent A LOT of time together during those two years, working and commuting together as well as having our boys enrolled at the school - and perhaps this led to our downfall... just too much of each other. It was great while it lasted and I'm glad I got to try my hand as a teacher!

I intended to begin a career with Amazon upon our return from camp, but my sudden change in circumstances made that impossible. I took some time to heal and find myself while pursuing a better fit in terms of work-life balance. I burned through savings during this time and accumulated credit card debt as I invested in myself through a series of much-needed personal growth seminars. I learned a lot about myself and was optimistic that I would ultimately save my marriage. Despite my resistance and persistence, my efforts failed to sway her resolve. I never dreamed our marriage would fall apart, but it was time to move on, push forward, and embrace the future.

We drafted a consent decree to end the marriage, and were able to settle out of court. In signing, I agreed to buy out her interest in our home for a reasonable sum and to refinance the loan into just my name within 6 months. Although my credit is strong and my income is adequate, and I'm approaching my one year anniversary at the job, loan underwriting guidelines are just not in my favor with so much of my income being based on commission. The divorce decree stipulates that if I'm unable to refinance and remove her name, the home must be sold and we split the proceeds.

I like my house, and my kids need the stability and familiarity that it provides. We have a lot of stuff here, and many good memories. I can't imagine being anywhere else, and I can't fathom starting over in the current housing market. I must keep my house, and I WILL keep my house, and I'm counting on the kindness and generosity of family, friends, and even strangers to help make this happen. I am full of optimism that this will succeed, but I have less than 100 days before my six month deadline.... My goal is to fundraise at least $50,000 which would allow me to pay off my loans and credit cards as well as the lump sum owed to her. My stretch goal sits at $250,000, which would enable me to also pay off the majority of my mortgage and leave me with a managable balance that I could then surely refinance myself. These are big, ambitious numbers, and I wish I didn't have to ask for help, but please consider donating to my cause! Give big or small, annonymous or not, and good karma will find you (and I will be forever grateful).