06/18/2025
I love it when I can tell an “against all odds” success story! Sam and Charlotte weren’t sure they could make a house purchase at all when I met them at an open house last summer. I have to say, I knew we could find a way to make it happen ... and I had a clue how challenging it might be in the Bay Area’s competitive market. Luckily, their earnestness, good nature, and willingness to do whatever it takes captured my heart, so I never minded taking on the challenge. We had to put the right “team of experts” together, and I’m grateful to rockstar lender Dave Byrd at Cross Country Mortgage for rolling up his sleeves to find a way to stretch a tight budget into a loan he could close. And then we got to work. Of course, these first-time buyers wanted something adorable, without a lot of work needed, and with enough space, for a price we rarely see in homes that match their other criteria! It would be hard to find something that worked, and harder still to “win” if we faced multiple bids, with a small down payment and an FHA loan approval. The solution? a new development of townhomes, where the developer, City Ventures, could promise a newly built townhouse, no concerns over the loan terms or extra inspections and appraisal steps required by FHA, (the permit process required all the same standards anyway!). The bad news: once we were in contract, we’d wait ... and wait ... and wait some more for all the construction delays and bottlenecks ... it was a 6-month closing process! The best news: Sam and Charlotte — not only first-time buyers but also the first in their families to graduate from “renting’ to “owning” — got everything they want, and move in this holiday weekend! That’s a success. And I’m proud to have crossed paths and now have this new family in my life!
-
Eileen Townsend
ET&Team
The Difference You’ve Been Seeking
Compass
Dre # 02019343
Call me! 510.725.7422
[email protected]
www.urbaneastbayhomes.com
#