IHDA HOMEOWNERSHIP

Abbie’s Story

When 24-year-old Abbie Sundberg’s mother lost her battle with cancer, the dedicated single mom was determined to find a stable home to raise her two young children and three siblings. “I wanted to have enough living space for everyone.”

Finding a large enough home wasn’t the only challenge – saving for the large down payment could take years. In December 2014, IHDA’s Welcome Home Illinois program provided the answer to her dreams with $7,500 in down payment assistance and a below-market interest rate.

Abbie enlisted the help of a housing counselor, who confirmed that homeownership was within reach for the Rockford native. Her loan officer at Wintrust Mortgage helped her apply for the Welcome Home Illinois program. Abbie closed on her four-bedroom home a few months later and couldn’t be happier.

“Now I have this wonderful home and we’re all under the same roof,” said Abbie. “Living together has brought us closer as a family.”
 

IHDA launched Welcome Home Illinois in April of 2014 to attract first-time homebuyers to the real estate market. Following the economic downturn, many would-be first-time homebuyers couldn’t afford a down payment, which had a negative effect on housing sales with a key segment of buyers sitting on the sidelines. IHDA responded with Welcome Home Illinois, providing much-needed down payment assistance and a below-market interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.