After nearly 10 years of renting in Portland, Oregon, Lisa Reitmeier and Tim Blackburn were ready to buy a home.
They wanted to put down permanent roots in their neighborhood, and maybe even add a bedroom so daughters, Maeve, 9, and Clara, 12, could each have their own.
“It was daunting to think about buying a home and we thought renting would help us save money,” said Tim, a Title III administrator at Tigard-Tualatin School District outside of Portland. “But that didn’t really happen.”
Then one day they went on a hike with a friend who mentioned how Landed helps essential professionals buy homes in the communities they serve with its down payment program.
Lisa, Tim, and their two daughters inside their home in Portland, OR.
“We alone didn’t have the funds for a down payment in our neighborhood, and we really love it here,” said Lisa, a former educator turned writer and artist. “With Landed, we did.”
“We had questions at first,” Tim added. “Is Landed a loan product? What’s the catch? We were circumspect about what was in it for Landed and we didn’t want to get ourselves in a compromising position.”
Once they learned that the down payment program is a partnership between Landed and homebuyers like them and read some customer stories, they were in.
“We loved reading the customer stories and the people we talked to at Landed really helped us understand what Landed is and how it works,” Tim said. “And we never felt coerced, and everyone there made a daunting, stressful thing less scary.”
The couple, both who are former volunteers for AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, said they also love Landed’s mission.
The family loves the period charm of the home, including wainscoting and hardwood floors.
“It’s great to work with an organization that values the contribution of essential professionals,” Lisa said. “It made us proud to partner with Landed.”
The couple ultimately found a three-bedroom, one-bath bungalow (built in 1925) that includes original features such as wainscoting, hardwood flooring, plaster walls, and a wood-burning fireplace. An updated kitchen, tons of natural light thanks to large windows, and bedrooms for both girls made it easy for the family to imagine living there.
“We were instantly interested when we saw it,” Tim said. “We got good vibes.”
And with Landed’s help – which also included connecting them with a Landed partner agent in Portland and supporting them throughout the whole buying process – they closed the deal.
“Landed made it possible for us to live where we want to live, to remain in the community we love,” Tim said.
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