Walking Every Step Together

Welcome Home, Brian and Rachel — a newly married couple who say their achievement of homeownership is a signal that anyone can do it too.

Before buying their Habitat home, Brian and Rachel shared a home with eight family members and wanted a place of their own. Through friends and family, they learned about the about Green Country Habitat for Humanity and decided to look into the Homebuyer Program. At first, it sounded almost too good to be true, but that changed when they went to orientation and saw for themselves that it wasn't.

“They take the time to talk you through things, walk you through everything, show you step by step,” Brian said. “It put a settle to every question that you have.”

That step-by-step approach mattered even more because Brian and Rachel went through the process together. The homeownership classes weren’t directed at just one of them. Both were included in every session, learning everything from budgeting and insurance to home maintenance along the way.

“I think that’s a huge thing for us,” Brian said. “Not only was it directed to me, but to her as well.”

For Rachel, who moved to Tulsa from her home country about eight years ago, this moment carries an added weight. She’s still not sure how to explain it to her family back home — that she and Brian are now able to have an amazing, new, and modern home of their own.

Welcome Home, Brian and Rachel

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Brian, who was born and raised in Tulsa, works as a heavy equipment operator and lead man for the City of Tulsa. Rachel is a stay-at-home wife, and the couple’s new home sits just minutes from Brian’s job.

Now that they’ve closed, the couple is looking forward to making the space their own. Rachel has been gathering ideas for the kitchen and living room, and Brian is happy to let her lead the way on decorating. The couple doesn’t have children yet, but they’re planning for a family in the future, and they’re glad to have room to grow into.

For Brian, becoming a homeowner is about more than the house itself. He sees this as proof to his own family and to others that homeownership doesn’t have to be a dream.

“It’s something that is achievable,” he said. “If we can do it, so can they, so can many others.”

His advice to anyone considering the program is simple: don’t let the process intimidate you.

“Once you’re in it, the anxiety kind of eases off,” Brian said. “Habitat’s really great at helping you walk through every step. If we can do it, so can everybody else.”

Congratulations Brian and Rachel! Special thanks to Firstar Bank for providing an affordable mortgage.