Homeowner Stories
A New Home Brings Safety and Stability
By Alison Weaver
The physical dimensions aren’t that much different. The old apartment also had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and the children each had his and her own room. So what difference does a new Habitat home make? For Crystal Pope and her two children, Dwayne (13) and Jayla (5), their new home in the Biltmore Trace development in Southeast Raleigh brings with it a new sense of safety and stability to their lives — a huge and life-changing difference.
“Owning my own home has made a big difference in my
life,” Pope, a school bus driver with Wake County public
schools, said. “My kids are able to go outside and feel
free to play without anyone bothering them. They always
had their own room, but they feel different because they
have more freedom.”
Pope, who moved to the area from New York City six years ago, said the Habitat experience has given her and her children a feeling of safety. “I feel safe,” she said.“The neighbors are great and everybody is polite.”
In addition to a psychological stability, Pope said the
Habitat program provided her with a measurable geographic and financial stability. “Having a home is a great experience; you can build a lot
of long-lasting memories,” she said. “In an apartment,
you tend to jump around as soon as the rent goes up.
Owning a home makes you more stable. Habitat also
helped me to become stable with my credit. I was so focused on getting the house that I wasn’t thinking about
opening anymore credit, but instead, on keeping my credit in good shape.”
The Habitat ReStore and Builders Mutual sponsored the home, which was completed in February of this year. Builders Mutual was also a financial sponsor of the 2003 Builders Blitz.
“I thought the sponsors were great just for taking the time out to help me build my house and to help someone in need,” Pope said.
For Crystal Pope, that hard work has made a real impact in her life. “I feel a lot different,” Pope said. “I am a proud homeowner now.”
