Homeowner Spotlight 

In the mid-nineties Muriel Minter was looking for a living situation that would be a permanent, look term commitments.   “When you rent places” said Muriel, “You pay the rent, and you keep them clean, and you pay the utilities and decorate it, but you don’t own it. I wanted my energy and attention to benefit me and my family. We wanted to own our home.

 

However, after working with a realtor Muriel and her husband realized they simply could not afford conventional financing options. Muriel said, “the day I went in to tell the realtor we just could not make it happen, she told me to come into her office, she closed the door and said, Muriel I want to tell you about Habitat for Humanity.”

 

Muriel continued, saying that , “ It took about 6 months after applying we found out we had been approved. I was so happy I almost fainted .”

 

It was another 18 months before the house was completed and Muriel moved in. The house, located in

Elgin, was built in a quiet neighborhood on a piece of property owned by the Elgin Park District.In fact, there is still a small portion of a park next to her home.  

 

When she moved into the house, her youngest was 8. Now, after 16 years, she has 4 grandchildren that all have spent countless hours in the house.   “Its cause of the grandkids that I still have the play set” in the back said Minter.  

 

I thank God every day that I have the house.   It tough some days to manage the expenses,  but I have a job and I have stability and in 4 years the house will be paid off.   The house has been a huge blessing to my family…and I get to redecorate every two years.