Caleb and Haven are finishing their sweat equity hours and completing homeownership classes just in time to celebrate the new year in their brand new home.
Caleb, who is a partner in a restaurant, and Haven, a nurse and midwifery student, currently live in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house in Wheat Ridge with their daughters, ages two and six weeks. “It gets a little cramped sometimes,” shares Haven.
The family will stay in Wheat Ridge and move just a short distance to the home they are buying with Habitat Metro Denver in the Miller Homes community. Their new home has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
“I’m looking forward to having a space of our own where we won’t be throwing money away [in rent] and we’ll get some equity,” shares Haven.
Haven learned about Habitat during a presentation on affordable housing at the hospital where she worked last year. “I love Habitat. It is great,” shares Caleb. “I love what they are doing to help people who otherwise would have trouble buying a home.”
“Having people build their homes gives people a chance to get invested in the home,” shares Haven.
Haven owned a home several years before she married Caleb, who is a first time homeowner. They both appreciated the required Habitat homeownership classes on budgeting, financing, home ownership, and basic repairs.
“I didn’t know what homeowners’ insurance covered and who is responsible for it,’’ shares Caleb.
“I really liked learning about planning our estate and I didn’t know anything about probate,” shares Haven. “The classes set us up for success.”
The couple has lived in their current home since 2021 and were regularly asking their landlord for repairs. They often feared the rent would get too high, and they would have to move.
“Renting is hard because when things break, I feel bad about asking him to fix things and I’m afraid he’ll raise the rent,” shares Haven. “We’ll be able to make it our own, express ourselves by building a patio,” shares Caleb.
Their new home has an open floor plan on the first floor and Haven has a plan for their first night in the house. “I want to put a mattress on the main floor so the whole family can sleep together and have a cookie cake,” she shares.
“I’m looking forward to having a space of our own where we won’t be throwing money away [in rent] and we’ll get some equity.”
-Future homeowner Haven
