“I’m following in my mother’s footsteps,” shares Octavia, when asked about her journey to homeownership.
And it all began with a postcard.
Octavia, 27, is a senior technician at a computer store who had been living with three roommates when a postcard arrived at her house, advertising a two-bedroom Habitat home in Aurora at a price that she could afford.
“It fell in my lap,” shares Octavia. The postcard was addressed to one of her roommates who had discarded it. “I would not have found out about it if I hadn’t seen the postcard.”
Octavia moved to Denver in 2024 from Omaha and wanted to buy her own home, but was discouraged by the prices. “I’ve been saving for a house, but I wasn’t sure I could ever afford one. It’s become worse because my salary hasn’t increased at the same rate as inflation.”
Octavia’s home was originally built by Habitat several decades ago, and the previous owner sold it back to Habitat upon moveout. This allowed Habitat to make slight updates and resell the home affordably to another qualified buyer – a great illustration of how Habitat homes serve as lasting community assets that provide affordable homeownership opportunities to several generations of buyers.
The bungalow has a large front porch, a backyard, and a two-car garage. Staff and volunteers from Habitat renovated the home, laid new carpet, installed new appliances and cabinets in the kitchen, painted all the rooms, and upgraded the bathroom.
“Owning my own home will be a nice accomplishment,’’ shares Octavia. “A lot of people don’t think they will be able to own a home. Everyone is so happy for me.“
When asked about the home ownership classes required to buy a Habitat home, Octivia shared, “I learned a lot. I was pretty well versed in closings, but I learned what was included in a mortgage payment, like taxes, interest, and principal. It was very beneficial.”
She’s looking forward to decorating the house with her partner, painting the living room sage green, and landscaping the back yard, where she wants to add a patio with an awning – things she couldn’t do as a renter. And, she wants to grow her first tomatoes.
“I’ve been saving for a house, but I wasn’t sure I could ever afford one,” Octavia said. “There’s so much security in knowing that the rent won’t change. It was always a concern.”
For Octavia, having a home also means owning a “place to truly call my own from end to end. A place to truly decompress from the world.”
