First Step Home Buyer Finds Reason for Holiday Gratitude

While masses of shoppers were hunting for sales after Thanksgiving, one future homeowner found the best bargain of all – a discounted mortgage rate from AHFA.

With help from FirstBank Loan Officer Deja White, Huntsville resident Tamika Knighten locked in a loan reservation on the day after Thanksgiving to become a first-time home buyer.

With good credit and no debt, Knighten was the ideal candidate for AHFA’s First Step program, said White.

“She just needed a lower interest rate,” White explained. “She’s always wanted to purchase a home, and when her Realtor referred her to me, I knew First Step was the right choice.”

As a family self-sufficiency coordinator for the Huntsville Housing Authority, Knighten has long helped place others in housing they can afford. Now she is taking her turn after renting the same apartment since 2013.

“There were literally no obstacles in the loan process,” said White. “Having a borrower who’s willing to work with us and is as responsive as she was helps a loan officer a lot. And thanks to AHFA’s First Step program, her mortgage payment is what she wanted it to be and what she can afford.”