I moved to Des Moines at the start of 2022, and in October, I set up a meeting with both a realtor and a lender at my bank to see what steps I would need to take to be ready to buy a home. I love this city, I love my job, and I was ready to put down permanent roots, but I assumed being a single woman with student and consumer debt, paired with a lack of significant savings, would hold me back.
Both my realtor and lender mentioned IFA’s down payment assistance program, and I was shocked when they both separately said I was in a great position and to call them when I was ready. With my lease ending at the end of the year and knowing competition would be low at that time, I started the process almost immediately. Only two days into the search, I fell in love with my future home. With an amazing team behind me, I closed on the house in early December and have been enjoying the process of making it into a home. I was shocked at how smooth and stress free the approval process was which is a testament to IFA’s work with their partnered lenders.
Without the down payment assistance program from IFA, it would have been years before I was ready (financially or mentally) to go on this journey. I am incredibly thankful to have been informed about IFA and hope to share my experience with others who could benefit from their support!
-Chelsea Dinterman, Homeownership Programs, Des Moines