Pride and joy in Pine Point: “It wasn’t easy, but I got here!”
At age 22, Danisha Phillips of Springfield had a very specific goal in mind.
“I always thought about it. I always wanted a home,” said Phillips, an intake specialist for a local organization. In 2012, at age 30, this drive led her to sign up for financial literacy education at Way Finders—our Credit Success Workshop—where she heard a story that bolstered her dream.
“I heard about somebody who purchased a home and they worked at McDonald’s. They were able to get money toward closing costs. And I was just like, ‘Yeah! I want that to be me.’ Since I was 22, I knew I wanted to buy a house. But 22 came and went,” said Phillips, who also works at a dermatology office—logging 50+ hours a week between her two jobs.
But it was time well spent, as the workshop helped Phillips establish a solid financial foundation.
“I think I took financial literacy twice, when they pull your credit report and all that good stuff. With all I learned, I was able to incorporate it into everyday life. I still continue to utilize the information that I received from Way Finders,” said Phillips. “I’ve always been the type of person to live within my means, to make sure my bills come first. When I got my first apartment, my job was reduced from full-time to part-time overnight. I made sure to pay my rent a month out in advance, so if something were to go on, I’d have a full month to figure it out.”
While working from her downtown apartment during COVID, Phillips started reaching out to people about her interest in buying a home, and connected with Senior Loan Officer Ben Cartagena of Citizens.
“We discussed the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) ONE Mortgage program, and how that works,” said Phillips. “And then it literally went from, ‘Let’s go look at houses’ to, ‘I think I can afford it’ to, ‘Hey, I just bought a house!’ The process was great.”
Her brother, sister, and mother were sources of support during her fast-paced journey.
“Houses were here today, gone tomorrow,” said Phillips. “My brother and I actually sent each other the same exact listing, for the house I’m in today. Then we sent it to the realtor, who said, ‘You’ll be the first person to see it.’ After I saw it, I was like, ‘And I’m going to be the last!’”
Since closing on her home in fall 2023—a week after completing Way Finders’ First-time Homebuyer Workshop, a requirement of the MHP ONE Mortgage program—Phillips has had more than a few driveway moments.
“I’ve sat in my driveway, just sat there and thought, ‘I actually own a home.’ I didn’t expect it, but I did it,” she said. “Even to this day, I still get butterflies as I walk on the porch and through the front door, into the kitchen. I just love the fact that it’s mine. And the location, I’m literally minutes from everybody now, my family and friends.”
When asked to describe her home, Phillips comes to life—as does her abode, lovingly personified.
“So I bought a single-family house in the Pine Point area of Springfield. I have a garage and a nice sized yard,” said Phillips. “She has seen her share of families, but she’s going to grow older with my family. And her favorite color is green.”
The exterior of her home is indeed green, though chameleon-like: appearing lighter or darker, or more yellow than green, depending on the sunlight. Since moving in, most of her home-improvement focus has been on the interior, including some electrical work and redoing bathrooms.
“I’m putting my own little love into it, just making it a home,” said Phillips. “Outside of work, my pastime is literally just improvement. Improving my living space, improving myself.”
Homeownership also represents something bigger than herself, Phillips noted. Her space and stability could, if needed, be extended to family or friends who were facing a housing emergency.
“I actually have a place for them to go until they’re able to get where they need to be. Because renting right now is hard, it can be more than a mortgage,” said Phillips. “To help someone not have to worry about where they’re going to sleep, or if they’re going to be late on rent, or unable to provide food for themselves or their children.”
To be ready to navigate the expenses that come with homeownership—both the expected and unexpected—Phillips continues to grow her nest egg. This was a key takeaway from Way Finders’ Post-Purchase Workshop, which was also a requirement of the MHP ONE Mortgage program.
“With all the things I want to get done with my house, I still want to have that nest egg. Just so if anything breaks down, I know I can cover it. That’s my reason for hustling,” said Phillips. “And I’m trying to be proactive and think ahead to next winter, for example. So that when November comes around, my oil tank is full and serviced.”
Phillips was inspired to share her story in hopes of reaching those who may feel shut out of homeownership.
“I feel like a lot of people think they won’t ever have the opportunity to own a home, just based off their backgrounds, whether because of where they work or if they have a disability or anything like that. So they shy away from the idea,” said Phillips. “I wanted to be able to say my part, of what I did and how I got here. It wasn’t easy, but I got here.”
Well said, Danisha. And congratulations to you!