Espresso Yourself

Posted by on February 18, 2016 in Uncategorized No comments

Kitty and the tree

Kitty Bell sits in the tree that became the selling point of her home.

Once she decided to take the plunge and purchase a home, Linda Bell and daughter Kitty visited countless houses seeking the perfect one.

“We looked at little houses, big houses, medium houses, fixer-upper houses – everything,” said Linda.

When Kitty spotted the large tree in front of the tidy brick home on a cul-de-sac, she knew she had found “the one.”

She climbed into the tree and called to her mom, “Look! It’s got a seat just for me!”

Once inside, the bright lighting and cheerful yellow paint sealed the deal. Its convenient location to school and to work made it that much more of a good fit.

“We dreamed a lot about a house and we wanted a joyful place where she could make good memories. It’s got everything we need,” said Linda.

While each day since they moved into their home has been special, Linda admits the thought of purchasing a home of her own terrified her.

“I had never gotten a very big loan. You start talking big bucks and it was very frightening,” she said.

Linda credits her real estate agent and lender with helping her navigate through the process.

“I probably couldn’t have gone through with it without my lender and especially my real estate agent being so knowledgeable about what the loans entailed. Once it got to rolling it made more sense. He really held my hand through it.”

Linda and Kitty

Linda and Kitty love to entertain.

One of the best perks about buying a home has been how it has brought the mother-daughter pair closer together. They often play games together in their game room or watch movies. Linda has also been teaching Kitty how to cook.

“We do a lot of cooking,” said Kitty. “When we make brownies I get to lick the bowl and we call that ‘The Punishment.'”

Since move-in day, the pair has scoured garage sales and online swap sites seeking unique touches. Sprinkled among such finds as stiletto-shaped chairs and a leopard-print sofa are Kitty’s 4H projects.

Linda and Kitty enjoy opening their home to guests. When friends visit for dinner, Kitty dresses up in a chef’s coat and baker’s hat. She welcomes guests to the dining room table and provides each with a menu for that evening’s fare.

The two are building memories together. They’re building them in a home filled with love.

Linda purchased her home with down payment assistance from OHFA Advantage.

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