The Hustle, the Heartbreak, and the Home That Finally Felt Right

Dominique and Preston Clark almost walked away from homeownership more than once. Realtor Nicole Jennings, who also serves on staff with ABDC, recently sat down with the Clarks (some of Memphis’ newest homeowners!) for a candid conversation about how they kept going. Their journey wasn't easy, but the road they took led them down a path of community support, personal growth, and lasting joy!

Letting Go of the Myths

Dominique was an educator at Believe Memphis Academy Charter School when she first heard about Alcy Ball Development Corporation (ABDC) and began to consider homeownership. The process was slow, she admits. She didn’t jump in right away. But she was drawn to the idea of working with people like herself, folks who listened well, and wanted to help members of the community. “Everyone I talked to at Alcy Ball Development Corporation treated me like a human being, and not someone they wanted to close a deal on.” She remembers. The patience they had with Dominique was important. She had believed some myths about the home buying process. “I thought I would need to have a bunch of money. I thought there was only a single area in the city I could raise my family in. I thought the type of house I would really be happy pulling up to every day would be majorly expensive. And I thought I would need to bring a ton of knowledge to the process and do it on my own.” 

A Guide Who Walked Beside Them

Thankfully, Nicole Jennings from ABDC stepped in and began to help guide Dominique and Preston. For the next three years, she walked beside the Clarks as they navigated questions, confusion, and evaluated their true commitment to the journey. There were moments, Dominique admits, when even inquiring about homeownership felt like they were getting “locked in” and they jumped in and out of the process. What changed for them, she notes, was realizing that Nicole was willing to help her truly understand what homeownership would look like for their family, educating her and Preston, answering questions, and never trying to force them into a decision they may experience remorse about later on. Nicole showed them what it was like to partner with banks for loans, take advantage of mortgage programs to assist with financing, and how to approach the process with knowledge and confidence. Patience was key for Dominique, and Nicole was patient every step of the way.

Hustle Behind the Dream

The Clarks can attest that the conversations at home were sometimes difficult. The couple had to think through their priorities and discuss what changes would need to be made to build a downpayment for a home purchase. As a family with young children, safety was a high priority. But so was affordability. The Clarks wanted to make sure that their monthly mortgage payment didn’t feel like a chokehold on their budget. They also needed space to grow and easy access to their workplaces. As the couple narrowed down a realistic budget, Preston realized how much the family needed to scale back on leisurely spending. They even moved in with family members for a season of time to save their incomes and prepare for home buying. “We stuck with it.” He says with a smile, “Me and my wife together. And we made it. And we feel like we made a great choice.”

The Heartbreak of a Lost Home

Once the family felt confident moving forward, they began to look at actual homes on the market. The Clarks fell in love with a house in a great location, but the home had structural issues and ultimately, the geo codes of the area would prevent them from using their mortgage assistance program. Their disappointment was heavy; they had formed an emotional attachment to what they felt was their ideal home. But they also felt disillusioned with the system of geo codes. “We had learned that there are different areas of the city that were applicable to different funding products.” Dominique explains. “For me, as an English teacher, it reminded me a lot of redlining and the racial segregation and blocking off of different areas based on income rates.”

Finding Home

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Our home is a marker for all the hustling and grinding and pushing and striving. And it's a safe place to call our own. So it's really, really been a joy.

They continued their search and ended up finding a house in a community that welcomed them in every possible way. They realized they would have pride living in a neighborhood that would rally around first-time homeowners like themselves. "We ended up with a better location, I think, and a much better price point." says Dominique.

For the Clarks, their family home means more than just having enough space or a realistic budget, even though those things have helped tremendously as they’ve welcomed a third baby into their fold. There is the pride in gathering extended family around their table, the joy of having a real nursery for their little one, and the confidence of coming home every day to a house that is truly theirs. “It’s a marker for all the husting and grinding and pushing and striving. And it’s a safe place to call our own. So it’s really, really been a joy.”

Advice for Anyone Who Thinks It's Out of Reach

What bit of advice do the Clarks wish they’d had before home ownership? “Start the process early on.” They realize they were basically paying a mortgage in rent for a long time. “Also, if you’re interested in buying a home, there are people out there that want to help you. There are organizations that want to help you. There are realtors that want to help you, and there are people out there that will not approach you in a predatory way. They really do have passion to give people opportunities.”

The beautiful part? It’s not too late, and the opportunities are available. Whether you’re a student, a family, or a retiree, there are professionals that want to help you build generational wealth through homeownership. As Dominique says, “You don’t have to go it alone.”