Homes for Sale Success Stories
Mike's Story
Eight years ago, BOTHANDS, then known as the Affordable Housing Coalition, got into the building business – constructing 6 new homes in Lake Mary Pines, right off Lake Mary Rd. One of our first clients still holds a place in our hearts and I’d like to share with you his story.
Mike was a hard-working single-dad struggling to make it here in Flagstaff. He had grown up here, attended Flagstaff High School and lived here his entire life. Mike had a decent job in construction – he worked for a cement company and could count on regular paychecks. When his wife life town, unexpectedly ending their marriage, she didn’t just leave Mike, but their 4-year-old daughter, Lisa.
As a dedicated and loving single-dad, Mike was determined to stay in Flagstaff where Lisa could grow up close to her grandparents, aunts and uncles. But, as you might have guessed, financially, that was a challenge.
When we first met Mike and Lisa, Mike was trying desperately to keep a roof over Lisa’s head and provide her with a safe, loving home. In order to save for the purchase of their first home, Mike lived in a small, substandard trailer that he sold for only $2,000. Through the construction process – those months that it takes to build a home – he would often come in our office to check on the progress and make sure he had done everything that was necessary. Every time Mike would stop in to talk to us he would let us know that he was praying all the time that the house would work out.
In the past eight years, Mike and Lisa have not only been able to stay here in Flagstaff, but they have built a full and happy life filled with friends and family. As Lisa’s grandparents have a chance to watch her grow into a young adult, we know that our job is much more than the sticks and bricks it takes to build a house. We’re laying the foundation so that families can build homes.
