Helen came to Dorchester from Vietnam in 1991 to start a new life in the United States. She was determined to succeed and began working in medical records at the Upham’s Corner Health Center, where she has been for the past 14 years. A single mother with a 12-year-old daughter, Helen started working with Urban Edge’s Eva Osorio in September 2014 to achieve her dream of buying a home. The chemistry between Helen and Eva was immediate, and together, they improved Helen’s credit score so she could qualify for the best mortgages at the lowest interest rates.
After qualifying for a mortgage, Helen and Eva began their search for a home. They looked at more than 30 homes and put in bids for five, but each time Helen was outbid. The two were growing concerned, as Helen had lost her permanent living arrangement and was moving from place to place with her daughter. Finally, the Urban Edge team connected with officials from Easton, a town 30 minutes outside of Boston with a first-class school system. Easton has a special program through which qualified first-time homebuyers like Helen can be offered assistance toward a down payment. Helen and Eva bid on a home in Easton, and this time, their offer was accepted. With Helen’s savings and the help from the town, she was able to buy a single-family home at a price and with a mortgage she can afford. She and her daughter moved into their new home in November 2016.
