“I was a member of the very first Riviera Beach Homebuyer’s Club. When I began the program, I knew very little about purchasing a home. Early on, at age 19, I became financially conscious and capable while working as a bank teller. At work, I’d learned about savings, stocks, bonds, and the process of building wealth. For years, I tried to pass this financial knowledge onto my family, but not many listened.

At the Community Partners of South Florida (CPSFL) workshops, I picked up the extra skills and knowledge needed to purchase a home. Afterward, I attended college and obtained my Master’s in Social Work. Unfortunately, I acquired credit card and student loan debt in the process. And even though I was paying all my bills on time, my debt-to-income ratio was too high to obtain a loan.

So, I continued to work even harder to pay down my credit card balances. With guidance from the CPSFL team, I consolidated one card to obtain a lower interest rate. Additionally, the CPSFL housing staff connected me with American Education Services to get lower monthly payments for my student loan. 

I kept working and paid off my car loan. Eventually, I was able to get four other credit cards down to low balances. All these strategies combined with my determination eventually improved my credit until I could obtain a good mortgage with the help of CPSFL’s team. Finally, I purchased a home in the outskirts of Riviera Beach with three bedrooms, two baths, a two-car garage, and an enclosed back porch.

It feels so great to be a homeowner. Thanks for your support, CPSFL!”

Ina Mallet