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Habitat Family Pays Off Their Home Mortgage Early

Shanice Stringer

In the 25 years that Springfield Habitat for Humanity has helped build affordable homes for low-income families, only three have paid off their mortgages. The Ramirez family is one of them, and they did it early. KLCC’s Tiffany Eckert joined them to celebrate the achievement.

In a ceremonial act, Alfonso and Edith Ramirez lit a copy of their 20 year mortgage on fire (click) and let it burn.

(sound of burning paper)

Credit Shanice Stringer
A copy of the mortgage is ceremonially burned.

Every month, they’ve sent in the payments on their zero-interest Habitat for Humanity loan. Now, three years early, they are owners free and clear.

(Cheers)

Alfonso Ramirez is a landscaper. His wife, Edith, cleans houses.

Edith Ramirez: “17 years. I’m ready to pay. Yes, and I’m very happy and thank you for the Habitat program.”

The couple has five children and all of them remember watching or helping their parents and volunteers build the two-story house.  Their daughter, Italivy is now 26. She lives there with her family.

Italivy: “It means a lot. You know we’re really grateful for their hard work. And they’ve taught us with hard work and dedication they were able to give us a stable home.”

Don Griffin is Springfield Habitat Executive Director. He says besides the “sweat equity” the Ramirez family provided in building their own home, this successful mortgage payoff helps future projects.

Credit Tiffany Eckert
Habitat's Don Griffin celebrates with the Ramirez family.

Don Griffin: “They have become donors for Habitat. And helping to contribute to the well being of other families yet to come. And we’re so excited for their contributions to the community and to Habitat and the work we do.”

Since it was built, the home has always been full of children and laughter. Alfonso Ramirez says they’ve found their community.

Alfonso Ramirez: “I like this town. It’s very, very nice people. This town is a small town but it’s nice.”

The family continued the celebration in the living room with home cooked tamales.

Tiffany joined the KLCC News team in 2007. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia and worked in a variety of media including television, technical writing, photography and daily print news before moving to the Pacific Northwest.
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