Creating Homeownership

Throughout 2010, Self-Help continued to work with people who were ready for homeownership. For La’Toscha Cockrell, “being ready” was a long process that took hard work and changes in the way that she managed her money. La’Toscha is a nurse in Laurinburg, NC, and has sole responsibility for raising two children. With blemished credit, La’Toscha longed for a house of her own but couldn’t imagine ever being able to buy one.

Then she heard a presentation by staff members at Scotland Community Credit Union, a division of Self-Help Credit Union. They talked about a “Fresh Start Credit Builder” loan and a disciplined approach she could use to save money and re-build her credit.

Niki Norton, senior loan officer, quickly determined that La’Toscha was a perfect candidate for a Fresh Start loan, noting “She had already put herself through school to get a better life for herself and her children.” Determined to succeed as quickly as possible, La’Toscha checked in regularly with Niki to make sure that she was doing all that was required.

On November 29, 2010, a year after La’Toscha began working with Scotland Community Credit Union, she and her two children moved into their new home in Laurinburg, NC. Branch Manager Jim Hunt recalled that La’Toscha stopped by the branch office the morning of the closing saying that she hadn’t slept all night because she was so excited. “La’Toscha is a great example of how determination and hard work pay off,” said Hunt. “She cut her spending, chipped away at her debts, increased her savings, and put herself in a position to take on a mortgage she could afford.”

La’Toscha reports that she, Shaquoria, and Tramaine love their new home — the realization of a dream none of them ever expected to come true. When asked how she was able to turn around her financial life, she said “If you want something badly enough, you’ll do whatever it takes.”