Holding on to Homeownership

Like so many families Self-Help assists, owning a home is incredibly important to Richard and Linda Gebo.

“I don’t know what part of the American pie it is, but it’s a slice I want to hold on to,” Richard says from their two-story Durham home.

At times, the Gebos have felt homeownership might be in danger of slipping away. Richard suffered back problems. Linda lost a job. And the couple got involved in a predatory loan.

When the interest rate on their predatory mortgage was on the verge of ballooning, Richard contacted Self-Help. In 2000, they refinanced into a 30-year fixed-rate Self-Help loan.

Recently, when they were once again facing economic challenges, the Gebos worked with Self-Help to modify their home loan to make it easier for them to make their monthly payment. The modifications have allowed the couple to remain in their warm, two-story house — the first one either has owned.

The Gebos are grateful for the personalized attention and care they got from Self-Help.

“When things were going down, they found a way to keep things up to help save our house,” Richard says.