Derek Reuben shares his inspiring story of buying his first home for him and his 3 children in Brooklyn Park with the help of PRG.

Click on Derek’s photo below to watch a video of his homeownership journey.

“I had to make repairs on my home and spent $6,000. I went to PRG for help. Mindy and Thandi were so great, and helped me read all the documents as I was going blind. Paul was very clear and very helpful. They delayed the foreclosure, helped negotiate with the bank, and helped me stay in my home,” Wizard sharing her gratitude for PRG.

After living in her home for over 20 years, Wizard knew she wasn’t going to leave her community without a fight.  After unexpected bills piled up she came to PRG for help, and with the support of our homeownership advisors she was able to remain her home.

In August 2018 Wizard passed away.  She lived an incredible life, and we are grateful that we were able to help her spend her final years at home.

Last summer, Melinda, a single mom, started to panic. She was behind on her mortgage payments, and every envelope in the mail from the bank seemed more frightening and more confusing. Her home was her stable, peaceful base to raise her two young sons, and she knew she was on the verge of losing it.

When she called PRG to speak with an advisor, she wasn’t sure that anything at all could be done to save her home.

Melinda met with Dawn, an advisor at PRG. Together, they looked at the stack of frightening envelopes and statements, along with information about her monthly income and expenses.

Dawn discovered a major reason for Melinda’s difficulty making her monthly payments: this homeowner, who had a ninth grade education, had been “sold” a homeowner’s insurance policy with an annual premium of $4,900—about four times what it ought to be. This premium had increased her escrow and subsequently her mortgage payment by over $300 per month.

Dawn advocated for Melinda with the insurance company, obtaining a refund on the exorbitant policy. Melinda’s new insurance premium is now $1,200 per year.

With PRG’s help, she also submitted a hardship package to her lender, and is currently under review for a modification to reduce her loan payment further. She’s current on her payments, and with a monthly budget to keep tabs on her spending, she’s confident she’ll be able to stay in her home.