Kimberly Bolen and Jesse Daino made sure that this was a Christmas they won’t soon forget. Not only did the couple celebrate the Holidays in their newly purchased first home, they also got engaged on Christmas Eve during a gathering at their house.

Now, after Christmas, the newly-minted beaming fiancées sit in their new living room and still express some shock at how everything has turned out. Both Kimberly and Jesse repeatedly speak about how easy they found the home buying process after their initial forays and how their Home HeadQuarters’ rehabbed house in the Westcott neighborhood is everything they hoped for and more.

“When we first started looking for a home, we would look in our price range and realize that we would have to sink so much money into making the house livable that it wasn’t worth it.” said Kimberly. “And the banks wouldn’t return our phone calls in any case.”

BEFORE	AFTER

Jesse’s dad, who is a local plumbing contractor, had driven by the Home HeadQuarters’ project and told his son to go take a look and not give up hope in finding the perfect house even though he thought the neighborhood might be too expensive for the couple. The home, just one of dozens of Home HeadQuarters’ current rehabilitation projects, was in the midst of getting a full makeover including a new roof, new plumbing and electrical, new bathrooms, new windows, a new kitchen and more. The once vacant property needed extensive work as it had housed various squatters and other illegal activities and was the subject of numerous neighborhood resident complaints.

Home HeadQuarters worked with the University Neighborhood Preservation Association (UNPA) to help subsidize the cost of some renovations and was able to fund other crucial repairs through a grant from New York State’s Affordable Housing Corporation. The new homeowners were also able to take advantage of an UNPA purchase grant for buying a home within that organization’s target area. Having an affordable purchase price made the couples move from renting to buying possible.

The walkable Westcott neighborhood was another key attraction for the new homeowners as Jesse co-owns and manages “Recess,” a café and roastery in the heart of the neighborhood. “I have a two-block walk to work,” said Jesse. “And this neighborhood is always full of new people—we have made lots of friends here.” While the short commute was what initially caught Jesse’s eye, it was the small home construction details that both Jesse and Kimberly watched progress over the summer that really sealed the deal for the couple.

BEFORE	BEFORE	AFTER

“Dan (Home HeadQuarters’ Construction Manager) was awesome!” said Kimberly. “We had so much input into all the special details like the arches, the doors and the handmade fireplace mantel and he made everything look amazing. Both of our Dads are contractors and know their stuff and gave us their approval.”

The couple is currently working on putting the final touches on their new home including adding new street numbers to the front of their house. Kimberly and Jesse are also busy talking to their friends and family about their new home.

“We’re telling everyone—if you’re serious about buying a house, go to Home HeadQuarters. They make it so easy and everyone really looks out for you,” said Kimberly.