The Becraft Scholars virtual homebuying workshop held on March 9 was a huge hit! Created as a parent engagement activity, the workshop was led by Daniela Childs, a real estate broker for Unique Lifestyle Realty and a Becraft parent.
The idea for the homebuying workshop began with a simple conversation between Daniela and Becraft Scholars Program Director Alana Bell. “This is my first year in the Becraft program with my son,” Daniela said. “Alana does regular check-ins with all the Becraft families and we started talking about the real estate market. It made me think about how misleading the media can be for people who are not directly connected to a real estate professional or to the industry.”
“I like to dismantle the beliefs people have about the real estate industry,” Daniela added. “If you have someone who is on the ground, going to open houses, actually dealing with transactions on a day-to-day basis, that person is going to give you more accurate information about how to buy a house and what the industry looks like. So Alana asked me if I could teach a class for some of the other parents.”
Daniela was excited about the project from the beginning. “I have a background in social work, before I started real estate,” she said. “My whole goal is to give back as much as possible. There’s a huge disparity between people of color and non-people of color being homeowners. After I gained knowledge in homeownership for myself, I realized I can help other people do this. You just need to know what steps to take.”
Daniela and Tina Pogue, a lender Daniela often works with, walked Becraft parents through the ins and outs of homebuying, including the role of the appraiser and the inspector, down payments, earnest money, and closing costs. The workshop was open to all Becraft parents, including those who were already homeowners.
Shavon Yingling attended the workshop to learn more as she considers buying her first home. She said she found the information about home appraisals and inspections very useful.
“Although I’m not quite ready to buy a home, I look forward to the day that I am,” said Shavon. “I want to take advantage of all the wonderful free information and support being offered through a network of people I’m building relationships with and a community I trust.”
“Most people feel like they don’t have enough money to buy a house,” Daniela said. “The first step is getting the knowledge. Even if you’re not ready to buy right now, you should still get the information.”
Access to current information about the homebuying process and the real estate market is key, Daniela explained. “Oftentimes, we take advice about buying a home from older folks who bought their homes a long time ago, when the market looked completely different. It’s important to talk to someone who understands how the market is now,” Daniela said.
Both Daniela and the participants said they were grateful for the chance to get to know other Becraft parents better and continue building their community.
“My experience with Becraft-sponsored events has been nothing short of amazing!” said Shavon. “I love the community and getting to know the other families. It’s great to be a part of a community where the focus is not only on our beautiful children, but building bonds with each other, networking, and sharing resources. That is how strong foundations and communities are built.”
“I don’t feel like I’m fairly new to Becraft even though I’ve only been here half a year,” Daniela said. “Isn’t that strange? But that’s the epitome of Becraft. They are super welcoming, to the point where I feel like I’m part of the family. Alana does an exceptional job. She’s a leader, but she allows others to join in, to take ownership of our community. From day one, you just feel like she wants to showcase everyone’s strengths and lift each other up.”