The kitchen in Anne’s St. Paul home is filled with warm natural light, and the window over the sink looks out on a fenced in backyard where her Golden Retrievers, Heidi and Luna, can play. Sliding doors open to a brick patio Anne installed herself, and raspberry bushes are thriving in the far corner of the yard.
Anne’s living a dream that seemed unattainable only a few years ago. After a divorce, Anne moved in with her parents until she figured out the next step. She knew she wanted to have her own house, especially with two dogs and a remote job.
Anne worked hard to save, but breaking into the housing market felt nearly impossible. Then Anne’s mom shared Anne's aspirations with a member of her book club, who just happened to be Jenny Sanford, Director of Community Engagement at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. Jenny explained Habitat’s program, and that’s when things started to look up.
“I spent a lot of time going down dead ends that didn’t help my mental or financial situation. I was getting discouraged, so I was very grateful to find Habitat,” Anne remembers. “Especially as a single person, it felt almost too good to be true. But it was real.”
After completing Habitat’s homebuyer education, Anne started looking on the open market and found a house in a quiet, walkable St. Paul neighborhood. When she closed in January 2025, it felt like the start of a new chapter—one with endless possibilities for Anne to create her own home.
“Going through my divorce, I wanted my independence back. I wanted to be able to do it on my own,” she says. “Now I have my own space. I can make my own decisions about how to decorate and fill the space. It’s so satisfying."
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Raspberry plants in Anne's backyard. |
Anne's dogs, Heidi and Luna. |
As soon as she got her keys, Anne started making improvements to her home. She jumped right in and, with help from her family, made the space her own. Her list of completed projects is impressive: fresh paint, a new patio, kitchen storage, a transformed yard, and more. And she’s not done yet. Anne’s next goal is to install a deck, but she’s not in a rush.
“I have all the time in the world since it’s mine. My vision of what’s possible is coming true, and I have a sense of accomplishment,” she explains. “My first home gives me a jumping off point for my next goal.”
Now more than a year into homeownership, Anne appreciates the support Habitat offers after closing, including opportunities and resources to continue building her independence. She attends Volunteer and Learn events, including a build day at The Heights, which is just minutes from her home. “I learned how to put locks on doors and then changed my own,” she adds.
Homeownership comes with excitements and challenges, and Anne sees both as opportunities to empower herself and build the life she wants.
“Homeownership has put me back firmly in my own driver's seat. I have the confidence and ability to make my own decisions and reach my goals on my own terms,” she says.
Anne on her front steps. |
Anne in her kitchen. |
Anne has also settled into her new neighborhood, exploring nearby shops and restaurants. Every Thursday, Anne and her new partner go to a local bar to play trivia. She walks her dogs around the lake across the street, which helps her find peace when she’s stressed or overwhelmed. Her walls display cross-stitches, paintings, and photos from family trips. And in her kitchen, she makes sourdough bread and raspberry jam.
“It can be a lot of work to keep my house maintained, but the feeling of driving up and seeing this beautiful yard, cooking whatever I want for dinner in my own kitchen—it's soothing and rewarding,” she says. “It gets better and better.”