Homeowner Stories: Meet Deneane
Editor’s note: If you joined us for our annual meeting on November 18, you had a very brief opportunity to meet Deneane Stanley-Sutton, recipient of our first-ever Deanna Carson Memorial Good Neighbor Award. We asked her to share more of her story, in her own words.
The dream became a reality on December 20, 2019. This was one of the best days of my life. December 20th was the day that changed my life forever. It was my triumphant victory over what seemed to be an impossible dream.
My journey to home ownership began over twenty-five years ago, while I was a wife and a mother. My dream of home ownership began more than fifty years ago when I was just a little girl. I loved the idea of home ownership and learned that it was the key to so many other opportunities. My goal to own my own home was certainly attainable, but at times seemed elusive. I had come close during the time I was married with children, but each time, there was some kind of snafu that kept me from completing the process. So, I put the whole idea on the shelf and continued life as I knew it. Moving from one place to another, looking for the best deal on rentals as each rent increase simply absorbed my annual raise. It was not the life I had imagined.
My life took yet another unexpected turn in 2010, when I separated from my husband and in 2011 relocated to North Carolina to start over again. When I say start over, I mean I literally left everything and moved in with my daughter to recover from a 25 year marriage and turn the page to the next chapters of my life.
I will say, that my support system has been amazing. I have had people to help me every step of the way. I have lived with my daughter and eventually was able to rent a little house on my own. I love the place so much I wanted to purchase it, but unfortunately I found out that the house the was not for sale. I had actually fixed up the little place and was excited about the possibilities, but it was not for me. I then moved into an apartment and then another and then one more, when I decided in January 2019 one of my goals was to purchase a home. It seemed to be such a silly idea, but it was a dream that had been in my heart and soul most of my life. I needed to own my own home.
I sought assistance from an amazing Realtor and friend Mrs. Michelle Wilder-Baker. By April 2019 I had been pre-approved for a home purchase through a broker and my credit union. This was exciting, but I was not sure I could do it. I stopped in my tracks, paralyzed by the unknown and a little bit of doubt. I stopped looking for houses and settled into my life as I knew it, but I was not the same. In August, I got a call from Michelle and she summoned me to a meeting to talk about my dilemma. After that meeting, I was all fired up and ready to go and get my house.
We looked in Durham, Raleigh, and even wrote a letter to the owner of one of the cutest homes I had ever seen, but that contract was not accepted. I decided, since I had been working in Chapel Hill for the last five years, that it would be great to live in the beautiful little city. So we expanded our search to Chapel Hill. I saw the perfect townhome at the perfect price and sent a note and pic to my Realtor on October 9, 2019.
On October 24th, I was greeted at what would become my home by a woman with the most beautifully, radiant smile. We had been corresponding by phone so I already felt a connection to her. It was Deanna. Any doubt about me becoming a homeowner was put to rest on that day. It was chilly outside, but inside, without the heat being on, there was such warmth. Deanna walked me through each room and with every step I became more and more excited about my new home. Everything was perfect for me! It was the exact space I needed and my favorite thing of all was the back decks where neighbors could gather, chat, and the little park with the swing for just enjoying a bit of sunshine or a serenade by the birds. Deanna said to me while we walked through the house that if I wanted this house, it is mine. I took her at her word and proceeded to go through the required process to become a homeowner.
Deanna ensured me every step of the way and she expedited the processing of my paperwork and required training. She asked me then when I would like to move in, I said it would be great to be in by Christmas, she said done and it was done.
On November 6, 2019 I signed my initial contract and we were at the table closing on December 20, 2019. When all was said and done, I realized that every delay and what seemed to be obstacles were simply stepping stones to get me to the place I needed to be.
Today, I pay homage to one of the most amazing women I have come across in my lifetime, Mrs. Deanna Carson. She shared her own journey with me, she encouraged me to not give up, she taught me and inspired me, and she walked with me all the way to the end of me renting and the beginning of my home ownership experience. Deanna is unforgettable.
To be in my own home in 2020 was beyond a blessing. When I say timing is everything, I really say it with gratitude, my timing in meeting Deanna was truly divine. I ran into her and her husband in February of 2020 and we discussed her coming to visit my home, unfortunately, she was not able to make it before her transition from this side of her life journey. But, as fate may have it, she will be remembered in my home forever since I was awarded the first ever Deanna Carson Memorial Good Neighbor Award on November 18, 2021. I am honored beyond measure and so thankful for this triumphant victory that could not have been attained without the amazing woman I met on October 24th, Mrs. Deanna Carson.
