Every Iowan deserves access and opportunity when it comes to purchasing a home.
REALTORS® strive to guide their clients through each step of the home buying process, no matter how daunting the experience may seem for prospective buyers.
Sara Hopkins has taken the questions and fears surrounding the home buying process to create a program to specifically educate and empower women homebuyers: H.O.W (Home Ownership for Women).
"I had a lot of single female clients that after meeting with me, or finding a home, would say 'I thought I'd never be a homeowner. I can't believe this day is here.'" Hopkins recalls. "That inspired me to have something made by someone for women to come together to have everything they need to know about buying a home in one place."
The program, which began its first cohort at Hopkin's office in the Highland Park neighborhood of Des Moines this month, aims to empower women to achieve homeownership. Over four weeks, participants attend one hour weekly sessions that demystify each step of the buying process.
"It's a little different than other home buying classes or workshops," Hopkins notes. "We bring in a different female expert to each session. We have lenders, home inspectors, and more who will help our participants understand that they have a whole team of women behind them."
While Hopkin's interactions with female clients propelled the idea of H.O.W., her participation in the Goldman Sachs small business course gave her the final push to make it a reality.
"We sat down and kind of figured out how to put everything in motion," she said. "This has been on my vision board for the last three years. Going through that program helped me define and set goals to get this launched."
So far, she's had nothing but a positive response, both from her peers and clients.
H.O.W. is open to all women, whether they are single, married, or have been part of the purchasing of a home before.
"I hope women walk away feeling empowered and thinking that they can absolutely be a homeowner if they want to," she said. "They can put the plans in motion to make it happen. It may not be that week or this year, but if they want to make it happen they can make it happen."