Homebuyer Spotlight: Maria + Jimmy
Since 2016, The Partnership has welcomed 83 participants to College Park through our homebuyer assistance programs. At the Partnership, our participants are more than a number! We are excited to welcome new residents to College Park and believe that doing so enriches the fabric of our community. It is our privilege to share the stories of your neighbors who have participated in our programs. This month, The Partnership spotlights Maria S. and Jimmy A. This is their story.
When Maria and Jimmy relocated from North Carolina, they moved into a rental house in College Park, “my mom lived in Riverdale Park, so we were familiar with the Route 1 Corridor,” explained Jimmy. When they decided they wanted to purchase instead of rent, they knew they wanted to live close for a short commute but weren’t certain where they would settle along Route 1, “the [Partnership’s] Program really made us focus in on College Park.”
Maria explained she is really looking forward to biking to work whenever people can return and how a local bike shop helped her learn about the local trails, “I used to bike in North Carolina and missed it when I [moved to the area]– and in fact, Proteus Bicycles were extremely helpful with their knowledge of the local trail network.”
When we spoke with the pair after their purchase in 2020, Jimmy, Maria, and their 2 cats, Greita and Piri, were getting settled in to having a yard, space for workshops, and being near metro. “This is the place for us,” explained Jimmy, “one day I’ll try a paw paw along the trail in the food forest and learn about edible wild mushrooms.” Maria chimed in, “Yep, and we love the communications from the Mayor and County, people are really interconnected here.”
Want to become a College Park neighbor? The Partnership’s Live+Work College Park Program provides $20,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance towards a home in College Park for those employed full-time by an employer in College Park.
Learn more about Live + Work College Park and download the application at: www.collegeparkpartnership.org/liveworkprogram