Purchasing a home can become a hassle - between financing, paperwork and trying to find the right place.
But for Livingston resident Dale Townsend, it has been a dream - a dream come true.
Townsend recently moved out of his rental home of 18 years and into his own house he bought in town. He has more space for storing his bicycles, his six felines have more room to play, and instead of rental payments, Townsend now makes monthly mortgage payments.
Buying a home is unique experience for Townsend because of a developmental disability that he has. He has been a Counterpoint Inc. client since 2002, according to Counterpoint Director Dave Eaton.
"This is the first time Counterpoint has ever been able to support someone through this process of buying a home," Eaton said.
Townsend, 54, closed on the house Friday afternoon and spent the next few days moving into his new home.
According to Counterpoint Residential Coordinator Hillary Johnson, buying a home is one of the biggest things someone can do in their life time.
At least 10 public and private agencies were involved with the sale, providing money and resources to allow Townsend to get through the complicated process of buying the home, Johnson said Monday.
"The Montana Home Choice Coalition was the primary agency that has assisted Dale in becoming a home owner," she said. "This was not a typical process for most home sellers, and (the sellers in Livingston) deserve a lot of credit for their patience and understanding with the various requests from various agencies with the unconventional timeline through the process."
According to Jon Ellen Snyder of ERA Landmark Western Land, the cooperation of home sellers James Bawek and Windy Warner through the process was impressive.
"This was one of the most rewarding transactions I've been involved with in my career," Snyder said. "Everyone was so cooperative and caring throughout the process that it really reinforced my respect for the vital social services delivered by Counterpoint and our government, and my faith in how good things happen if we all work together."
"I'm so pleased to see Dale have such a sense of pride and to see how happy he is to become a homeowner," Eaton said. "I'm also pleased with Counterpoint's participation with seeing the project through to completion."
Eaton said the project is an example of Counterpoint achieving its mission, which is to nurture personal growth and support meaningful lives for adults with disabilities.
"Our job at Counterpoint is to help (Townsend) live in the community as independently as he can," said Eaton.
Neither Johnson or Eaton have doubts in Townsend's ability to manage his home.
Eaton said Townsend already has the mindset of a homeowner, making sure everything at the house is in working order and his bills are taken care of.
"I need to get my check (to the bank) a little early," Townsend told Johnson Thursday morning. "I have to have it a little early because March 1 is on a Sunday."
When asked about his new home, Townsend said little but smiled ear-to-ear.
"I like the house a lot," he said. "My cats are liking it a lot, too."
Matt Dettori is at mdettori@livent.net
Enterprise photo by Angela Schneider
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