When I think about first-time homebuyers, I think of Ziggy and Pat Zeveckas buying their first home after 43 years of marriage.

Ziggy was a Navy and Coast Guard veteran, and an engineer. Pat worked in the plastic mills before retiring. They rented an apartment, then a house in Tyngsboro, Mass. Pat and Ziggy made ends meet while raising their three children, but never saved enough for a down payment for a house.

When water problems forced them to leave their Tyngsboro house, they found that rental rates has risen much higher than they were used to paying. They found a manufactured home to buy in the Otarnic Pond resident-owned community in Hudson, N.H., and we helped with a fair, fixed-rate Welcome Home Loan, which kept their down payment low and gave them a monthly payment they could afford.

A recent survey from JP Morgan Chase shows that homeownership is still the American Dream for renters like Pat and Ziggy. Even after the recession and the real estate crisis, most people believe housing is a good financial investment, and see it as a crucial part of raising a family. Compared to six months ago, nearly twice as many potential first-time homebuyers are optimistic about being able to buy a home over the next six months.

People dream about the pride of owning a home and the respect of friends and family, and work hard to achieve that goal. For the Zeveckases, homeownership in the quiet Otarnic Pond cooperative means safety, security and comfort.

New Hampshire Community Loan Fund Inc. NMLS ID 253893. Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department.