How one couple landed their home

Workforce housing usually is constructed by big builders and rolls out in phases, creating a whole new neighborhood. But sometimes it emerges as a solo makeover tucked in among older homes in established parts of town.

Tunisia and Derick Adams, longtime Inglewood renters and parents of three young children, found one such smaller property through Enterprise Home Ownership Partners, a nonprofit organization that purchases at a discount distressed fixers within the city of Los Angeles.

With financial assistance from its lender partners, the group rehabilitates the homes and then sells them at reduced prices to first-time buyers whose annual earnings are at or below 115% of the area median income. Buyers also must live in the house for at least three years.

Competition for the homes is fierce. So Tunisia, a 32-year-old United Airlines customer-service employee who is studying to be a teacher, and 40-year-old Derick, who is starting up a marketing business, delved into the qualification process about a year ago.

They met the income requirement that a family of five earn no more than $81,350, which is 115% of the median income for the Los Angeles area. The couple then qualified for a first mortgage and a $90,000 “soft second” from the city of Los Angeles. The soft second is a zero-interest second mortgage to be paid off at the sale or transfer of their property, or in 30 years.

Tunisia took a required home-buyer education course. All that was left was finding a property for sale from the EHOP website.

The couple’s ZipRealty agent kept an eye on the list, which can change daily. At last, she called the couple, urging them to make a hasty bid on a three-bedroom, 1,059-square-foot home in central Los Angeles for an affordable $275,000. In keeping with the program’s rules, the couple made an offer based only on the website description. Buyers do not see the interiors until the renovation is complete.

The bid was accepted and the family will move in later this month.

Enterprise is removing lead-based paint, and the home will have a new roof, plumbing and carpets, as well as a washer and dryer.

“It’s awesome,” Tunisia said. “The whole process has taken my breath away.”

“We’re in a brand-new house, really. No words can describe it.”