Growing up in the affluent area of Villa Hills, KY, Andrew never imagined he’d be living out of his car. His family has a background in real estate, so naturally, Andrew’s version of the American Dream was to own a home. Sometimes today, he looks at his house in absolute disbelief that it’s his. He believes God brought him to HONK, to his new job that he loves, and to his triumph over addiction and obesity.
Andrew first leaned on God at 10 years old when his father died but had only come to deeply rely on Him in more recent years. “I spend most of my time by myself but I’m not alone”. Andrew talks to God every morning over coffee, or on his runs through Covington and back to his house.
Andrew admits that he cut corners on things and had to learn that owning a home is a marathon, not a sprint. He says any challenges he’s faced in homeownership are the result of the chaos he creates. “I’m my biggest challenge”. When Andrew first moved into his HONK home, he made a bad move on financing furniture and bought everything all at once, costing him more than he could afford. He learned that buying one piece at a time was the smarter financial decision. He was also in the habit of shutting off his standby power every time he left the house, clicking off every switch on the board. He ended up only saving $4, and determined it just wasn’t worth resetting his clocks every day. “Trial and error,” he says.
Now, Andrew has gotten accustomed to homeownership. He is greatly appreciative of HONK for bending over backwards and providing continual post-purchase support. Andrew bought himself a new kitchen sink and doorknobs, which HONK installed for free.
Andrew cannot stress enough the wealth that homeownership can provide. Since finishing the program, Andrew spreads the mission of HONK everywhere. “I’ll share it with anyone who will listen- I could be in line at the grocery store. I will bring people to the water, but I can’t force them to drink.”
Andrew sees himself using his home as a springboard for other financial properties, either creating rental properties or flipping houses. Ultimately, he leaves it up to God’s plan. We at HONK wish Andrew continued success in all areas of his life and are so happy to have been able to provide him with a home.
