Helping Heroes Find Home

BY MELANIE ROBITAILLE SR. STAFF WRITER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

While one pandemic’s narrative slowly dissipates, those watching housing needs across the continent have seen another’s arise in the form of homeless encampments. Homeless demographics are both vast and complex to tabulate in both Canada and the U.S., meaning so is the effectiveness of government and private programs in place, however new Point In Time (PIT) data is shedding a clearer light on successes such as in the case of veterans in the U.S.

“The number of homeless veterans has decreased by about 50% since 2009,” according to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans website. And with highly active programs such as Homes for Heroes, it’s easy to understand why. Canada has a similarly named, unaffiliated organization, however statistics still don’t look good north of the border. Canadian veterans go through a federal government screening process and the Canadian Foundation focuses on a housing first and harm reduction philosophy that includes tiny living developments. Both organizations started as a way to help the many veterans who struggle to transition into civilian life, the difference is, it’s a real estate program run through affiliates in the U.S., which has grown to financially give back to first responders, healthcare professionals, teachers, and veterans.

“We complement any other program out there,” explained Abby Waltz, National Director for Homes for Heroes. “Whether it's conventional, FHA or VA loans, downpayment assistance programs, or one of the tens of thousands of other programs across the country, we're an additional savings program to that. When heroes work with one of our affiliate agents, they get a check back to use however they see fit. We're just here to help make it a little more affordable for people who are putting their lives on the line every day to serve and better our communities in our country.”

How It Works

Heroes receive an average of $3,000 back when working with Homes for Heroes. The program also goes full circle by giving a portion of every home sale commission back to their non-profit Foundation, a charity aimed at assisting heroes in need through avenues such as disaster relief, tragedies in the line of duty, and also housing assistance amid the housing crisis.

George and Julie Green, Franchisees of EXIT Realty Green & Associates out of Kentucky, are that much closer to their goal of giving back $1 million to charity, thanks to their work with Homes for Heroes. Since becoming affiliates, they’ve made the 100 Heroes Served Club – having helped over 200 families through their office alone, and most recently ranked fifth in the nation within the organization as real estate specialists. Though not a hero himself, George is humbled to be surrounded by many saying, “The drive and determination for those who ‘run forward’ when everyone else is running away has always weighed heavy on my heart. The ability to thank people in a quantifiable way seems like the right thing to do for our industry.”

His wife Julie, who has both veterans and active-duty members in her circle, agrees from the perspective that a real estate professional is often the first person heroes or their families turn to when thinking of buying or selling a home. “It really should be the agents who are equipped with the tools and education to assist these individuals…In fact, that first call, and the direction the service member takes based on that first interaction with a real estate professional could have very long-term effects, positive or negative, so the more we can keep agents informed and educated to the unique needs of this population, the better,” she said.

Wanting to gain as much knowledge as possible, both of the Greens and members of their team obtained their Military Relocation Professional designation in addition to the training provided by Homes for Heroes. It’s both a personal and professional decision because they admit carving out a niche can make all the difference these days, but they also wanted to best serve their agents as well as their community which happens to be in very close proximity to the renowned Fort Knox.

Becoming An Affiliate

"It's really simple. You go through an interview process with us, we walk you through what the program looks like, and you agree to honor every hero that you work with,” Abby explained, which she admits is a real deal breaker for the organization. “If you won't honor every single hero, we won't allow you to become a part of our program because we feel it ruins the integrity of the program and can ruin the reputation of the agent locally. We never want that to happen for anybody. We coach and train agents on how to best serve the heroes in their community and in turn to grow their business on purpose. Much like EXIT Realty, we focus and lead with a service mindset which isn't always the case in our industry which has a tendency to focus on our own results instead of the successes of others. That's what differentiates our real estate affiliates and helps them stand out amidst a vast sea of agents." That attraction is what retired Wisconsin police officer and Sales Representative, Patrick Reese was looking for when he first got into real estate. Initially working with an independent office, Patrick was looking for marketing that would help him stand out, and knowing first-hand what it is to be a public servant for so many years, the Homes for Heroes program made complete sense to him.

“I’m around these extraordinary people every single day. They work hard, are selfless and Homes for Heroes was a way I could give back to the heroes I already knew,” he explained. “Prior to joining EXIT, I needed the branding. What has happened is I feel like I’m part of something bigger than me and there’s natural growth in the program through organic referrals. The networking it has provided me is priceless and I feel so great every time I’m able to give back.”

Patrick passionately believes the industry can be its own solution saying, “We can't just sell houses and move on to the next. We need to help the profession while serving others. We can help grow new clients by finding a pathway to homeownership. I strongly feel that if we can build smaller homes, in smaller communities, we can get the houses to a price point a veteran can afford to purchase. It would be life changing to the hero, but it would also secure and sustain the real estate industry for years to come.”

“I’ve often wondered what our communities and especially our heroes and their families’ lives would be like if EVERY agent, loan officer, and title company committed to the Homes for Heroes program and to giving back in such a tangible way,” Julie mused of the powerful compound effect programs like this can have. “How much better would we ALL be positioned just by doing the right thing?”

*Homes for Heroes, Inc. is a licensed real estate company in the state of Minnesota. Hero Rewards not available in all states. Hero Rewards offers are limited and/or restricted in Alaska, Kansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All savings amounts are estimates. The actual Hero Rewards amount may vary based on the services used, sale price of the home (less appropriate credits), and in special circumstances, including, but not limited to, new construction, below average commission, and For Sale By Owner sales. You must be enrolled with Homes for Heroes and be represented at closing by a Homes for Heroes Real Estate Specialist to be eligible for home price savings. You must work with a Homes for Heroes Mortgage Specialist and business affiliates to be eligible to receive additional service-related savings. Contact Homes for Heroes for further details.