Irvin “Poncho” Eddie’s Dream Home

“Poncho” Eddie ’s Journey to Buying His Dream Home in Charlotte

By Vanessa Clarke | Photos by Tye Feimster

During the current global pandemic and at the height of the housing market boom, Irvin “Poncho” Eddie moved to Charlotte from Benton Harbor, Michigan for a new job at Lowe’s Home Improvement. Being from a close-knit family, Poncho was excited to have recently moved back home to Michigan from New Jersey. He had job security as a 24-year professional with the Whirlpool Corporation, and he had just bought a great house that he planned to renovate. Eddie was prepared to live out his life in this small Michigan town where three generations of his family called home. He was content, until he found a new opportunity over 700 miles away in North Carolina.

Above: View of the Hollywood Room from the second floor; Poncho relaxes in the Piano Room.

In early 2021, Eddie took a chance and applied for a newly created Merchandising position at Lowe’s and was offered the job. He wanted to be sure that his new position would offer a certain amount of security. “Was I going to be able to stretch myself and have a better chance of achieving my goals?” he asked himself. He knew it would be a challenge to step outside of

his comfort zone and his long tenure at Whirlpool Corporation, but he wanted to explore new opportunities.

Before taking the position, Poncho received the blessing of his mother, Carolyn Fort, who said, “You’ve been so supportive of the family, and this is for you. Besides, I’ll have somewhere to visit.” With a steady flow of family and friends coming to help him pack for his new journey, Poncho was preparing to move for his new position. He started his search for a new home by working with Diane “Dee” Walker and Valerie R. Brooks Real Estate in Charlotte in April 2021.

But the search wasn’t that easy. The two real estate agents showed Eddie 85 houses, placed 15 bids, and was outbid on all of them by cash offers. Eddie felt a bit discouraged, and so he and his friend of 30 years, whom he had been staying with after his move, decided to become roommates until the real estate market slowed down.

Left: The renovated kitchen Above: The updated dining room

The very next day, the bid on what would become his new home in the University City area was accepted. According to Eddie, with such heavy competition from investment firms with cash offers, the competent strategy of Brooks’ team is the only reason they were able to get the house. “They worked their butt off for me,” Eddie said. The more houses Eddie visited, the less sure he became that he would be able to find all the requirements and amenities he wanted in a home. But thanks to Walker and Brooks, Poncho was able to find a unique home that he could make his own.

In the 2500 sq. ft house that Eddie finally decided to buy, with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, Eddie’s main requirements were found. Though the house is ideal, he was also impressed with the neighborhood. “Wherever I moved, it had to be a diverse area like where I lived in New Jersey,” Eddie said. With that as a starting place, “there could be NO new construction, had to have character, had to fit my piano, and had to be the right place for my chandelier,” he added. “It had the two-story foyer, catwalk stairs, archways that I wanted, the space of an extra room for my family, a formal living room, a family room and a TV room.”

During his search for a new home,

Left: Shades of white enhance the bedroom. Center: This elegant red chandelier was on Poncho’s wish list for 15 years. Right: The staircase after renovations.

Eddie visualized the décor he wanted in his mind. With each property, he saw something that he liked and would take with him as style ideas.

“I knew that I could make a house look modern and updated,” he said. The home he chose would have to have “timeless features and architecture, and character” so that he could transform it into what he wanted. “If I love it and it puts a smile on my face when I walk through the door, that’s all that matters,” he added. ”It’s not about the trends. It’s not about what’s popular now. It’s about what makes me feel good because it is the only environment that I can control.”

Eddie’s home is his sanctuary from the world. “I can’t control my environment at work, at school, on the road or anywhere else, but when I walk through my doors, my house has to rise up to meet me,” said Eddie. “That’s what I want it to do, and that’s where my inspiration comes from.”

By the time Eddie finally found his new house, he had the flooring, paint and furniture already coordinated. The biggest piece that he needed to get was a red chandelier that he had been eyeing for more than 15 years. The store owner of Red Collections in Greensboro, N.C., told him that if he found the perfect place for it, he would make sure that it was his. After finding the perfect spot in his home, the chandelier became the centerpiece of Eddie’s décor.

Along with mixes of metals like copper, bronze and gold, texture, color, and different eras, Eddie calls his interior design style transitional chic — a mix of traditional and mid-century modern with a focus on traditional shapes in a modern material. Nothing is necessarily old or new. Instead, the décor leans toward “clean lines and timelessness” to bring together pieces that will look fresh, regardless of the year. The addition of pieces that he already owned was done to affect how he feels when he’s in his new home. Even with the simplicity of a small statue of a horse that mixes metals and texture, no detail is insignificant.

A highlight of Eddie’s home is the Hollywood Room. In this provocative room, he closed off a built-in TV cabinet and replaced it with floor-to-ceiling a herringbone marble piece with a 14 ft. bookcase. The room is completed with a touch of Hollywood glam that is solidified with a vintage sofa from The Biltmore Estate and a large elegant black and white photo of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater that hangs above the fireplace. In that room and the rest of the house, “the style is inspired by how I want to feel when I walk in a room,” Eddie explained. “I usually sit in a room for hours and visualize it. I get a sense of how I want to put the pieces together, and how I want the colors to flow through the house.”

Eddie said he knows it’s important to enjoy your home, but it must also appreciate in value. He plans to extend improvements on his house in the coming year with a waterfall island in the kitchen. But he also said he wants to make the space easy to sell so that he can make a return on his investment. With a budget of $20,000, no corners were cut, but planning was consequential in making this property into a home for frequent visits from family and friends.

“I ultimately wanted to create a space where friends and family would come to visit, relax and feel at home.” P

Reinventing Your Career

After COVID

By Sunny Jordan, MBA, Strategic Partnerships Manager, WGU North Carolina

COVID-19 has many people asking the question, “What matters most to me and how do I want to spend my time?” The pandemic disrupted life as we know it, and many people are rethinking their life, career, and priorities.

With all that is going on in this world, you might be wondering if this is the right time to reinvent yourself. Maybe you are lucky and didn’t get sick, but found yourself scrambling to make ends meet, or caring for a sick family member or child. The pandemic increased our stress and caught us unprepared – physically, financially, and psychologically. That kind of uncertainty may feel uncomfortable and threatening, prompting you to exercise caution and avoid additional interruptions in your life.

However, history tells us that society will overcome this great challenge, as it has many times before, so we must think about what life will be like after COVID-19. Think about how you can move forward from survival mode into rebuilding your new self.

Last year, most of us indulged in relaxation, increased family time, and virtual companionship from our screens, which over time became unproductive and unmotivating. One explanation for this phenomenon is a quote by Plato: “Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” We should use this quote as a steppingstone on the path to the next version of ourselves and our careers.

With numerous opportunities before you, this is the right time to pursue your dream career. Here’s how:

1. Assess your past experiences

• Think in chronological order, taking your most recent job and working backward. Identify tasks, responsibilities, awards,

and accomplishments for each job. You can also do this if you are a current college student. • Think about skills and experiences you have that would interest an employer.

Write down scenarios where you gained or used those skills. • Ask yourself, “What are my strengths and weaknesses? What skills do I want to improve or showcase?”

2. Develop many possible selves

When you aren’t certain what the future holds for you, or the path you started on takes a detour, here is your opportunity to create a diverse portfolio of options. On this journey of exploration, you may have to experiment, test, and learn more about who you are.

This idea of possible selves is your guide to discovering who you might want to become.

Have an open mind, be creative, and imagine the endless possibilities available for your future self. Ask, “What does my future look like and how do I want to show up?” This exercise is meant to be freeing and innovative.

3. Explore growing career fields

If you’re looking to change careers during this time when many people are working from home or furloughed from their jobs, try exploring growing industries like cybersecurity. Experts predict that global cybercrime damages will reach $6 trillion in 2021, up $3 trillion from 2015! That’s why jobs like information security analysts are expected to grow by 31%.

In the end, when it comes to reinventing your career in this time of crisis, remember this important point: The time to do it is now — but don’t go it alone. At WGU North Carolina, an affiliate of the accredited nonprofit Western Governors University, online programs are designed to help you succeed in your dream career. At WGU, you have an entire team of faculty members and a mentor whose #1 job is empowering you toward success.

EXPLORE STEMulatingprograms at Livingstone

NOW OPEN

F. GEORGE SHIPMAN SCIENCE BUILDING

STEMulate your mind in our newly-constructed F. George Shipman Science Center Annex, which features biology and chemistry labs, research spaces and a state-of-the-art planetarium/immersion theater. Statistics show that black student enrollment in STEM majors is declining. Livingstone College is intentional about creating solutions to assist students interested in these areas, which is why we’re offering grant-in-aid to new students who choose a STEM major. That’s basically a free education after federal financial aid is considered. For more details, email Dr. Dawn McNair at dmcnair@livingstone.edu.