Customer Success Story: Anthia

‘It was a godsend’

“I was just drowning in credit card debt,” says the single mother. Dealing with significant unpaid child support and rising prices, she found herself with just one alternative: credit cards. 

Juggling credit cards to pay for groceries and other essential expenses, Anthia says she felt that she was continually “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” She knew, though, that she had equity in her home, so she decided to find out how to tap into it. 

She started with her own mortgage company, inquiring about a home equity loan or home equity line of credit. While her credit scores had remained relatively stable, the company told her she couldn’t qualify because of a high debt-to-income ratio. As a customer who had always made her mortgage payments on time, she was more than disappointed. “I couldn’t believe they turned me down.” 

So, she took matters into her own hands and did some online research. She found Unlock, reviewed the website and looked carefully at customer reviews. “All I read was good,” she says. “Start to finish, people were happy with their experiences.” 

Her own experience confirmed what she’d read. The Unlock representative with whom she worked was patient and helpful, answering all her questions, Anthia says. “I was never in the dark.” She appreciated that she had plenty of time to think things through. “I never felt rushed.”  

Once she decided to move ahead with the Unlock home equity agreement (HEA), things moved along easily. “I felt like I had to jump through hoops with my mortgage company just to be turned down,” she says. “With Unlock, it was a seamless process,” she says. “What a breath of fresh air!” She liked the convenience of electronic document signature and the fact that the notary came to her home. “I never even had to worry about finding a babysitter.” 

With her HEA funds, Anthia was able to pay off credit card debt and keep pace with regular bills and expenses. Since then, she also has moved into a higher-paying position in her field. The financial stress she was experiencing is gone. “Now, everything seems more balanced.” 

Anthia anticipates ending her HEA when she sells her home. “I know that my current house is not my forever home,” she says, so selling and ending her HEA during Unlock’s 10-year term is within her long-term plan. For now, the HEA is helping her get on solid ground financially. “It was a godsend.”