Case Study: How Paula and Darren Built Wealth Faster—Without a Mortgage
The Challenge Paula and Darren, prior homeowners from Phoenix, were relocating to Raleigh for Paula’s job promotion. With solid credit and income, they qualified for a mortgage—but quickly realized that traditional homebuying came with significant financial downsides: High upfront costs – Down payments, closing costs, and agent fees totaled tens of thousands upfront. Interest-loaded mortgage payments – Their first 18+ years of payments would mostly cover interest, not equity. Locking into a high-rate mortgage – With rates exceeding 7%, they’d be overpaying for the same home. Financial inflexibility – A mortgage would tie them down before they’d fully adjusted to their new city and job. Traditional homebuying felt financially restrictive. Renting wasn’t the answer either—it meant zero return on investment