A first-time homebuyer’s story: How teacher makes it a reality

Updated Sept. 25, 2025, at 10:02 a.m. CT

DUBUQUE, Iowa—For many years, Dubuque teacher Janie Houselog was a single parent, putting her children’s goals ahead of her own. Their happiness, she said, meant more to her than her own.

With her children raised, married and in houses of their own, Janie was finally ready to explore buying her first home. She and her fiancé, Josh Post, wanted a place where they could more easily host their growing family, which now includes grandchildren.

But their path to homeownership wasn’t straightforward.

After asking Janie’s bank to consolidate some of their debt to prepare for a home loan, they were quickly turned down—leaving them reluctant to ask for help again.

“They just said no. They couldn’t do that for us. And they said we’d have to wait a few years to get a home,” the teacher said. “I was gun shy to ask after that.”

A son’s push toward a fresh start

But Janie’s son, TJ Houselog, wasn’t willing to let the dream die.

He knew it was simply a matter of going to the right place.

“I started pestering my mom about going in to talk to someone about her finances,” TJ said. “My mother lived her best life by giving everything that she could to her kids. Through Dupaco, I felt that it was time to return the favor.”

Janie and Josh eventually agreed to give Dupaco a try.

How they prepared for homeownership

The couple began meeting with Dupaco’s Spencer Smith and Tressa Pergande.

Not only did Dupaco consolidate the couple’s debt, but the credit union also explained how to financially prepare for homeownership.

“Going into Dupaco, we were thinking about what we could do to get on the right track to buy a house a couple years down the road,” Janie said. “And to our surprise, it was more like months.”

Within a few short months of consolidating their debt, the couple’s credit scores skyrocketed.

And Dupaco said they were ready for their first home loan.

“It seemed almost unreal that the consolidation helped our credit scores go up so high,” Janie said. “I’ve worked two jobs my entire life, and buying a home never seemed like a reality for me. I had waited so long, I was kind of in disbelief.”

One of the biggest lessons the couple learned was the difference between a traditional bank and a credit union.

Working with Dupaco “made all the difference in the world,” Janie said.

“They stand behind people. They make me feel like I’m worthy, and they treat me like family,” she said. “I wish I would have gone to Dupaco sooner, but everything happens at the right time.”

Credit union or bank: What’s the difference? >

The moment homeownership became real

After getting financially ready, Janie and Josh bought their home.

Their house is humble but homey, close to the English teacher’s school and a perfect place to welcome their grandbabies for visits.

“It’s an added bonus that we were able to buy my grandparents’ home,” Josh said. “It’s super special for us—a place we now get to call home and make memories with our family.”

Thinking about your own first home?

Every first-time homebuyer’s story is unique. For this couple, the key was finding a supportive lender, consolidating debt and building confidence along the way.

If you’re dreaming of your first home, you can take small, intentional steps today:

• Financial moves like consolidating debt could make an impact.
• Explore our first-time homebuyer resources.
• Use our free home affordability calculator to estimate how much you can afford.