Your Key to the City

Corliss Richardson is a native Washingtonian who combined assistance from DC Open Doors and HPAP to purchase her Ward 5 condominium.

“The reason I wanted to purchase a home in D.C. is because of its transportation, property taxes are lower than Prince George’s County and D.C. offers better grants than the surrounding areas,” said Richardson.

Richardson attended an orientation about District housing programs where she learned about DC Open Doors. She actually knew about HPAP because she had used it to purchase her first D.C. home, which she sold 28 years ago.

“Once I found out that HPAP was still in existence and was offering more money than in 1994, I knew then it was my time to use the program again. To become a homeowner once again,” she said.

Richardson received her HPAP certificate during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, so she ended up facing some delays. “I persevered in my search for another training through Lydia’s House so I could receive another certification. The only thing I needed to do was update my financials which made the process less stressful,” said Richardson.

When asked what advice she would give to other aspiring homebuyers, she said, “Be organized: make sure you have all of your documents so you can submit them at one time. Patience: it’s a virtue. Have confidence: know the people you are working with are looking out for your best interests. And communication: have a dialogue with your team so you may achieve your goal.”