Homes for Heroes Helps Those Who Serve the Nation and Local Communities
Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photography Provided
Every day we rely on individuals who serve our country and our community in some way. These people include firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), law enforcement officials, health care professionals, teachers and veterans. Homes for Heroes is a nationwide program, established in 2002, that provides benefits to those who serve our nation and its communities when they are buying and/or selling a home.
Angie Turley, a loan officer, has been working with local heroes for the past 10 years. In that time she has helped several thousand firefighters, police officers, medical workers, educators and military members save money through Homes for Heroes. Qualifying heroes include paramedics, EMTs, law enforcement officials, first responders, all ranks of active military members, as well as reserves and veterans of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. This also includes nurses, doctors and health care professionals, as well as prekindergarten, elementary, secondary and post-secondary educators, professors and administrative staff.
In Hendricks County, Turley partners with broker/realtor Keri Arthurton of Harvest Realty Group, who works in Avon, Plainfield, Brownsburg and Danville. Harvest Realty Group has partnered with the program as a way to thank these heroes for all they do to protect and serve our community.
“Over the past few years, Harvest Realty Group has had the honor and privilege to give back over $150,000-plus to our local heroes,” Arthurton says. “As a former middle school teacher, I love getting the opportunity to give back to those that make our neighborhoods a better place to live.”
“The client gets a check back for $250 for every $1,000 Keri makes,” Turley adds. “It’s pretty sweet because the average savings for Homes for Heroes is a couple thousand dollars.”
Turley estimates that 30% of her business is “hero business.” In fact, last year her team was the number-three affiliate in the country and number-one in the state.
Kim Kiritschenko, an officer with the Brownsburg Police Department who works in Brownsburg schools, agrees.
“Buying and selling a home can be complicated, even intimidating, but working with Angie and Keri made the entire process smooth and flawless,” says Kiritschenko, who notes that her family sold their home within days, found the perfect new home and received money back from both sales. “They were always a text or phone call away and ready to show us any home we asked to see. We saved so much by using Homes for Heroes and found that they made the whole experience as easy as possible. We even received money back from each sale and were able to put that towards our new home. I’m so thankful we used Homes for Heroes.”
Turley and Arthurton regularly mingle with community members because they are passionate about educating the public on this rebate program. Therefore, they attend National Night Out events in the county, and are also heavily involved with the Brownsburg Education Foundation, the Danville Fire Department and others.
“We do a ton of stuff within the community because a lot of people don’t know that they are offered this rebate, so we promote it a ton within the community,” Turley says. “We want to benefit them and give back to them.”
Time and again, clients appreciate the help. Just last year, Turley and Arthurton closed on a home for which the clients needed a deck repainted because it was a Federal Housing Administration requirement.
“It was a down-payment assistance program, so this police officer was able to get the rebate and repaint her deck, because she didn’t have the money to do so,” Turley says. “It was a win-win situation for everyone.”
For more information about the program and how it can provide savings when buying and/or selling a home, and to register as a hero, visit homesforheroes.com, or call Turley at 317-797-0615 or Arthurton at 317-696-7661.
