Publisher: Sioux City Journal

A dream becomes reality
Family builds their own home for physically disabled son with help from Homestead Homes
By Jean Hansen - Special Section Editor

 Living in split-level home with bedrooms and bathrooms on the second level posed a problem for homeowners Brian and Shannon Gibson of Wayne, Neb.

Their son, Jess, a 5-year-old with Cerebral Palsy, was unable to get to the bedrooms or bathrooms without help from his family.

"What used to be simple, everyday tasks are becoming difficult," said Shannon, Jess's mother. "Bathing is hard as he can't sit without support. He wants to be able to be up in his chair so that he can eat, watch TV, and use the computer."

They realized that their son would grow heavier and taller as he grew older, and they would need a more accessible home.

So they began their search for homes that they could possibly modify but couldn't find anything within their budget. If it was near their budget, it was going to need expensive changes to fit their needs.

"We also wanted to stay in Wayne," said Shannon. "We love the community, the location is between both of our jobs, and the school system has been great with Jess." Shannon has been the behavior interventionist at Norfolk Junior High for the past five years, and Brian has been the grounds superintendent at Twin Creeks Golf Course in Pender, Neb. for the past 11 years. They have three children, ages 11, 7 and 5.

Brian heard about Homestead Homes of America because it has been a big part of the Wayne community, but he didn't know if that was an option for them.

Just to see if Homestead Homes could do something for their situation, Brian called the corporate office in Wayne and asked for information. The next thing they knew, a representative from Homestead Homes was at their home, telling them they were qualified for financing and showing them layouts of homes.

"I couldn't believe it!" Shannon said. "Was our dream really becoming a reality? Was Jess going to be in an environment where he did not feel challenged? This was too good to be true!"

They ended up choosing the Joplin floor plan because it was all one level and it was wide open so that Jess could drive his wheelchair all around the house without bumping into doors. To ensure that the modifications they made to the floor plan would suit their son's needs, they searched the Internet and talked to families with the same situation.

"We wanted Jess to be able to drive his wheelchair into the basement. We knew we wanted a home where Jess could drive his wheelchair into the home without steps, have an accessible bathroom with a shower, wide doorways and halls, have it be all one level, and have a walkout basement," said Shannon. "Homestead Homes worked with us to modify the plan, and together, we developed the home we had been dreaming of."

Shannon said some of their favorite amenities of their new ranch-style home include: the sliding doors to the deck, which allow Jess to drive his wheelchair outside so they can enjoy sitting outside, grilling and eating together as a family; the Jacuzzi bathtub; the fireplace with oak surround; and Jess's private quarters, which will allow him to have more independence and privacy as he gets older.

Homeowners can bring their own custom design, work with Homestead Homes' plans, or add modifications to Homestead Homes' plans to suit their needs.

The Gibsons said their new home was obtainable because Homestead Homes finances the construction and pays the subcontractors weekly, while requiring no payments from them during the construction.

This gave them the freedom to build without the burden of two mortgage payments. And they were able to start their project with less than a $1,000 investment. Homestead Homes is unique in that it has Homestead Capital Company to help finance the early construction loan and Lincoln Financial for permanent financing.

Brian said he liked the Homestead Homes system because he was the contractor. He could choose his own sub-contractors, look at their work, and decide if they were right for the job. He also got his own bids.

In addition, he was saving thousands of dollars in fees and commissions and building equity in the process. On average, homeowners who use the Homestead Homes system earn $44,267.

The couple started building their dream home in September 2005. Reality sank in when the homeowners started to dig the basement.

"That day was one of the happiest days of my life," Shannon said. "To think my son will be able to 'escape' the challenges of the outside world and do things independently is worth more to me than I could ever express in words."

The great part was that they didn't have to do it all alone. They had access to customer service representatives and a regional construction manager who could help them through every step of the building process.

In six months, the Gibsons were painting the interior of their new home and anticipating the day when they would move in.

Today, the Gibsons are living in their dream home, feeling confident knowing they have made an investment in their future.

"This has been an experience of a lifetime," Shannon said. "Brian and I are very happy and satisfied with Homestead Homes. They helped our dream become a reality, not just for my husband and I, but for my entire family."

Homestead Homes of America has been helping families like the Gibsons for the past 10 years; in that time, more than 1,100 new homes have been built.

Let Homestead Homes of America be your building partner. Homestead Homes has offices in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. For more information, call (800) 331-9550 or visit them on the Web at http://www.hhoa.net.