TAMPA, Fla. — For years, Cynthia Carson’s daily routine was shaped by bus stops, long shifts, and rising rent.
Now, at 59, the East Tampa woman is celebrating something she once thought might be out of reach: homeownership.
What You Need To Know
Cynthia Carson, 59, becomes a homeowner in East Tampa after years of renting, working overnight hospital shifts, and relying on public transportation
Facing rent increases above $2,000 a month, she chose to buy, now paying about $1,605 monthly for her own four-bedroom home
She completed a first-time homebuyer program and received more than $85,000 in down payment assistance to make the purchase possible
Fifth Third Bank says it offers $3,600 to $7,500 in additional down payment assistance for qualified buyers, funds that do not need to be repaid
“Once in a while I take Lyft, but more than likely, I usually take the bus,” said Carson.
Without a car, Carson relied on public transportation to get to and from her job as a hospital worker, often working overnight shifts. But even with those challenges, she stayed focused on finding stability.
That urgency grew as her rent continued to climb.
“I started thinking about my age, and as I said, you know, if I continue to rent every year, I have no control over a landlord how they’re going to decide to go elevate the rent prices,” she added.
Facing the possibility of paying more than $2,000 a month in rent, Carson decided it was time to make a change.
“I’d rather pay $2,000 for my own house than to pay for somebody else’s house,” she said.
She enrolled in a first-time homebuyer class and, through assistance programs, received more than $85,000 in down payment support — help that ultimately allowed her to purchase a four-bedroom home.
Now, her monthly mortgage is about $1,605, which is significantly less than what her rent was set to become.
For Carson, the home itself mattered just as much as the financial shift.
“The first thing I was looking for was a bright room of sunlight in my living room,” she said.
Organizations working to expand access to homeownership say stories like Carson’s highlight what’s possible with the right support.
“We know that access creates opportunity, and so someone like you who’s going to be just focused on it and determined, it’s just we couldn’t be prouder of you,” said Nikki Bialka, senior director of CRA at Fifth Third Bank.
Fifth Third Bank offers between $3,600 and $7,500 in down payment assistance for qualified low-to-moderate income buyers or those purchasing in certain areas. The funds do not require repayment and can be used for down payments or closing costs.
“We’re here to help,” said Bialka.”I would just say homeownership is possible. It’s still the American dream, and we’re helping people become homebuyers.”
For Carson, the journey has also become a learning experience. One she hopes to share with others, including her children.
“You know, what may be good for you at that time may not be right for me at that time,” said Carson. “You know, this was, I think, the perfect opportunity, because by me going through learning about the Salita House, the Habitat for Humanity, it taught me the steps to what they’re really looking for in just buying a home. What can I really work on as just the average consumer?”
Her message: It’s never too late to start.
And with the right resources, the path to homeownership — and generational wealth — may be closer than it seems.