Thomas and Charlene's Story: How Truehold gave them a second chance at finding their dream home
Róisín Goebelbecker
Brand Lead at Truehold
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It’s impossible to predict the future, so sometimes we end up regretting past decisions. If you bought a house that isn't working for you, how can you get out of your mortgage and buy a new home?
The Truehold team talked to Thomas and Charlene, Truehold residents in St. Louis, who used a sell and stay transaction to finance their dream home.
A Fantasy Becomes a Reality
Thomas and Charlene had been living in their house for a few years when they realized it wasn’t big enough to fit their needs. They started imagining their perfect home: space to host out of town family members, a beautiful yard, a huge kitchen. But they were resigned to that home always being a fantasy—with the mortgage they still had on their current home, they didn’t believe there was any way they would be able to buy a new house.
When they heard of Truehold, they grew curious. Melody, their Truehold representative, explained how with Truehold, they could unlock their home equity and be empowered cash buyers on a new home.
Thomas and Charlene were surprised and delighted by Truehold: “I feel so good because I thought nothing like this could really happen…They made it work for us…We were able to close in time to find a bigger and better home.”
With the equity from their previous home, they were in an ideal situation for the new move and easily able to cover all the taxes, closing costs, and additional moving expenses. “That money really helped us out.”
“I thought nothing like this could really happen… We were able to close in time to find a bigger and better home.”
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Click hereThomas and Charlene’s Dream Home
When they found their new home, Thomas said he knew immediately that it was the home he had been dreaming of since he was a child: “All the thoughts I had about what I wanted, I now have it.”
Thomas and Charlene love interior design and have turned their new house into a haven. Charlene said, “We enjoy the peacefulness, the setting, the coziness of this beautiful home we have. When I’m at work I just want to get home because it’s peaceful and cozy here.”
Thomas has “a lot of things that I love doing around the house,” and, being from the country, he especially loves taking care of the flowers and trees in his yard. He wants his home to look “spectacular” so “when people come around, they can love it like we love it.” Charlene is a baker and is thrilled about the size of her kitchen: “I have the space and the room to do what I love to do.”
“I have the space and the room to do what I love to do.”
A Home Made to Host
Thomas has 11 brothers and sisters. On July 4th, they have all the siblings, their kids, and their grandkids over for a barbecue. Thomas grills and plays pool while Charlene does karaoke. In their new home, they can throw a party without limits.
All of Charlene’s family lives out of town, and they now have extra bedrooms for visitors. “This is so much better because I get to spend quality time with my children and my grandchildren... My father lives out of town so he gets to come and visit and spend quality time with us.”
They couldn’t love their new home more. “I wanna thank Truehold, because this wouldn’t be possible for us to get this nice, beautiful, gorgeous, spacious home if it weren't for Truehold,” Charlene said. “This is our second chance at a dream home, and we finally got it.”
“This is our second chance at a dream home, and we finally got it.”
Thank you to Thomas and Charlene for sharing your story!
Longing to move into a home that’s a better fit? With Truehold’s sell and stay transaction, you can sell your home, unlock your equity, and fund your perfect next step.
This story is based on an interview between the customer and a member of the Truehold team. All quotes are from the customer, with some words cut for length and clarity. The customer may have received compensation for their time.

Róisín Goebelbecker
Brand Lead at Truehold
Róisín Goebelbecker is the Brand and PR Lead at Truehold. With a BA in American Studies from The University of Notre Dame and a Certificate in Social Impact Storytelling from Georgetown University, she has a history of writing about American life. Before coming to Truehold, she was a social services coordinator for older adults and witnessed both the obstacles they face and the inspiring stories they share.Since joining Truehold in 2021, she has helped shape the company’s public relations, community engagement, corporate social responsibility, and storytelling efforts. She believes that older adults deserve to choose their desired lifestyle and that sharing their stories can challenge ageist attitudes.
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