Wayne and Debbie’s Homeowner Story: Fulfilling a 20-Year Dream

When Wayne and Debbie moved back to Oberlin, Ohio from Pennsylvania, they knew they wanted to stay. Oberlin is Wayne’s home town, so the couple had no doubt it would be a great place to raise their family. They envisioned building a custom home, and seemed to be right on track when they were presented with an unexpected opportunity to purchase land.

“The property almost fell into our laps,” Debbie said. “We bought it from some friends who’d decided to sell.”

Then, life happened.

With job changes, the busyness of parenting, and then grandchildren coming along, Wayne and Debbie put the new house on the back burner, but held onto the property – for nearly 20 years.

“It took us a little bit longer to get here than we anticipated,” Debbie said, “but it had always been a dream to build our own home so we could put in what we wanted.”

Now, they’ve done just that, and they chose Schumacher Homes to make their dream a reality.

“We’ve always loved the Schumacher Homes,” Wayne said.

That’s especially high praise considering the couple had been shopping for their ideal home plan, and builder, for 17 years.

Changing Times

“We would go through different houses to see what we liked and didn't like,” Debbie said. “Of course, over the years the size and style of the home we were looking for changed.”

The housing market changed, too, until finally the home they’d lived in for 30 years – which was supposed to be a temporary fix – was a hot commodity in a seller’s market. They decided to list it, and it sold the first day.

“I was somewhat skeptical about building,” Wayne admits, “but once the house was under contract, a light bulb kind of went off: yeah, we’re ready to do this now. We really get to build.”

Wayne and Debbie visited Schumacher’s model homes in Ashland and Akron, and ultimately chose The Heritage plan. They decided the single-story home would best meet their needs, now and in the future, but also liked the plan’s gables with windows that suggested a second floor.

“I still like the look of two stories, so I liked The Heritage because it kind of fakes people out,” Debbie said. “It's got windows up above so people think it’s a two-story home. It has that curb appeal.”

The Heritage also offered an open floorplan that still affords privacy for all three bedrooms, flexible space off the great room, and the larger kitchen Debbie had always imagined.

“I’m into cooking, and baking especially, so I was always kind of picky about what I wanted kitchen-wise,” she said. “The big island and the counter space were really important to me, and then, of course, a walk-in pantry.”

Your Home, Your Way

But the pantry in the model home wasn’t quite large enough for what Debbie was looking for, so she consulted with their Schumacher Homes’ New Home Consultant, who came up with a custom solution. By reorienting the half-bath and relocating the linen closet, Schumacher created a five-by-ten, walk-in pantry for all of Debbie’s supplies.

“Everybody jokes that basically the whole house is built around my pantry,” she said. “But it’s so nice to have everything right there. It’s been great.”

They made very few other changes, the couple said, due in part to the high quality of Schumacher Homes’ standard features and finishes that include a 9-foot first floor ceilings and granite counter tops.  

Thinking back on their forever-home journey, Wayne and Debbie said that as they shopped for a builder, one way Schumacher Homes stood out from the rest was the company’s helpful, no-pressure customer service.

“When we went to look at the homes, they were always very friendly, and available to answer our questions,” Debbie said, “but we could take our time and didn’t feel like there was someone looking over our shoulders, ready to pounce.”  Whether it was their New Home Consultant or Construction Manager, responses were always prompt and no one made them feel like they were a bother.

With the custom home building process complete, Wayne and Debbie now marvel at the result.

“I walked in the other day, and just stood in the doorway because I can’t believe this is ours,” Wayne said. “We did it. We’re here.”

If you’re ready to be awestruck by your own home, call Schumacher Homes today to take the first step on your custom home journey.