Success Stories
In February 2026, Cheyenne came to Tiwa Lending Services (TLS) ready to begin her homeownership journey. She shared that she and her wife wanted to find a home that would bring them closer to her workplace and allow them to begin building their future together as a family.
TLS staff met with Cheyenne to assess her overall readiness and guide her through the homebuying process. She had already identified a realtor and obtained a pre-approval, demonstrating her commitment and preparation from the start. As she searched for homes within TLS’s currently approved counties, Cheyenne realized that finding a home closer to her employer would better support her long-term goals and quality of life.
Cheyenne returned to TLS and requested approval to expand her home search into Torrance County. TLS presented her request to the Board of Directors, along with her personal testimony explaining why she chose TLS as her lender and how homeownership would positively impact her family’s future.
In her testimony, Cheyenne shared that she and her wife had been renting for 11 years and that pursuing homeownership represented a significant milestone in their lives. She explained that becoming a homeowner would make her the first person in her immediate family since her grandparents to own a home — a goal that carried deep personal and generational meaning for her family.
Her request was approved, and Cheyenne was overjoyed to continue her search with greater flexibility and confidence. Soon after, she and her wife found a home, submitted their purchase agreement, and began moving forward in the process. During this time, Cheyenne continued strengthening her financial readiness by increasing her savings, paying down credit card balances, and completing homebuyer education courses.
Along the way, Cheyenne faced an unexpected challenge related to changes in her employment pay and benefits. At that point, she had to make a difficult decision: continue moving forward with the purchase agreement or pause to ensure the changes would not negatively affect their household budget as they prepared to take on a mortgage payment.
Cheyenne chose to step back and reassess, a decision that demonstrated both wisdom and responsibility. Although it was not easy, she wanted to ensure that she and her wife would be financially secure and confident when it came time to sign the final documents.
After working with her employer and receiving confirmation that her compensation would remain stable, Cheyenne was able to resume her home search. She and her wife soon found another home that met their needs and aligned with their goals.
We are proud to share that Cheyenne and her wife achieved homeownership in April 2026.
Throughout their journey, they demonstrated determination, patience, and focus. It was an honor for Tiwa Lending Services to walk alongside them during such an important milestone, and we look forward to seeing all that their future holds in their new home.
Tiwa Lending Services (TLS) had the privilege of meeting and working with Alexis in September 2025 when she first came to TLS to explore qualifying for a home loan. At the time, she was considering purchasing a potential family home and initially applied on her own. Alexis qualified for financing, and TLS provided her with a pre-approval along with guidance on the next steps toward purchasing a home on the Isleta Reservation.
Shortly afterward, Alexis informed TLS that she would no longer be pursuing the purchase of the family home but hoped to work with TLS again in the future.
Little did she or TLS know that the future would come much sooner than expected.
In January 2026, Alexis returned to TLS with plans to purchase a home off the Isleta Reservation alongside her significant other, Michel. We were excited to welcome her back and see how their combined financial readiness increased their homebuying opportunities.
Together, Alexis and Michel demonstrated what homebuyer readiness truly looks like. Their strong savings provided confidence in covering upfront costs, contributing a down payment, and preparing for their future mortgage payment. They also showed financial responsibility through positive payment histories and the absence of derogatory credit activity.
After receiving their pre-approval, Alexis and Michel worked closely with Alexis’s mother, who served as their realtor throughout the process. Having a trusted family member guide them through their home search brought an added level of comfort and familiarity to their experience.
For Alexis and Michel, purchasing a home was about more than simply finding a place that met their needs. It was rooted in a deeper purpose. During the pre-approval process, Alexis shared that they had signed up to become foster parents for Native children under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Finding a home with enough space to support children and create a welcoming environment became an important part of their journey and their commitment to serving their community.
As TLS worked alongside Alexis and Michel, we were reminded of the importance of giving back and how supporting one another strengthens our communities. Alexis shared that she chose TLS because she “truly believes in supporting our Pueblo and believes in the mission and goals Tiwa Lending supports and aligns itself with.”
Her testimony reflected the heart of Tiwa Lending Services as a Native CDFI, an organization created to support Native communities through access to lending, homeownership, and opportunity.
We are proud to share that Alexis and Michel closed on their home in April 2026. We celebrate not only their achievement in homeownership, but also the meaningful path they are creating as future foster parents. We wish them continued success as they begin this exciting new chapter together.
In 2023, TLS was in the midst of a rebranding effort. As part of the project, our consultant collaborated with a talented local Native graphic artist, Adrian Tsosie, who created vibrant new backgrounds and PowerPoint templates for our materials. Through this work, Adrian became more familiar with TLS’s mission and services. During conversations, he shared that he was actively saving money and growing his small business, with a long-term goal of becoming homeowner-ready. We let him know that when the time was right, we’d be here to help.
In 2024, Adrian attended our Homebuyer Meet & Greet event, where he mentioned he was getting closer to applying for a mortgage. At that point, his primary focus had shifted to reducing debt. He remained committed to the process, and in early 2025, he joined all four of our in-person Financial Education Workshops, where he openly shared how the knowledge, he gained was positively impacting his finances.
That March, we invited Adrian to be a panelist at our Native Youth Empowerment Symposium, where he spoke on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He inspired Native youth by emphasizing the importance of financial literacy and early financial planning.
Through these consistent touchpoints—events, workshops, and one-on-one coaching—we built a strong and trusting relationship with Adrian and his wife, Nicole. In March 2025, they officially applied for a home loan. Thanks to their diligent savings and continued financial preparation, they were approved, and in June 2025, the Tsosie family closed on their new home.
Mrs. Alvarado and her family had inherited a home on the Isleta Pueblo Reservation and we’re excited to move in but also explore renovation options. Mrs. Alvarado had applied with TLS in 2022 for a home renovation and was approved. After approval, she started the Pueblo of Isleta Homesite Application and proceeded retrieving all required department signatures. When she started this Homesite, there were some delays with Tribal Administration since they had a hold on housing development.
TLS did not want her project to be delayed too much and helped her with a consumer loan of $50K! This helped her family start phases of the renovation. Mrs. Alvarado also attended our 3-week Financial Education Workshops and received her certificate. Mrs. Alvarado spent her 2023 waiting for her completed Residential Lease survey and then when completed, BIA and Pueblo of Isleta put a hold on the Residential Lease process.
TLS worked diligently with BIA and Pueblo of Isleta to verify the new protocol they were brainstorming, once changed, TLS was finally able to turn in her BIA packet to Pueblo of Isleta for recording. We received her recorded documents in 2024 and could move forward with a mortgage loan closing. It is with such joy to share that Mrs. Alvarado closed on her home in August 2024!! She was able to utilize down payment assistance from Oweesta’s WORTH Initiative. The mortgage loan was able to help her the remaining phases of the renovation. We enjoyed her determination, cooperation, and patience.
Stephanie has rented since early adulthood, becoming independent at 18. In 2022, she
and her partner, Derek, combined households and focused on building strong
budgeting habits and savings. Encouraged by family and aware of rising home prices
and uncertain interest rates, they began discussing homeownership in the summer of2024.
While home shopping, the couple found prices in the high $400,000s, making the
process feel challenging. Stephanie reached out to Tiwa Lending Services to see if
mortgage options were available outside the reservation. After learning they were,
Stephanie and Derek completed the pre-approval process, continued their search, and found a home that fit both their needs and financial plan.
Stephanie and Derek became Tiwa Lending Services’ first mortgage closing in the
Albuquerque Metro Area. With the addition of down payment assistance, Tiwa Lending
Services helped ensure greater comfort and stability with their loan terms. We are
proud to celebrate this exciting milestone in their journey to homeownership.
In 2023, TLS was in the midst of a rebranding effort. As part of the project, our consultant collaborated with a talented local Native graphic artist, Adrian Tsosie, who created vibrant new backgrounds and PowerPoint templates for our materials. Through this work, Adrian became more familiar with TLS’s mission and services. During conversations, he shared that he was actively saving money and growing his small business, with a long-term goal of becoming homeowner-ready. We let him know that when the time was right, we’d be here to help.
In 2024, Adrian attended our Homebuyer Meet & Greet event, where he mentioned he was getting closer to applying for a mortgage. At that point, his primary focus had shifted to reducing debt. He remained committed to the process, and in early 2025, he joined all four of our in-person Financial Education Workshops, where he openly shared how the knowledge, he gained was positively impacting his finances.
That March, we invited Adrian to be a panelist at our Native Youth Empowerment Symposium, where he spoke on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He inspired Native youth by emphasizing the importance of financial literacy and early financial planning.
Through these consistent touchpoints—events, workshops, and one-on-one coaching—we built a strong and trusting relationship with Adrian and his wife, Nicole. In March 2025, they officially applied for a home loan. Thanks to their diligent savings and continued financial preparation, they were approved, and in June 2025, the Tsosie family closed on their new home.
Mrs. Alvarado and her family had inherited a home on the Isleta Pueblo Reservation and we’re excited to move in but also explore renovation options. Mrs. Alvarado had applied with TLS in 2022 for a home renovation and was approved. After approval, she started the Pueblo of Isleta Homesite Application and proceeded retrieving all required department signatures. When she started this Homesite, there were some delays with Tribal Administration since they had a hold on housing development.
TLS did not want her project to be delayed too much and helped her with a consumer loan of $50K! This helped her family start phases of the renovation. Mrs. Alvarado also attended our 3-week Financial Education Workshops and received her certificate. Mrs. Alvarado spent her 2023 waiting for her completed Residential Lease survey and then when completed, BIA and Pueblo of Isleta put a hold on the Residential Lease process.
TLS worked diligently with BIA and Pueblo of Isleta to verify the new protocol they were brainstorming, once changed, TLS was finally able to turn in her BIA packet to Pueblo of Isleta for recording. We received her recorded documents in 2024 and could move forward with a mortgage loan closing. It is with such joy to share that Mrs. Alvarado closed on her home in August 2024!! She was able to utilize down payment assistance from Oweesta’s WORTH Initiative. The mortgage loan was able to help her the remaining phases of the renovation. We enjoyed her determination, cooperation, and patience.
Stephanie has rented since early adulthood, becoming independent at 18. In 2022, she
and her partner, Derek, combined households and focused on building strong
budgeting habits and savings. Encouraged by family and aware of rising home prices
and uncertain interest rates, they began discussing homeownership in the summer of2024.
While home shopping, the couple found prices in the high $400,000s, making the
process feel challenging. Stephanie reached out to Tiwa Lending Services to see if
mortgage options were available outside the reservation. After learning they were,
Stephanie and Derek completed the pre-approval process, continued their search, and found a home that fit both their needs and financial plan.
Stephanie and Derek became Tiwa Lending Services’ first mortgage closing in the
Albuquerque Metro Area. With the addition of down payment assistance, Tiwa Lending
Services helped ensure greater comfort and stability with their loan terms. We are
proud to celebrate this exciting milestone in their journey to homeownership.