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A Place of One’s Own

November 16, 2021
Tish Allen
Tish Allen


Since childhood, Dinithia Sampson has enjoyed making plans. Her analytical nature and natural curiosity are among some of her strongest characteristics, and they have served her well as she planned for her future from an early age.

“I had a lot of goals,” laughed Sampson, “I just understood that there were certain things I wanted to do with my life and that I wanted to succeed.”

 

A native of the New Orleans area, Sampson stuck close to home, for the most part, leaving only to pursue her education in medicinal chemistry and to explore her professional development. After 15 years of being away from her hometown, she felt called to come back and create a place of her own.

“A home is a place where you can be yourself and be free, a personal investment. I wanted to create that space where I could be close to my roots,” said Sampson.

In August 2019, she began touring neighborhoods and used popular online real-estate search engines as a tool to reacquaint herself with areas of interest to get an idea of current home prices. After extensive research, she decided to work with a broker to evaluate her mortgage finance options.

However, as a new homebuyer, she had many unanswered questions and the experience left her at a loss. “I was completely new to the housing market. I needed a lot of guidance, and pursuing a home purchase independently wasn’t the best choice for me,” said Sampson.

She turned to the expertise of financial institutions. After contacting several lenders, Hancock Whitney became her clear choice. “The customer service was supreme. My Community Lending Specialist, was very direct and organized, and I immediately felt comfortable. “I had a lot of goals,” laughed Sampson, “I just understood that there were certain things I wanted to do with my life and that I wanted to succeed.”

 

Dinithia Sampson at home

During the process, Sampson and her banker quickly realized that she did not qualify for traditional homewonwehsip assistance programs that ordinarily would provide homeowners with funds towards their down payments. “I simply didn’t meet the basic criteria to be eligible for many of the non-Hancock Whitney homeowner assistance programs,” said Sampson.

The two collaborated on the best rate and overall desired outcome. Under her banker's watchful eye, Sampson began lining up all her homeownership application tasks. Sampson was given closing cost estimates and budget recommendations. She started saving diligently to close the funding gap quickly. “I ate a lot of cheese sandwiches,” laughed Sampson.

Sampson’s cheese sandwich period paid off. She completed her home purchase in March 2021. Her dream home is nestled in a serene neighborhood in Harvey, Louisiana, close to her work, as desired. She said that its soaring ceilings, open concept layout, and outdoor patio are some of its most significant benefits.

“The way this house is structured is perfect for me. It makes it easy to entertain people, which is one of my favorite hobbies,” said Sampson. Thanks to Hancock Whitney's expertise, all she has to worry about now, Sampson said, is developing a green thumb to keep up with the landscaping.

Hancock Whitney is ready to help you Plan Your Way Home, as we helped Dinithia Sampson. For more information, please visit: hancockwhitney.com/plan-your-way-home.