Southern Ute tribal member Isiah Walton became a new homeowner on Tuesday, June 28, at the age of 23. The home purchase was made possible with the assistance of the Tribal Credit Division, Tribal Credit Committee, as well as his older brother and real estate agent Ty Lovato of Keller Williams Realty Southwest Associates. Walton’s closing marks the first private property/fee simple purchase to be financed by the Tribal Credit Division.  

Following the successful closing of the Isiah Walton property, Tribal Credit Division Head, Zebulan Vogenthaler is excited about encouraging other tribal members to pursue their journey towards home ownership and explained that the division has many resources available to aid in buying and owning property. “I just think it’s a monumental thing for the tribal members, the program is by far the best available out on the market right now,” Vogenthaler said. “From an interest rate standpoint, from a down payment standpoint, and just the amount of education they will get through the process to get them ready to go into homeownership.”

In a brief interview following the signing of his closure, Walton said he is thrilled to be a new homeowner and extends his gratitude to the Tribal Credit Division and Lovato for their continuous support throughout the process. “I feel amazing about it, I was renting here in Durango for a while and that got really expensive, so once I heard about this program going on I just couldn’t wait to get it going,” Walton says. “Zeb was a great help – he is a fantastic guy, and I was so glad to work with him.” Walton is especially thankful to his brother and Real Estate Agent, Ty Lovato, for his guidance on the road to homeownership. “My brother was a really big help with this, I definitely wouldn’t have done this if he wasn’t there with me – at first it was scary to think about owning a home at such a young age and dealing with everything that comes with it, like utilities and everything like that,” Walton emphasized. “Scary at first, but I had him to help me out – so it is always good to have someone there with you, being a guide.”

Tribal members can acquire loans to pay off an existing mortgage company for a lower interest rate, to help remodel or finance additions to an existing home, improve a tribal assignment or allotment with a modular or mobile home, and loans to purchase an existing home. “That’s what we are here for, most people will purchase a home once or twice in their life,” said Vogenthaler. “We are the experts on it, and we are here to help them through that process.” Tribal Credit is available to assist all tribal members in the property and home buying process, for more information contact the Tribal Credit Division Head, Zebulan Vogenthaler at 970-563-2458 or email zvogenthaler@southernute-nsn.gov.