Originally from central Massachusetts, Daniel was living in Aspen, Colorado when he decided to move back east to be closer to his family. Daniel was a skilled woodworker, and a friend who worked as an electrician suggested he come to work on Nantucket. That was in 2004, and Daniel has called the Island home since.

When he first arrived here, Daniel found a room in a shared house with other adults. But after a while, the chaos of living with too many people got to him. Daniel found a garage apartment through word of mouth and although the rent was more than he wanted to spend, he took it.

At this point, Daniel began to seriously consider home-ownership. The idea of paying  down a mortgage instead of high rent appealed to him. He completed Housing Nantucket’s First Time Home Buyer class to learn more about local options. He obtained pre-qualification from Cape Cod 5 Cents Savings Bank, and applied for the Sachem’s Path lottery. Although he ultimately wasn’t selected to purchase a home in Sachem’s Path, Daniel persevered.

“After Sachem’s Path fell through, things didn’t look good,” Daniel said. “Nothing in the open market was in my price range, and the big down-payments needed were over the top. So I let people know I was looking, and hoped something would turn up.”

Then, a friend approached Daniel with a proposition to join him in a real estate acquisition. The friend planned to purchase a property that contained two structures, and would utilize Housing Nantucket’s Covenant Program to subdivide the lot. One of the lots would remain unrestricted, and the other would contain the Covenant Home, subject to a price cap and residency requirements. Daniel’s friend asked him if he’d be interested in purchasing the Covenant Home.

“At first, I didn’t think I could qualify,” said Daniel. “When I discovered I could, I was all in. My friend and I went to the Planning Board together and got approval to subdivide. Then, I obtained Closing Cost Assistance from the Town of Nantucket’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Everything fell into place.”

“The Covenant Program allows me to live and work on Nantucket,” said Daniel. “I have another 15 years before I retire. After that, I doubt I’ll be able to afford to live here. But when I move on, I’ll be selling my Covenant Home to another year-round resident who needs the housing. It feels good to know I’m part of the solution.”

Housing Nantucket’s Covenant Program keeps Nantucket’s workforce on-island. Your support helps us create more opportunities for Nantucket’s year round community. Every contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a difference. Thank you!