Home. Made.

Chosen Family

Mon, 7 Aug 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Kim Ceurstemont always knew she wanted to be a mother. In her late 30s and still single, she opted to become pregnant through a donor. She planned to raise her son on her own, but wanted her child to know who their father was. So she chose a donor willing to share his identity. His name was Guilherme Figueiredo. Gui and his boyfriend, Jeremy, had never discussed children, but both were supportive of Kim’s journey to motherhood. What began as an act of kindness between strangers evolved into a nontraditional family happily living under one roof.

To learn more about the podcast, go to: https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/podcast-season-3-episode-6

Thanks to Husmates for helping us find this story. Husmates specializes in matching people interested in co-ownership.

This season of Home. Made. was produced by Stephanie Foo (host), Rob Rosenthal (Story Editor), Marshall Whitsed (Producer), Kevin Ball (Producer), Annie Rueter (Producer), Pippa Johnstone (Producer), Kristie Chan (Sound Designer), Mark Angly (Sound Designer), Rehmatullah Sheikh (Audience Development), Sarah Kate Kramer (Writer), Ashley Ahearn (Writer), Mio Adilman (Showrunner), Dominic Girard (Showrunner, Executive Producer), Clay Closson (Brand Executive Producer)), Jessica Korbya (Project Manager), Bridget Hillyer (Creative Strategist), Calli Toman (Copywriter), Michael D’Agostini (Designer), Sarah Henseler (Copy Editor), Matt Cardwell (Publishing Editor-in-Chief), Casey Hurbis (Chief Marketing Officer).

As a “Home. Made.” listener, you’re eligible for an exclusive $2,000 credit toward buying a home. Use it to lower your interest rate or put toward closing costs. Visit https://www.rocketmortgage.com/homemade or call (866) 374-7050 to apply today.*

*Client will receive a lender credit of $2,000. This offer is only available to clients who call the dedicated phone number (866) 374-7050 or go through the dedicated website, apply, and close their loan through the dedicated program on or after June 12, 2023. Call (866) 374-7050 for cost information. Conditions and restrictions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in all 50 states. NMLSConsumerAccess.org #3030.

The Blind Surfer

info@pacific-content.com (Ling Pai, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

As a teenager, Ling Pai had barely settled into her new home, in a new country, when she learned she was losing her sight. She’d been diagnosed with dominant optic atrophy, a degenerative condition with no cure or treatment. Her vision would continue to get worse with every passing year, until she was effectively blind. For years Ling resisted – even outright ignored – the implications of her diagnosis. She refused to ask anyone for help, and stubbornly pursued perfection with everything she did. A crisis in her 20s – when she found herself alone at home, far from friends and family – forced her to confront and accept her condition. It liberated her to take on new challenges, ones that required her to ask others for help. Challenges like downhill skiing. And competitive surfing. Adventures that brought new waves of friends, family, and more places to call home.

To learn more about the podcast, go to: https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/podcast-season-3-episode-5

House Managers

info@pacific-content.com (Dareda Mueller, Robert Mueller, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

At one time, Robert and Dareda owned seven homes – including a massive lakefront property and a 50-acre farm. And then it all came crashing down. But that didn’t quite spell the end of their opulent lifestyle – or at least not the appearance of it. For the next decade, the couple occupied dozens of extravagant houses – none of which belonged to them. In exchange for living on the cheap in luxury homes for sale, they had to agree to keep them absolutely pristine and ready to show at a moment’s notice.

Love, Loss and Baking

info@pacific-content.com (stephanie foo, Ashley ahearn, Jazzmyn Cramer) — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Jazzmyn Cramer and Chris Phillips arrived in the desert outside of Chama, New Mexico, with plans to build a home and live a self-sustaining life together. But in a flash, a tragic accident changed everything. Suddenly, Jazzmyn found herself alone, broke, and in a town where she knew no one. She turned to the one thing that always consoled and steadied her through challenging moments: baking. And that gave rise to an idea she hoped might help her move on – by staying put and opening the Wilder Bakeshop..

Found In The Fire

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Brandon Smith was raised by a family of public servants, but he felt like he was more of a public nuisance. A couple of wrong turns after college landed him in prison. While languishing in his cell, lost and unclear on what path to take next, a prison counselor offered him an opportunity: volunteer for Fire Camp, and help California tame its wildfires. The idea of fighting wildfires terrified him – but it also sparked hope. If he could just survive the program, it might lead him out of the wilderness. And help him find out where he belonged.

The Birwood Wall

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 29 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

As kids, Esther Boyd and Teresa Moon spent hours playing alongside – and sometimes on top of – the 6-foot-tall, half-mile-long wall that cut through their Detroit neighborhood. But the wall’s intended purpose was much darker. It was built to segregate their Black neighborhood from the white families on the other side. The Birwood Wall had one job to do, but history suggests it failed spectacularly. Instead, the surrounding community has committed to redefine the legacy of the Birwood Wall and use it to celebrate the resilience of Black American culture.

There’s No Place Like Home. Made. Season 3

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 22 May 2023 04:05:00 +0000

Stephanie Foo returns with six new stories of people who redefine the meaning of home in ways that may just change your own definition. Two Detroit women work to reclaim a historic landmark built by hate and fear. A prisoner finds purpose and belonging fighting California wildfires. A woman transcends tragedy and builds a bakery in a town of strangers. A single mom adopts a new way of living and invites her donor and his partner to move in with her. A couple lose their fortune and end up living in staged houses that they don’t own and could never buy. These stories and more on Home. Made. season three.

Rocket Mortgage is an Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in all 50 states. NMLSConsumerAccess.org #3030. (833) 326-6028. 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226-1906.

Bonus Episode: The House Instagram Built

info@pacific-content.com (Kwandaa Roberts, Liz Segran, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 04:05:00 +0000

Back in our “Is There A Doctor In The Dollhouse?” episode, we met Kwandaa Roberts, a doctor who went viral on Instagram after renovating her daughter’s dollhouse. Now, we dive deeper into the impact that reality TV and social media have had on Kwandaa, interior design, and how we all see ourselves in our homes. Fashion journalist Liz Segran talks Queer Eye, This Old House, Instagram and more.

Bonus Episode: Return of the Ghosts

info@pacific-content.com (Victor Castro) — Sat, 9 Jul 2022 16:44:36 +0000

In this episode, we have another spooky story to share. We talk to Victor Castro, a paranormal

investigator, about the two ghosts he encounters in his home. He also provides some expert

insight into Steve and Krista’s ghostly encounters from our “My Roommate, The Ghost” episode.

Electric Lady

info@pacific-content.com (Shana Turner, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 2 May 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Shana Turner was struck by lightning and survived, miraculously unharmed – or so everyone thought. In the years following her lightning strike, she began to experience some serious physical and mental side effects and struggled to cope. To make matters worse, some of her family and friends refused to believe anything was even wrong with her. Desperate to return to the life she led before, Shana sets out to learn how to deal with life after lightning.

Mattie And The Motorcycle

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Mattie Murrey Tegels) — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Growing up in the church, there were a lot of things Mattie Murrey was told she couldn’t do. But she was a rebel – and a daredevil, too. Mattie raced motorcycles all over rural Minnesota when she was young. As she got older, however, her religious community told her it was not acceptable. She had to stop.

So, Mattie traded her favorite pastime for the life her community wanted for her: that of a doting mother and wife. That is, until a crisis of faith turned her life upside down – and Mattie found herself questioning the road she’d set out on.

The Lady Is A Saddle Tramp

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Shannon King) — Mon, 4 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000

When Shannon King’s marriage ended abruptly, she realized that somewhere along the way, she had forgotten her #1 priority: herself. She’d stopped doing the things she loved and lost her sense of self in a relationship that wasn’t working. Unsure of what else to do when everything fell apart, Shannon decided to make a change.

She vowed to leave everything behind and go on a journey with the goal of coming back a different, more confident person. And she wanted to do it all alone, on a horse in the desert.

One Thread At A Time

info@pacific-content.com (Jean Wilson, Rona Herman, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Two people find a sense of belonging through a shared hobby: sewing. First, a woman named Rona battles overwhelming social anxiety both inside and out of her home. After a particularly difficult episode, she receives an old sewing machine and decides to start trying to stitch her life back together.

Then, we hear the story of Jean, a seamstress who played an important role in one of America’s defining moments: the Apollo 11 space mission. After the famed lunar landing, demand for spacesuits was down, leaving Jean in search of her next big project. She finds an unexpected new mission, this time down here on Earth.

The City I Live In

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Ted Nelson, Tabby Refael) — Mon, 7 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Two people learn to love their new homes. First, a young girl arrives in Los Angeles from war-torn Iran with her family, seeking refuge. Her life is quickly turned upside down when the LA riots tear through the city where she was supposed to be safe. As she struggles to cope with the unrest of the riots, she finds comfort in one of LA’s most influential bands: the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In our second story, an older man gives up on love until a chance encounter with a journalist reconnects him with an old flame from his past. To pursue his second chance at finding love, however, he has to choose between his sunny life in Los Angeles and a move across the country to a brand-new city.

The Principal

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Michael Atkins) — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000

When Michael Atkins’s daughter was born, he vowed to support his family and be the father he didn’t have growing up. This meant swallowing his pride and taking a school custodian job, when what he really wanted to do was to be a teacher’s aide.

When Michael finally gets the chance to go from the janitor’s closet to the principal’s office and pursue his dream of supporting the youth in his community, he makes another vow: to be present for his students. Michael works tirelessly to take care of his students – but runs into trouble when he finds himself forced to choose between the vow he made to his family and the vow he made to his job.

Moving Out Of The Living Room

info@pacific-content.com (Ismael Chamu, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 7 Feb 2022 05:05:00 +0000

Ismael Chamu says he was homeless before he was even born. His whole life, he and his family were constantly moving from town to town, living out of garages and vans. Ismael even wound up homeless while attending an elite college – until his story went viral, and he and his family found permanent housing for the first time. But a whole new set of challenges arise when they realize they have no idea how to live in a real home.

The Accidental Mayor Of Mobile City

info@pacific-content.com (stephanie foo, kenny phillips) — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 05:05:00 +0000

Kenny Phillips once had it all. He held a prestigious, high-paying job as personal chef to baseball’s top player, Alex Rodriguez, and owned homes in Manhattan, Dallas and Miami. He rubbed shoulders with celebrities of all kinds – until a bad divorce meant he had to leave his luxurious lifestyle behind and move somewhere a little more humble: a trailer park. But that’s when this chef received an opportunity to serve people in a completely different and unexpected way – as their mayor.

Rez Ball

info@pacific-content.com (Quiana Dishface, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Quiana Dishface knew that going to high school off the Navajo Nation was her best shot at going to college to play basketball. On the reservation, where they played fast paced rez ball, she was a star player. At her new school, however, she faced racism both on and off the court – and she had to adapt to a new, more traditional style of basketball that clashed with some of her rez ball strengths.

But everything changed when her team was down one point near the end of a game, and her coach made the call: “give the ball to Q.”

Season 2 Coming Soon

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 3 Jan 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Rocket Mortgage is an Equal housing lender licensed in all 50 states. NMLSconsumeraccess.org #3030

Stephanie Foo returns with a second season of 10 brand-new episodes. Follow along as Stephanie explores the meaning of home with people from across the country. Like the Native girl who takes her basketball skills off the Navajo Nation; the personal chef to baseball’s top player, who finds himself the mayor of a city of mobile homes; the young refugee who learns to love LA thanks to the Red Hot Chili Peppers; and the homeless family struggling to settle in after they find housing and more in season 2 of Home. Made.

Rocket Mortgage is an Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in all 50 states. NMLSConsumerAccess.org #3030. (833) 326-6028. 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226-1906.

Boots On The Farm

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Jon Jackson) — Mon, 2 Aug 2021 04:05:00 +0000

During his time in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army Ranger, Jon Jackson completed six tours, was hit by over 20 IEDs and watched friends die right in front of him. Over time, he learned to dissociate and became numb to the horrors he witnessed. When he finally returned home, he found a new battle was just beginning.

At home in Georgia, Jon couldn’t get the help he needed for his PTSD. He felt like a danger to his family and struggled with thoughts of suicide. He knew he had to do something – so he bought a farm. Eventually, what started as an alternate form of therapy for Jon grew into a community and a place of healing – not just for himself, but for other vets in crisis, too. See a picture of Jon Jackson at his farm.

My Roommate, The Ghost

info@pacific-content.com (Krista Diamond, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 04:05:00 +0000

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, most homes come with a past. But what would you do if your home’s past was haunting your present? In this episode, we’ll hear two stories about people who discovered they were not alone in the homes they’d moved into.

After negotiating boundaries with an overprotective ghost, Steve learns to honor his Brooklyn home’s history. Krista, on the other hand, finds friendship and healing in a playful ghost’s company during an especially difficult winter in Telluride. For both Steve and Krista, the ghosts in their homes aren’t a source of fear; they’re part of the house and a connection to the homes’ forgotten pasts.

See pictures of Krista's apartment building in Telluride.

Home After The Hurricane

info@pacific-content.com (Stephanie Foo, Kim Ford, Joyce Jackson, Marla Nelson) — Tue, 6 Jul 2021 04:05:00 +0000

Kim Ford loved her home in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans. She dreamed of spending her retirement on her front porch in her cast iron rocking chair, surrounded by grandchildren. For her, homeownership was a spiritual experience.

But then Hurricane Katrina hit, and her family lost everything.

Suddenly homeless and sheltering in Dallas, Kim worked hard to get the help she needed to be able to return home – but it was an uphill battle. In this episode, hear Kim recount how she spent years fighting for her home and how she continues to fight for her community today.

Also hear expert insights on the history and rebuilding of the Lower Ninth Ward from Marla Nelson, a professor of planning and urban studies at the University of New Orleans, and Joyce Jackson, a professor of anthropology at Louisiana State University. Check out pictures from Kim Ford.

The Artist Who Drew Himself Out Of Prison

info@pacific-content.com (Valentino Dixon, Stephanie Foo) — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 04:05:00 +0000

When he was just 21 years old, Valentino Dixon was sentenced to 39 years to life for a murder he didn’t commit. When he first got to prison, he believed it’d just be a matter of time before he was exonerated, but as time wore on, he started to lose hope. Then, everything changed when his uncle sent him a set of colored pencils. He urged Valentino to start drawing – he said that if he reclaimed his life, he could reclaim his freedom. That he could draw himself out of prison.

And he did.

Like Father...

Mon, 7 Jun 2021 04:05:00 +0000

When Hrag Kalebjian agreed to take over the family’s coffee shop, he also saw it as an opportunity to finally spend quality time with his father, Henry – time he didn’t get when he was young and his dad was too busy working. But when Hrag starts making changes, Henry flips out. If they want the business – and their new-found relationship – to be successful, they’ll need to learn how to work together.

In our second story: Holly and her dad, Bo, had never been particularly close. With eight siblings to compete with, one-on-one time with her parents was hard to come by. But when Bo is diagnosed with dementia, Holly realizes she has to capture as many of his memories as she can before they’re taken from him. So the two of them embark on a road trip to the landmarks of Bo’s youth – and learn a lot about each other along the way.

As a “Home. Made.” listener, you’re eligible for an exclusive $2,000 credit toward buying a home. Use it to lower your interest rate or put toward closing costs. Visit https://www.rocketmortgage.com/homemade or call (866) 374-7050 to apply today.*

Home. Alone.

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Mon, 24 May 2021 04:05:00 +0000

In this episode: Two very different stories about communication issues, and how being home alone can become a catalyst for connection.

In our first story, Audrey Murray finds herself in Shanghai – completely unable to speak Chinese. When she discovers the Magic Number, however, she finds she doesn’t need to. Audrey comes to rely on it for everything, but when she’s invited to a banquet because of her constant use of the Magic Number, she realizes she needs to break out of her English-speaking bubble.

In our second story, married couple Rebecca and Shawne Huff face an unhappy life together unless they can learn how to communicate. With two teenaged kids and many years of marriage on the line, the stakes are high. Rebecca discovers something called “living apart together,” a unique living arrangement that could be the answer to her and Shawne’s relationship problems. They quickly learn that this new reality will require a lot of trust to make it work.

As a “Home. Made.” listener, you’re eligible for an exclusive $2,000 credit toward buying a home. Use it to lower your interest rate or put toward closing costs. Visit https://www.rocketmortgage.com/homemade or call (866) 374-7050 to apply today.*

The Landlady

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Mon, 10 May 2021 04:05:00 +0000

Thirty years before, a mysterious woman rescued Shaheen Pasha’s family from homelessness when they arrived in New York from Pakistan. The Pashas never forgot that act of kindness from the woman they’d known only as “the landlady.” But now, as anti-immigrant sentiment overtakes the country, Shaheen needs to better understand the landlady’s gesture, and to be reassured of the good in the world. She finds it in a surprising place.

Shaheen recounts her family’s struggles and triumphs and how they shaped her and changed her life. And then, her fascinating pursuit of the landlady, which unexpectedly leads her to the small town of Portage, Pennsylvania.

To look at pictures from Shaheen's childhood and her trip to Portage, go to www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/podcast-episode-4

Why Won't You Be My Neighbor?

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 04:05:00 +0000

When Michael Wood-Lewis moved to Burlington, Vermont, he was excited to start a family and to meet his neighbors ... but they weren’t as eager to get to know him and his wife Valerie. So – long before Facebook – Michael built a community-based social network. And not only did it introduce the Wood-Lewises to their neighbors, but it also transformed how most Vermonters interacted with each other in their own neighborhoods.

Michael describes the events that led to his forming Front Porch Forum and how he, Valerie and their young family finally became members of the Five Corners community. We hear from Kathleen Cagney, a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, who explains the behavioral science of social capital and the health risks of not knowing your neighbors (really!). We also meet Lauren Curry and Julia Andrews, who founded the food bank Westford Food Shelf ... and found a lasting friendship—all spurred by one message on the forum. And finally, tech/sci-fi journalist Andrew Liptak provides a sense of the rise of social networking in the early 2000s.

As a “Home. Made.” listener, you’re eligible for an exclusive $2,000 credit toward buying a home. Use it to lower your interest rate or put toward closing costs. Visit https://www.rocketmortgage.com/homemade or call (866) 374-7050 to apply today.*

The Man And The Mountain

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 04:05:00 +0000

In 1980, as Mt. St. Helens threatened to erupt, local officials evacuated the area. They had one problem: Local lodge owner Harry R. Truman refused to go. He said the mountain and the lake his lodge sat on were like his arms and legs, and if he left, he would die. But that’s what would happen if he stayed. We explore the behavioral science behind why some people refuse to leave home in the face of natural disasters, through the complicated story of Harry R. Truman.

Truman’s story is told by his niece, 93-year-old Shirley Rosen, who used to work at his lodge during the summer, and who stood by in Seattle hoping her uncle would come to his senses. Jennifer Horney from the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware explains why people want to stay at home even though they might be in danger. Thomas Hinckley, a former environmental sciences professor at the University of Washington, gives us the lay of the land surrounding Mt. St. Helens. He climbed it before and after the eruption. You can see some of his “after” pictures on www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/podcast-episode-2.

Is There A Doctor In the Dollhouse?

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 04:05:00 +0000

Philadelphia doctor Kwandaa Roberts had it all: a thriving practice, a big house in the suburbs, two kids. But she harbored a secret dream to be an interior designer. Her chance came about when she renovated a dollhouse. And it went viral on social media. But then the pandemic happened, and Kwandaa was forced to make some difficult life decisions.

Kwandaa tells Stephanie Foo her lifelong passions for both medicine and interior design. And the equally arduous paths she took to realize them. From delivering babies to redecorating dollhouses to designing homes. We’ll also hear from Sally Augustin, an environmental psychologist, who tells us how things like the colors of your walls and furniture can influence your psychological relationship with interior spaces.

To see pictures of Kwandaa’s dollhouses, click here.

Introducing Home. Made.

info@pacific-content.com (Rocket Mortgage) — Tue, 9 Mar 2021 14:24:32 +0000

Welcome to a new show about home, and what it can teach us about ourselves and each other. In 10 episodes, we'll hear unique and engaging personal stories about the pursuit of comfort and belonging, and the many different ways people define "home."

Rocket Mortgage is an Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in all 50 states. NMLSConsumerAccess.org #3030. (833) 326-6028. 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226-1906.