How One Military Family Saved for a Home of Their Own

Ted Gelle retired from the military after 22 years of service. But staying in San Diego, where he was stationed, wasn’t an option. Gelle and his wife Tristian couldn’t afford to buy in such an expensive real estate market, so they moved into a camper with their three kids (and dog!) to save money. The Gelles lived together in tight quarters for more than two years before deciding to move out of California. But the sacrifice paid off when Linda Batten, REALTOR®, found the family their home in Virginia. The camper is still parked in their driveway as a daily reminder that no matter what is happening in the world around you, home is what you make it.

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[Music] after 22 years of military service I retired and staying in San Diego wasn't gonna be really an option for us living in California is if extremely expensive we were focused on trying to save and pay down bills him that's when we made the decision and three kids a dog and us two we went into a camper and we lived full-time for a little over two years this this was my bed my bed the first couple months were really tough this is the bathroom wherever you want our there was disagreements you really can't run away in a camp for a photo I feel so small now we went into it for financial reasons and this is a mixer but we definitely became much stronger as a family it's huge for a camper but compared to a house it's only like a living room it would have been tough to stay in California and with our kids starting to get older we decided it was time to move back to a house when the time had come for us to come back across country here in Virginia stand in line for plate we called her friend Linda batten real-estate agent and realtor know is your chair I'm making sure it gets to the end my husband's retired military so it's just military we give to each other what we can and so when Tristan said I need help I was there we always knew that she had our best interest at heart and that's when I started printing all the properties I went to all the homes I facetime but that didn't work because you saw where they live now it's out there I'm there video and then send it to him she would take us through every nook and cranny long distance the house came on the market at 11 a.m. and by 5:00 p.m. I had them an offer switch the whole time I was in the property you just saw him there it was their house so much it is definitely better this is an imagined but we consider a mansion because compared to a camper it is a mansion people trust you with the purchase of their home which is the largest investment they'll ever make wherever they lay the roofs that's what home is and I just want them you know while they're protecting us and serving us I want them to have a safe place in which to grow their families [Music]