How the 2007 Market Crash, a Creative Deal, and My Dad’s Hustle Shaped My Real Estate Journey

2007 smelled like fresh opportunity—at least, that’s what my parents thought. They had just flipped a home, and a quick sale was the plan. But then, almost overnight, the real estate market collapsed. Buyers disappeared. Home values plummeted. And suddenly, my parents were staring at two mortgage payments with no way out.

At 19, I wasn’t exactly following the housing crisis. I was living in a tiny apartment with paper-thin walls, just grateful for my first “real” job. Buying a home? Not even on my radar. But my dad, always one to think outside the box, saw an opportunity.

“Why don’t you buy the house?”

I laughed at first. Me? A homeowner? I had no down payment, barely any credit history, and zero clue how a mortgage even worked. But my dad wasn’t fazed—he had built a life around solving problems in ways most people wouldn’t even think of.

We met with a broker who suggested a creative financing solution. Instead of a traditional purchase, I would take over the mortgage payments and get added to the loan. No down payment. No new financing. Just stepping into ownership. It sounded simple enough… except I barely understood what an interest rate was, let alone how to legally take over someone else’s mortgage.

But I trusted my dad. We made it happen.

And just like that, at 19 years old, I became a homeowner—not because I was financially “ready” but because we found a way to make homeownership possible. That house, the one my parents couldn’t sell, became my first home. Eighteen years later, I’m still in it—now with my spouse, our kids, and our cat.

Building My Real Estate Journey: Thinking Outside the Box

That deal didn’t just put a roof over my head. It changed the way I think about real estate forever. Most people believe selling a house fast or buying a home has to follow a rigid, traditional path. But that’s not how I see it.

Now in 2025, we do what my dad did back in 2007—find solutions where others see dead ends. Yes, we buy homes for cash when sellers need a quick way out, but we also help homeowners stay in their homes when possible. We look at every angle, every possibility, and every creative financing strategy available to help our clients get what they need.

Sometimes, the right deal isn’t the obvious one. Sometimes, it’s about reworking the pieces in a way that makes sense for the person sitting across from us.

I didn’t plan on a career in real estate, but that first deal shaped my real estate journey in ways I never expected. It taught me that there’s always a way—and now, I get to help others find theirs. ---------

Molly Ancel and Jerry Anderson are Minnesota-based real estate investors helping homeowners overcome financial challenges with flexible solutions. Former business professionals, they now focus on empowering families and strengthening communities. Learn about how they help at peerpointmn.com.