SYRIAN REFUGEE WHO ARRIVED IN US WITH NOTHING BUYS FAMILY HOME AGED 19
A Syrian refugee who arrived in the US with nothing to his name has bought a stunning $310,000 home in Maine for his family at the age of just 19.
Ahmad Alsaleh closed on the property last month despite the highly-inflated housing market after fleeing the Syrian Civil War with his family in 2011 and moving to the US via Jordan in 2016.
His father works part-time and his mother is disabled, so as the eldest child with three younger siblings to support, Ahmad took on the challenge of carving out a better life for his family.
This year, he secured their first home - a beautiful three-bedroom home which boasts a double garage, fire-lit living room and spacious backyard patio close to the Kennebec River in leafy Augusta.
'[My parents] sacrificed everything in their country for their kids,' Ahmad told Bangor Daily News. 'It's not even 'motivation,' that's just a word. You've just got to do it. If I don't carry the family, who else is going to?'
Their journey began in Arizona in 2011 before they made their way to Maine with the help of the Catholic Charities' refugee resettlement program two years later.
The charity found the Alsalehs an apartment in the Maine capital of Augusta - but it was cramped and falling apart, Ahmad said.
Showing incredible work ethic from the start, Ahmad took on three jobs all while studying at Cony High School.
By the time he turned 18, Ahmad had saved up an impressive $40,0000.
After graduation, he managed to secure a free scholarship to study business management at Central Maine Community College in Auburn.
The grind continued through his first year as he also sustained a full-time job while learning as much as he could about real estate and investing.
This side-hustle paid dividends when he was connected with local State Senator and realtor Matt Pouliot.
Pouliot also bought his first home young - at the age of just 20 - and runs a real estate office in downtown Augusta.
He was impressed by Ahmad's drive, and he soon hired him to work at his real estate firm in the summer after the refugee graduated high school, and even offered to help him look for his family home.
'Folks who are refugees from war-torn countries [have] this other level of drive,' Pouliot told Bangor Daily News. 'Ahmad is one of them. He's like, "Hey, nothing's gonna be given to me in this country. I'm gonna have to earn it".'
Even working several jobs, securing his family home in Maine's highly-inflated housing market was no mean feat.
Augusta is plagued by some of the fastest-rising home prices in the country, and homes below $400,000 get snapped up within days.
Ahmad managed to secure the house with the help of Pouliot, who arranged for him to see the property before official viewings started. He put down a $310,000 offer - $25,000 over the asking price.
He was able to fund the deal with a first-generation homebuyer loan of $10,000 for the down payment from MaineHousing, which also offered low fixed interest rates.
But securing the loan wasn't easy - he had to get the home appraised twice and organize roof repairs before the deal could be sealed.
Ahmad said he plans to redesign the home to create five bedrooms, while his mother is looking forward to growing their own fresh produce in the garden.
The property on Melville Street comes complete with a backyard patio sporting a barbecue grill, and a dining table with a parasol.
Situated in the heart of Augusta's historical district, it also has a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen with an island, a formal dining room, and 1.5 bathrooms.
And Ahmad said his journey doesn't end here - he plans to pursue his career in real estate and help others achieve the same success his family now enjoys.
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