BANGOR, Maine — A veteran family from Bangor will now always remember this Valentine's Day as the day their family was given a brand-new home with no strings attached.
After winning an essay contest judged by a panel from the local nonprofit Maine Veterans Project, Daniel Farrow was granted a mortgage-free townhome in the Maine Woods subdivision that he will now share with his wife, Marie Seymoure, and their 11-year-old son.
"During my time in the in the Marine Corps, I always looked forward to owning a home and having a family," Farrow said, reading from the letter that helped make his dream a reality.
Emily Ellis, the owner of Maine Woods subdivision, donated the townhome to the nonprofit with the belief that having a veteran family as the first residents to move in the developing subdivision would set the tone.
"They are going to be the kind of person you want to have as your neighbor, and they're just genuine, sweet people," Ellis said.
While standing in his new kitchen, clutching the keys to his new home, Farrow explained what receiving the new home would mean for him and his family.
"It means that it's going to be ok," Farrow said. "We don't have to worry anymore."
Farrow said he served in the Marines for six years, and he returned home to Bangor after he received an honorable discharge in June of 2020. shortly after settling in, he met his wife Marie and her son, and he set out to create a stable home for his new family.
"The current housing market just made things feel so out of reach," Farrow said.
Seymoure explained that they were in an uncomfortable living situation, with little space in their two-bedroom apartment. She also hinted at not having the best relationship with their property manager, which made it even more urgent for them to find a new place to call home.
"Every time we found one that we liked, and we'd go home and think about it," Seymoure said. "And we'd look at three houses one day and we'd be like, 'OK, we like this one the best.' We'd go put a bid—already gone."
Seymoure said her dad caught word of the contest and encouraged Farrow to enter. She said they found out that they won the new home together when representatives from Maine Veteran's Project called to schedule a meeting time and showed up at their front doorstep.
"I remember the day he called me. The day Doc [Shawn "Doc" Goodwin, president of Maine Veteran's Project] called him," Seymoure said. "And he was like, 'I've never heard of this company, but they say they want to give me something. I don't know what it is.' I'm like, 'Well, let me look into it.'"
Ellis said soon there will be a total of 60 single-family homes and 30 duplexes in the subdivision, making room for families just like Farrow's who are constantly wrestling with Maine's thin housing market.
"Sometimes we've had a lot of houses and not a lot of buyers. Other times, like now, we have an urgent need with many, many buyers who are looking to make their home here, and they just don't have access to anything," Ellis said. "These are the people that are going to be responsible for taking care of health care, setting your dinner reservation... These are all working people that just want to have a place to live."
Ellis received a little pushback from neighbors when she broke ground for the housing development project. She said she believes it was all just growing pains, explaining that everyone has to adjust to change.
As for Farrow, he said despite the frustration that he experienced while searching for a house, he never thought he would get this once in a lifetime opportunity.
"Don't give up, because life has a way of surprising you," Farrow said.
Farrow and his family will move into their new home on Thursday.