ICYMI: U.S. Bank Serves as Lender in Viral Home-Buying Story

(Breakout image courtesy of Mike van Schoonderwalt/pexels.com)

The Washington Post last month highlighted the story of Jailynn Dickerson, a 21-year-old from Canton, Ill., who purchased the family home her grandmother had previously had to sell.

Dickerson’s lender was U.S. Bank.

“It’s a privilege to help make sustainable homeownership possible every day, but moments like this–when a granddaughter purchases her grandmother’s home–bring that work to life in a special way,” said U.S. Bank’s Regional Sales Manager, Retail Home Lending, Mike Czuba.

Dickerson’s grandmother, Susan Rilea, had to sell the house in 2023, after it needed repairs she couldn’t afford.

“Dickerson was devastated. She wanted to buy it at the time, but she couldn’t afford to. So she decided, at just 18 years old, that she would buy it back someday,” wrote the Washington Post’s Maggie Penman. “She didn’t realize the opportunity would come so quickly.”

Dickerson worked three jobs, Penman described, at Dunkin’ Donuts, Aldi and as a tattoo artist. And when she started looking to buy a house, she saw her grandmother’s house listed again for sale. Dickerson jumped on it, got approved and closed two weeks later.

She kept the news a secret from Rilea until she closed. Then, she surprised her grandmother and posted the reveal on TikTok–where it went viral.

“In an industry that can be challenging and fast-paced, we don’t always get to see the joy homeownership brings firsthand, and stories like this are a powerful reminder of why we are in this business,” Czuba said.