Derek Cleasby thought his mistakes and regrets would stop him from ever owning a home.

He didn't graduate from high school, and he and his wife were not encouraged when they started to explore homeownership for themselves and their five children.

"Things school were always rough," he says. "We came from a barebones. We would get a foot up, then things would come up and knock us back down."

But they met RG's Derek Ronning, who provided invaluable input and guidance toward their goal. It took a lot of time and hard work, but Derek frequently checked in on them with new tips and encouragements.

"I kind of feel like he had no reason to stick with us, but he did,"Luke says, " and he was such a cool guy about everything."

Derek, based out of RG's Apple Valley office, was thrilled during the summer when he was able to drive down to Montgomery to do a final walk through.

"They’re good, genuine, awesome people," Derek says, "and they were always grateful. Families like the at are what make my job fun."

Click here to watch a video of the Cleasby family and how long the journey to homeownership took them.