Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephanie Washington. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Stephanie , thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Our Mission is to foster healthy communities of homeowners by helping individuals build strong financial habits. What sets us apart is our holistic approach to financial wellness — we don’t just focus on getting people into homes, we focus on ensuring they’re financial prepared to sustain homeownership long-term.

The reality is, many organizations are addressing the symptoms of the problem, like getting people into homes quickly, but they’re not addressing the root cause — things like affordability, income stability, or financial education. Too often, we see people put into homes they can’t afford, with no solid understanding of how to budget, save or grow their income. The result is a vicious cycle where individuals are still financially vulnerable, even after achieving homeownership.

We believe in taking a different path. Instead of just handing someone keys to a home we want to teach them the financial skills needed to maintain and thrive in that home. Homeownership, to us, is a benefit of strong financial habits — it’s not the end goal, it’s the results of proper planning, savings, and mindset shifts.

That’s why the mission is so crucial. We need to move away from simply surviving or doing just enough, but we need to start teaching people how to thrive financially. There’s a lot of financial trauma out there — people stuck in cycles of poor money habits. We aim to change the mindset, reprogramming those behaviors to not just survive but thrive in an ever-changing landscape. it’s not just about owning a home; it’s about creating lasting wealth and financial freedom for generations to come.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Stephanie Washington, and my husband and I own Married2Mortgages. We’ve been married for 20 years, and we have two children – our son is joining the military, and our daughter is in the process of figuring out her life and college path. Our journey into homeownership started when we were just 21 years old. We had plenty of income, but weren’t financially mature. Poor money habits nearly cost us our home — twice. Thankfully, we had a strong support system to overcome those barriers, but I know firsthand how overwhelming financial struggles can be, especially when it comes to maintaining something as big as homeownership.

Fast forward a few years, my husband and I opened an insurance agency, where I was introduced to the mortgage side of things. I was initially insuring homes, but I quickly realized that I wanted to do more — I wanted to help people stay in their homes, especially when unexpected financial circumstances arose. That’s what sparked my passion for the mortgage industry. I wanted to make a bigger impact and help people navigating not only the process of buying a home but the financial responsibilities that come with it.

Now, we run a full-service financial wellness company. We focus on addressing the challenges that prevent people from achieving and sustaining homeownership. Whether you’re mortgage-ready, we’re here to guide you. We don’t just disappear after you close on a house — we’re committed to being there for you along the way and long after.

What sets us apart is the full support and leadership of my team at Capital Federal Credit Union. They recently promoted me to Senior Vice President and believe in the mission and vision and believe this will be the pillar for change in a lot of communities. We don’t just look at homeownership as the end goal. We believe homeownership is a benefit of good financial habits, not the result. Our goal is to ensure our clients have the tools and knowledge to sustain their homes, manage their money, and grow their wealth long-term. That’s why our motto is built on helping our clients Build, Grow, and Thrive.

What I’m most proud of is how deeply personal this mission is for us. As believers, we see this work as part of God’s calling on our lives. We’re not just in the business of mortgages and financial wellness — we’re building God’s Kingdom here on earth. We want our clients to experience all that God has promised, and it’s humbling to be used as a vessel for his glory.

The main thing that I want potential clients to know is that we’re here for you every step of the way. We’ve walked this path ourselves, and we’re committed to making sure you have the support and education needed to not just buy a home but to thrive in every area of your life. We’re not just teaching people how to get a mortgage — we’re teaching them how to build a stable financial future, and that’s what we’re most passionate about.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met my co-founder — who also happens to be my husband back in 2001 when we were in college. I walked into Spanish Class, and according to him, it was love at first sight — can you blame him? It took me a minute, but not much longer than that! We were inseparable and became best friends before we started dating. Since then, we’ve been attached at the hip.

We actually worked together in the early stages of dating, before careers and kids, so having a business together has been a long-time goal of mine. There’s really nothing better than sharing both life and business with the person you love. It’s been an incredible journey, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner in every sense of the word.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Our reputation has been built on two key pillars: referrals and relationships. We’ve always believed that service and leadership are at the heart of what we do, and that mindset has contributed significantly to our success. By focusing on truly serving our clients — going above and beyond to understand their needs, educate them, and support them long after they’ve closed on a home — we’ve created lasting relationships that naturally lead to referrals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.married2mortgages.org
• Instagram: Married2mortgages2770617
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/married2mortgages
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loanheroes

Image Credits

Aron “Dreamz” Williams