People choose to build their dream home in the country for many reasons. For Jim and Christine Kesler, their decision wasn’t based on luxury or square footage, it was about dignity, love, and legacy.
The Keslers were close to paying off their home in Trenton, Mich., located about 20 miles southeast of Detroit, when they decided the home would not accommodate their needs any longer.
Accessibility Challenges
The Keslers’ daughter, Victoria, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (M.S.) at 19 and her symptoms progressed quickly. What started with dizzy spells and acute eye issues quickly led to Victoria requiring a walker, then a wheelchair.
The tight quarters of their colonial-style home led to Victoria, now in her early 30s, becoming virtually homebound. With no easy way for her to enter and exit the home, her electric wheelchair regularly damaging their hardwood floors, and the only accessible bathroom being located upstairs, the need for an accessible home was urgent.
“We had been going to [a fitness center] and taking her there to do a shower,” said Christine. “With her no longer able to support herself enough to even pivot out of her chair, she’s fully a lift move at this point. So that was no longer an option there either.”
Adding to the Keslers’ urgency was the fact that Jim, while mostly asymptomatic, also has M.S. With Jim nearing retirement, and knowing the disease often progresses with age, the Keslers knew they needed to find a place where their family could truly feel at home, one that would support them for years to come.
The Keslers designed their new home to provide everything their daughter Victoria needs to thrive, including lifts, concrete floors, accessible rooms, and sidewalks around the home.
Searching for Solutions
Victoria, Jim, and Christine scoured real estate listings. After months of doing their own research and working with a realtor, their countless hours of searching led to a dead end. There were homes available but none met the accessibility requirements of their family.“There’s honestly nothing that is handicapped accessible. Buying another house and having to renovate it wasn’t going to work either,” said Christine.
Planning a Place to Call Home
The Keslers came to the realization the only way they were going to find the home they were looking for was to build it. They made a list including their specific requirements for property to build on, which included it being somewhere without a home owner’s association (HOA), enough buildable area to construct a ranch home with no physical barriers, within 15 minutes of a hospital, a reasonable distance from Jim’s workplace, close to town and shopping, up to 10 acres, access to water, and the ability to hunt on the property.It took the Keslers two years to find the land where they would build their home. During that time, they saved enough money to pay for the property with cash. After securing the property, they quickly transitioned to searching for a contractor.
Finding a Trusted Partner in GreenStone
The Keslers eventually identified a construction company that gladly agreed to take on the unique challenges their project presented. After learning of the difficulties they were having with the appraisal they received when seeking financing, the builder recommended the Keslers to reach out to GreenStone.Upon hearing the Keslers’ story, Stephanie Lundy, senior financial services officer at GreenStone’s Adrian branch got to work. Utilizing the equity in the Keslers’ current home and the property they owned outright, she was able to roll their former mortgage into a new construction loan. Stephanie also worked with a new appraiser to ensure the value of the Keslers’ project was fairly evaluated and accounted for the value of the accessibility upgrades the plan included.
“Stephanie really worked out great for us,” said Christine. “She helped us move along with as few hurdles as possible.”
Stephanie saw the challenges the Keslers presented as an opportunity – not simply to facilitate a loan, but to help a family in desperate need of a new home.
“My father is in a wheelchair. When I first heard their story, I immediately resonated with many of the challenges the Keslers have experienced and wanted to do everything I could to help them,” said Stephanie.
“GreenStone’s lending policies gave me the ability to help this family on their timeline,” she said. “The Keslers’ story is about more than simply wanting a new home, it is about ensuring a good quality of life for their family today and in the future.”
Breaking Ground
After the long journey of deciding they needed to build, finding a location for their new home, and securing the right construction and financial partners to support their vision, the Keslers assumed the construction process would present more of the same – consistent challenges and lots of waiting.
However, their contractor exceeded their expectations by not only accommodating their requests but working diligently to do everything possible to get them in their new home quickly.
“In a three-week period, from the 4th of July to the 25th of July, we had a fully framed house with siding, windows, roof decking, and shingles. That was three guys. That was it. They were amazing. They were there on the holiday, Sunday — they didn’t care. They just got it done,” said Jim.
The Kesler's French Bulldog, Dottie, explores her new home.
Building a Legacy
With construction now nearly complete, the Keslers look forward to moving into a home that will accommodate their needs today and for years to come.
For the first time in years, the Keslers’ new home will provide Victoria the ability to live in a way most people take for granted – without barriers. Concrete floors will provide a smooth surface for her wheelchair, a customized garage and lift will help her enter and exit the home safely, and sidewalks outside have been designed to allow her to spend time outdoors. She already has plans for a butterfly garden on the property. In the future, Jim has plans to purchase a side-by-side vehicle to allow himself and Victoria to ride down to the river that touches their property.
The Keslers have plans to host their family, allowing a place for relatives to stay when they visit to hunt on their land. The home will also allow Jim and Christine a place to “age in place” without the worry of needing to relocate in the future. They also intend to pass the home down to Victoria and her brother, James, who also suffers from M.S.
Summing up her feelings about her new home, and the conclusion of the long journey it took her and her family to see it to fruition, Christine concluded, “it’s well beyond my expectations.”
To view the rest of the 2026 winter Partners articles please click here.
