By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

A handwritten cardboard sign taped to the mailbox near the door reads simply Leslie and Linda Mason.

Hanging the sign was one of the first things the Masons did last month when they moved into their new house in Biddeford. After bouncing around from apartment to apartment, the couple decided it was time to become homeowners.

Leslie Mason, 64, and Linda Mason, 50, have been married for 17 years. They met while dancing at a club in Portland, where they shared their first apartment. They also rented apartments in Westbrook and Old Orchard Beach before moving to Biddeford a few years ago, she said.

“We’ve been renting for quite a few years,” Leslie Mason said. “Owning a house, it’s different. It’s different to wake up in your own house.”

The Masons said they prepared to buy their house by taking four classes through York County Community Action Corporation. The non-profit agency aims to help low-income York County residents minimize the effects of poverty and increase personal success through a variety of programs, including tax preparation and family budgeting classes.

Margaret Popp, a home ownership education counselor for the agency, said participants take about 12 hours of classes. The classes are offered monthly to anyone who is interested and cost $30 per person or $50 per couple.

The classes, which have been offered for 14 years, often include guest speakers such as real estate agents and lenders. Popp said the class starts at the “beginning of the process” when people are identifying if they really are ready to buy a house. Other topics include appraisals, inspections, how to avoid predatory lending, what to expect at a closing and expectations for maintenance and repairs.

“It was interesting to know all the things you have to do to get a house before buying it,” Linda Mason said. “I didn’t know they had loans to help people get a house.”

Linda Mason said the classes taught her and her husband about government loans, credit checks and how to maintain a household budget. She said she always dreamed of owning her own home but didn’t quite know how to make that happen until they enrolled in the classes.

After taking four classes last summer, Linda Mason said they started driving around to look at houses with for sale signs. When they drove past the house they ended up buying, they knew they’d found their home.

“I said ‘This is it, I’m taking this one,’” Linda Mason said. “Everything went boom, boom, boom into place.”

While taking a break from unpacking boxes, Linda Mason said she is quickly getting used to being a homeowner. Their pets are also adjusting – but a little more slowly, she said.

“My cat Precious hated it. She cried all night long. Our cat Bear loves it because he can run around and look out the windows,” she said.

Linda Mason said she loves her house because “it’s peaceful,” while Leslie said he likes the large rooms and picture windows. He said he is also eager to take care of the yard and shovel snow, chores he didn’t have to do when they rented apartments.

Linda Mason said she and Leslie enjoy showing off their new home to family members and friends. She said her mother and sister were particularly impressed with the house.

“They loved it. They thought it was a gorgeous house,” she said.

When not unpacking and decorating their new house, Linda and Leslie Mason keep busy working and volunteering. She works part-time at Wal-Mart in Biddeford, while he works at T.J. Maxx and Olive Garden in Biddeford.

The Masons said they have started to meet neighbors. While standing on their front steps, a neighbor walked by and waved as she called out her welcome and pointed to her house across the street. Linda and Leslie smiled, waved back, then wandered hand in hand into the backyard to check out their property.

For more information about home buying classes across the state, go to www.mainehousing.org or, for local classes, go to www.yccac.org.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.