Laura Roman had been working with Stacey for over five years when she got a call from Stacey’s son. He had just left active duty and transitioned into civilian life. He needed a real estate agent.
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Stacey is an Air Force veteran and Gold Star spouse whose husband was killed in the line of duty. What began as a real estate relationship grew into much more as Roman served as our agent, advocate, and friend through renovation projects, long-term planning, and post-loss recovery efforts.
Roman is one of thousands of real estate agents in Homes for Heroes, a program established after September 11, 2001, to connect heroes with real estate agents and lenders who understand their needs.
Laura Roman
“This is not about a transaction,” Roman said in a statement provided to Inman. “It’s about trust. It’s about showing up consistently and understanding that ‘home’ means something different to families who have sacrificed so much.”
Founded by Ruth Johnson since September 11, 2001, Homes for Heroes connects real estate agents and mortgage lenders with what the organization defines as hero communities: active military, veterans, Gold Star families, teachers, first responders, nurses, and doctors. Since its inception, the program has given back nearly $192 million to heroes upon completion, with nearly $80 million specifically donated to military and veteran families.
Over the past two full years, the organization has served nearly 4,500 military hero families and returned more than $15 million in hero rewards. The program’s 501(c)(3) foundation has distributed $622,500 in grants to 58 military-focused organizations, on track to surpass the $2 million total in grants awarded in June of this year.
The meaning of Memorial Day in Homes for Heroes
Interim CEO Amit Kulkarni, a first-generation immigrant who took the job six weeks ago after founder Johnson took a leave of absence, said Memorial Day carries weight he didn’t expect when he joined the company.
Amit Kulkarni
“Despite all the things you hear on the news, this country is still very great,” he told Inman. “It’s not free. It really takes sacrifice to ensure our freedom and lifestyle.”
The group said Homes for Heroes is celebrating the holiday through events coordinated by its member organizations, including planting a flag at Phoenix Memorial Cemetery with the Sergeants’ Association. He also coordinates the annual Wreaths Across America deployment and POW/MIA recognition event at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
How the program works
Our affiliated agents and lenders work with local market heroes from search to closing. Heroes receive financial rewards directly after closing, deliberately timed to avoid disrupting down payment assistance programs that many people rely on to get into homes. A portion of the program’s proceeds will also fund the Homes for Heroes Foundation, which issues grants to organizations in need of heroes.
“The majority of the funds will go directly to the heroes,” Kulkarni said. “You’re giving back to someone who gave their life to the community.”
The program’s definition of heroes, a category that includes military personnel, veterans, teachers, health care workers, and first responders, represents an estimated 1 in 4 to 1 in 3 U.S. households based on federal workforce data. Homes for Heroes expects its share to be around 30% of the purchasing market.
agent opportunity
Kulkarni sees participation as both a mission and a business case for agents. He says agents who build relationships in the hero community are in a better position for referral-based business than agents who chase leads on portals.
Roman’s description of working with Stacey reflects that dynamic. Five years later, Stacey introduced her son when he retired from active duty. Since then, she has referred friends and colleagues.
“Serving a military family has changed me forever,” Roman wrote. “We have learned that the greatest impact we can make is not measured by sales, but by the relationships we build and the way we care for people long after we close.”
Heroes who have gone through the program describe their experiences in weekly testimonials, which the organization calls Hero Gold.
“This is a great program that supports our veterans and first responders. We appreciate your support.” — Shane, Virginia Army National Guard
“The arduous process of buying my first home turned into easy steps and everything went by so quickly.” — Christian, Arizona Army National Guard
“Our real estate agent thoroughly explained everything and answered all of our questions, making our first home purchase go very smoothly.” — Mallory, EMS, Ohio
Serving Gold Star Families
While Gold Star families are eligible for all of the program’s services, Kulkarni said homeownership is rarely the most pressing need for surviving families, and agents working with this community need to understand that difference.
“Back then, it wasn’t about buying a house,” he says. “It’s about giving them a shoulder to lean on. Let’s put people first.”
Kulkarni said the most effective affiliates are those who lead by listening, not trading. As Gold Star spouses manage losses alongside financial, housing stability, and family needs, a knowledgeable agent can act as a link to resources they may not know exist.
He pointed agents to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation as one resource worth knowing about. The foundation said it offers a mortgage-free housing program for surviving Gold Star spouses with young children. She said veterans loans, state-level survivor benefits and other programs are also available, and well-connected affiliates can help families navigate options they wouldn’t find on their own.
“These families made the ultimate sacrifice,” Kulkarni said. “Anything we can do to help them find stability during a very difficult time, that’s what it’s all about.”
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