Cameron and Brooke Morris always knew the rural lifestyle was perfect for them and their growing family. Finding and financing their perfect property was never a question of if but when. With patience, love and partnership guiding them, they set out to build their forever home.
Their love story began in Nashville where they met in 2010 while Cameron attended college. Brooke, a middle Tennessee native, captured his heart—and so did her hometown. Cameron knew he wanted to make it his home, too. “I came down to Nashville from southern Indiana to go to Belmont University,” Cameron said. “After I met Brooke, I knew she was worth staying in Tennessee for, so I decided to stick around here.”
After having their son Jensen, the Morris Family moved to Mt. Juliet in Wilson County, Tennessee, settling in a subdivision. But something was missing. “We moved to a subdivision with very small yards,” said Cameron. “We lived there for a couple years, but knew it never felt like home. We liked the idea of having more space here in Wilson County and always wanted some land.”
Cameron and Brooke’s patience paid off when they found the perfect property—secluded yet close to town. As a nurse practitioner, Brooke values the balance of being close to her work while still having the perfect place to escape for their family. “It feels like you're out in the country, but you're really in the middle of Mt. Juliet,” she said. “I loved the land and imagined building a house and raising a family here. I grew up on my parents’ 35-acre farm, so this feels like home.”
For four-year-old Jensen, the land is an outdoor paradise that they hope will give him an excellent childhood and opportunities to grow in outdoor hobbies. “He has a lot of fun just running around, playing in the mud puddles and swinging in the backyard,” Brooke said. “He loves watching the building process, too. That's been exciting for him, watching all the excavators and bulldozers out here.”
Cameron and Brooke quickly learned how important partnership would be, both in marriage and taking their home build to the finish line. Thankfully, they were able to rely on the support of their Rural 1st loan officer, Jonathan Harrison, to help them navigate financing questions and any challenges that came up along the way.
“Jonathan was very grateful to meet with us several times and rework the numbers as needed to get us where we needed to be to make this house a reality,” said Brooke. As plans changed due to material availability and design updates, Brooke, Cameron and their loan officer utilized the Rural 1st digital draw tool to help them keep up with their progress and manage their budget.
Brooke and Cameron’s patience is paying off as they’ve been able to build their home with the custom touches they were hoping for. From incorporating a larger living room and customized cabinetry, to relocating their laundry room and designing a wraparound porch, they credit Jonathan’s support and expertise with helping make their plans a reality.
“Jonathan sat down with us multiple times and walked us through every detail. Since he also grew up on a farm, he understood the importance of having land to raise a family on.” With the support of Rural 1st, the Morris Family is getting Closer to What Matters®. For Cameron and Brooke, that’s always been fellowship and family.
Interested in financing your own custom rural home? Connect with a Rural 1st loan officer today to learn more and get Closer to What Matters®.
