For more than a decade, Chris and Jodi Marchand admired the townhouse-style condominiums overlooking the Thames River at 64 Scotch Cap Road — Thames Landing. They sit high on the river's western shore, with views across the Thames to the Navy base in Groton on the other shore.

Chris, a disabled Navy veteran, got a good look at the condominium association — in Waterford's Quaker Hill neighborhood — when he was on a nearby dock building site. Today, he works for a maintenance contractor that services Pfizer's manufacturing facility, and his wife, Jodi, is a professional hairstylist. When they heard that a brand new, two-bedroom condo was for sale, Unit 171, they seized the opportunity to buy their first home and sought the counsel of Amy Jones, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway in Niantic. There was only one problem: The property was not VA-loan approved.

With the help of the seller, listing agent Barbara Goestch of William Pitt Sotheby's, and Jill Kass at Prosperity Home Mortgage — plus, Chris' tenacity in appealing to the Veterans Administration — the Marchands were able to procure their VA mortgage.

They settled into their new home in August 2021, just in time for Chris to celebrate his 60th birthday. "It all worked out. All the stars aligned, but it was not an easy road to get here," Chris Marchand recalled.

They appreciate the convenience the property affords; it's close to their workplaces. Plus, there's the spectacular view. They recalled the first few times they saw submarines glide by, and marveled at the sight of the U.S. Nautilus moving to its temporary home at the submarine base, where it's being restored. The neighborhood has been welcoming, too. "There are a lot of dog walkers here," Jodi Marchand said. "Everyone's been really nice and introduced themselves. It seems like a really good community here, and it's nice to see people out and talking."

Chris Marchand said that it wasn't an easy process to get VA funding, but it was worth it in the end, and he hopes their story inspires other veterans to buy homes of their own.