Rob Puie and Family Find Their Ideal Home in Crozet

Rob Puie and his wife Emilia moved to Crozet two and a half years ago from Queens, NY.  Emilia said living there got to be harder and harder with two small, growing children.  They were getting frustrated with the traffic, difficult parking, and high cost of living in New York. The couple settled on Central Virginia after getting to know some people from the community and realizing it would be a good investment in their future.

At first, Rob and Emilia rented in Crozet, but as their family started to grow, they realized that they were going to need more space.  Rob, a PE teacher at Clark Elementary School, began to inquire about becoming a homeowner. He found out about Piedmont Housing Alliance’s homebuyer education, counseling, and resources from others in the community.  In May, Rob started working with housing counselor Virginia Leary to become mortgage-ready and explore down payment loan options.  Rob and Virginia worked together for many months, during which he completed the necessary classes and paperwork to prepare for home ownership and take advantage of down payment assistance loan funds.

It was important for the family to have more space as well as equity in a home after renting for most of their lives. Rob and Emilia wanted to stay close to the home they were renting in Crozet, where they had started building a community in a place that was not too far from Charlottesville where Rob works. They quickly found the house on Hilltop Street that they loved, but at the time, it was above their price range.  After several more months of home searching, they came back to the place on Hilltop, as the price had dropped, and they were finally able to make an offer.

Rob said Piedmont Housing Alliance was able to offer them a step-by-step guide on what to anticipate with the process of homebuying.  “It was a good overall experience and the classes were quite helpful too,” Rob said.

When asked what she might tell other potential homebuyers, Emilia suggested, “You just have to be patient.  Don’t feel like you have to jump on the first thing you see out there, but have an idea of what you want.”

The Puies closed on their Crozet home in January and are expecting their 4th child later this year. Congratulations!