Meet Future Homeowners: Robert & Rachel

Robert and Rachel have their sights set squarely on the future. Their first big goal is to become homeowners with Habitat for Humanity, and then they have dreams of growing their family and building even more financial stability.

Robert and Rachel’s desire to become homeowners began the day they arrived in Denver. The couple moved here from North Carolina nearly six years ago and had hoped to buy a home soon after. To their dismay, the housing prices in Denver seemed to skyrocket overnight.

“We’ve been looking into buying a home ever since we moved here,” Rachel shared. “Financial stability and the freedom that comes with becoming a homeowner is what we’re looking forward to.”

The couple works hard and have been trying to save up enough to purchase a home. Robert works in marketing at a local nonprofit, and Rachel is a freelance video editor. Despite having dual incomes, they have struggled to find an affordable home on the open market in Denver.

For the past few years, Robert and Rachel have enjoyed living in a cozy, 590-square-foot apartment. Rachel had created her own editing studio in the dining room, and they were making it work… until this year, when the pandemic suddenly forced Robert to also work from home.

“The apartment has never felt so small,” they joke.

In addition to the cramped space, they have had to deal with some scary maintenance issues, including the realization that their stove leaks dangerous levels of carbon monoxide into their unit every time they cook. They have tried workarounds like using fans and opening windows, but it’s not an ideal situation for their health, safety, or comfort.

Both Robert and Rachel are looking forward to the peace of mind and stability that owning their own home will bring.

“We know that Habitat homes are built with quality and care,” Robert shares. “We’re looking forward to having new construction with an actual HVAC system. Right now we have to keep our windows open all year because of venting and temperature control.”

“We’re excited to grow our family and someday have kids running around our house terrorizing our dog,” shares Rachel. “Noise, chaos, family… just having a safe place for a child to call home. We can’t wait.”