Christiansburg non-profit offering free classes for potential homebuyers

A local non-profit group is helping make a difference for low income families buying their first home.

You may best know Community Housing Partners for helping with home weatherization and neighborhood renovation projects that we've previously reported on in the New River Valley.

However, the group also helps soon to be home owners through a special class that untangles the complicated process.

A little white house with the yellow door on Long Shop Road in Blacksburg has a "for sale" sign out front, but the Saladino family is slated to move in at the end of the month.

After more than ten years renting, Anthony Saladino is expected to close on the home on January 20th.

“My wife and I were talking about it and I think we moved six times in five years, so we're ready, ready to be in one place,” Saladino explained.

However, getting to one place has been a long road, one that included a stop in Community Housing Partners' first time home buyers class.

Saladino says he and his wife tried to buy two other houses before the one on Long Shop and before he took CHP's class, they both fell through and he says he's grateful that they did.

“One of the reasons why CHP has played such a huge role in our process is that they've really helped us see and talk through what we can afford, so I think there's a different aspect of going out there looking for a house to get into a house and call it your own versus what can we really work with and what will be financially comfortable with,” he explained.         

Ryan Stenger, CHP's home ownership specialist says, the non-profit isn't just making a difference for families, but the community as well.

“The reason why we're here is it helps our community, it helps individuals build wealth over time and it's something really, I think, is a bed rock and something that's important for our community,” Stenger explained.

Home ownership is a milestone, one that wouldn't have been possible for Saladino without the help and guidance of CHP.

“We're stepping into this thing in a couple of weeks and there's no fear.”

If you would like to take CHP’s home ownership class, below is information from a media release.

Free to the public, CHP’s homebuyer education classes are held at 448 Depot Street, Christiansburg, Virginia on the following dates:

Jan 24 and 26, 5:30pm - 8:30pm 

Feb 21 and 23, 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Mar 20 and 22, 5:30pm - 8:30pm

 Apr 17 and 19, 5:30pm to 8:30pm

 May 22 and 24, 5:30pm to 8:30pm

 June 19 and 2, 5:30pm to 8:30pm

To register for a class or to find out more, contact Ryan Stenger at rstenger@chpc2.org or 540.382.2002, ext. 3307.