October 19, 2017

HDF is thankful to have so many dedicated staff members. Today, we sit and chat with Roxana Ubillus, our Senior Homeownership advisor  about her work as a counselor and her life beyond HDF. As a homeownership advisor, Roxana helps first time homebuyers buy homes through one-on-one counseling, teaching group education, and being an advisor and guide throughout the homebuying process.

What is a typical day like for you here at HDF?

Every day is different, but I spend most of my time assessing files to determine clients’ eligibility and mortgage readiness to our programs. Doing counseling sessions with clients, and packaging loan submissions for our lending department. Summer time is our prime season, so that’s when we have the highest volume of files.

If clients prefer a Spanish-speaking counselor, I am the to-go person. I’m responsible for English-speaking clients in Stamford-Norwalk area as well. Clients sometimes also request a particular counselor that their friends or families have worked with or that they’ve heard of.

What’s it like working as a homeownership counselor?

It’s very rewarding to help clients to buy their first home! Buying a First home could be overwhelming if you don’t have the right information or guidance to help you navigate the steps of buying your first home. We give clients the knowledge and empower them to ask the right questions to the lenders, realtors, inspectors, attorney and insurance agents, so they can make the right decisions.

Working with clients helps you realize that people have dreams and desires, in this case is to own a home, but you also see people’s fear or doubt on whether or not buying a home could be a reality. When clients buy a home, you also see or feel their joy and that is very rewarding.

I love what I do. I value the fact that HDF is mission oriented, encourages professional growth and new ideas from the whole team, and is constantly seeking to expand to new markets and help more people.

How did you come to work at HDF?

I always liked math & finance. After completing a program in Financial Planning at Pace University, I realized that I wanted to work educating people with their finances. One day I saw an ad on the newspaper for the position as a housing counselor at HDF; and I thought that it was perfect for me! So I applied. This October 20th it will have been 12 years since I joined HDF!

What are your hobbies?

Mostly, spending time with my loved ones, including my birds. I also like to watch Dancing with the Stars, Bull, The Big Bang Theory and Chopped!

Why do you like birds?

I didn’t even know I like animals until I got them! Growing up in Peru, we didn’t really have pets like we do in the US. A friend of mine couldn’t take care of her bird, a cockatiel named “Windy.” She asked me if I could take him. I hesitated, but it was the best decision I could have made. My husband and I fell in love with “Windy” and decided to get her a friend. Now have 2 cockatiels and they are part of the family!

Stay tuned for more fun interviews with other HDF staff members!