A Custom Home in Cary That Felt Like Kismet

There are certain times in life when it feels like the stars align in your favor. That’s exactly what happened to Ginger and Allen when they found the downtown Cary lot of their dreams all thanks to an Instagram story. 

Ginger explains, “I have a real estate and property management company and several friends in the industry. One day I saw one of my friends post a story about a few lots in downtown Cary, where we dreamed of living. While those lots were already planned to be townhomes, my friend told me about some nearby lots that her family friend, Jon Rufty, had coming available.”

From there, everything seemed to fall into place. Ginger and Allen met with Jon about their ideas and he felt like they were the perfect family for the lot. “We lived in North Raleigh at the time, but we loved the idea of moving and having a more walkable lifestyle. After meeting with Jon, he had a vision on how to make our home tie into downtown Cary, and we immediately felt like we could trust him to bring it to life” she says. 

Although Ginger was familiar with the custom home building process through helping clients in her line of work, this was her first time going through the experience for herself. She explains, “The whole Rufty Homes team was fantastic and they made the process easy for us. Jon looked at all the plans himself and helped us with the overall vision for our home. We have two young sons and we wanted to create a livable space where they can feel free to be kids. He understood that and had ideas for how to make it happen.”

Thanks to Jon’s attention to detail and the hard work of Frazier Home Designs, the couple ended up with a functional design featuring a built-in secret storage area and a laundry room equipped with space for two washers and dryers. “They really took the time to think about functionality and they brought new ideas to the table to ensure we got a home that would work perfectly for us,” Ginger goes on to say. 

Once the build got underway, Ginger and Allen relied on Rufty project manager, Mike Koppen, and their interior designer, Katie Sambrick, to bring the vision to life. 

Mike shares his perspective, saying, “Working with Katie was seamless and very enjoyable throughout the project. The owners’ main goal was to use all the space in the home. We expanded the stairwell closet to maximize storage opportunities and the coolest feature came as a result of collaboration with the owners and the rest of the build and design team. From the conception of the initial layout, they wanted to use an area on the second floor for storage, but after rounds of review, we couldn’t come up with an aesthetically pleasing solution. Then, prior to installing the drywall, we decided to add a hidden door which would lead to a storage space. We worked with our trim contractor to make it happen and the outcome resulted in smiles all around.”

The creativity of the team and commitment to finding the best solutions made an excellent impression on the homeowners. Ginger explains, “Mike went above and beyond for us. He communicated with us throughout the project and paid attention to the little details for us. At one point, the trim company installed round trim downstairs, but we had square trim everywhere else. Mike not only noticed it was incorrect, but he made sure it was redone. I also knew I could trust Katie to make important design decisions on our behalf. She and Mike communicated throughout the project and took a lot of the work off our plates.”

Collaborating with the right people can make all the difference in the success of a project, for not only the homeowners but for the project manager as well. Mike goes on to say, “Building this home has been enjoyable from start to finish. Our communication was constant the entire process and our meetings and walkthroughs were productive. The best part was to build for a couple that is truly grateful for what they have in life.”

Now that they’re all moved in, the family enjoys spending time out on their back porch in front of the fireplace or on the front porch waving to neighbors walking by. Ginger explains, “We feel part of the downtown Cary community now and we’re just a short walk from the elementary school and park. Rufty Homes is truly a client-focused business and we’re so thankful they helped us get the home of our dreams in the perfect location.”

To see more, view the full project gallery for this build.