As newlyweds, Jeanne and Kevin Howard found themselves relocating to the Triangle for their careers. After looking around the area, they ended up moving into a Rufty spec home in Holly Springs, where they lived from 1997 to 2001, before their jobs took them around the country once again. Jeanne remembers, “It was a cute little place that was just perfect for us at that time and it was our first introduction to the quality craftsmanship of Rufty Homes.”

When the couple bought their own company in 2009, it was the first time in their careers that they had the option to choose where to live. “Our kids were young and we wanted to find a place to settle before they started first grade. All of our family was on the East Coast and after looking at a few different cities, we decided to come back to the Triangle,” says Jeanne. 

The Howards worked with a renowned local builder, creating the home of their dreams on six acres while their children grew up. A few years after that, they worked with another top builder in the area on an addition that included a pool, office, and soccer field for the kids. 

Then, in 2022, the Howards decided to make a change, that would ultimately lead them back to Rufty Homes in a moment that seemed like kismet. Jeanne explains, “Between our boys’ schedules and Kevin’s job we found ourselves relocating to another city and traveling all the time. As we’re starting to transition to our lives as empty-nesters, we thought it would be best to sell and downsize a bit, but still, maintain a solid footprint in this area that we love so much.”

Their home sold quickly, and their original plan to move into a townhome ended up falling through. As it turns out, it was all for the best. “We were meeting with the buyers who purchased our home and their real estate agent mentioned a new Triangle-area community to us. We went to look at it and fell in love with the Rufty spec home there, which backed up to the woods. We knew it would be an adjustment going from six acres to a quarter acre and we felt like that view would make us feel more at home,” Jeanne says. 

Within 24 hours, the Howards signed the contract and were excited to be moving back into a Rufty home, which felt like a full-circle moment. Jeanne goes on to say, “We feel very lucky to have been able to work with the three top builders in the Triangle over the years and have had great experiences with all of them. Jon Rufty’s reputation precedes him.  We felt very fortunate that we found this home when we did.”

During their initial meeting, Jeanne and Kevin were instantly impressed by Jon’s level of involvement with the project as well as the cohesiveness of the Rufty team. “The whole team works well together and that was obvious from the first time we met them. We had a lot of comfort and confidence knowing they were behind the scenes working on our home,” says Jeanne. 

While some aspects of the home were already in the works when the Howards signed their contract, they had full trust that the Rufty Homes team would use only the best products during the build. “They had already ordered a suite of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances for the home, which is a testament to the quality of their builds. It’s also one of our favorite aspects of our new home, which made for a fun first Thanksgiving there,” Jeanne explains. 

Now 2023, and back in a Rufty home, but this time having the experience of working with the Rufty team in the process, Jeanne and Kevin can’t help but feel like everything worked out just like it was supposed to. Jeanne says, “We had heard great things about Jon Rufty’s reputation over the years, but now we know from experience that he really cares. His passion for what he does shines through in his work.”