By Randy Arrington
LURAY — Leslie Currle had only spent six months in 2017 working at ALCOVA Mortgage’s Harrisonburg office before the boss began talking about moving her to Luray to open a new branch.
“Leslie has been a big part of our success,” Jason Helmintoller, a Branch Partner for ALCOVA, said last week. “Harrisonburg is transitioning into a big market, but our decision to branch out into Luray has paid dividends beyond belief.”
Helmintoller helped start the company when he graduated from James Madison University and returned to his hometown of Covington. Although its main corporate office sits in Roanoke, the name ALCOVA is derived from its beginnings in Allegheny County, Virginia…AL-CO-VA.
On Feb. 16, local community leaders gathered at the mortgage company’s new location in Downtown Luray to celebrate its move from East to West Main Street with a ribbon cutting sponsored by the Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce.
“In Luray-Page County, we are lucky to have businesses such as ALCOVA Mortgage that go above and beyond to not only run their business, but that also work to help make the community better. Leslie and her team have worked with countless individuals to make the homebuying and refinancing process easy and as stress-free as possible”, said Gina Hilliard, President of the Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce. “We are excited for the opening of their new location where they will be able to grow their business and help even more people in our community.”
In 2018, the mortgage company held a ribbon cutting to occupy a couple of rooms next to Panorama Realty on the east end of town. Four years later, they now have a conference room and enough space downtown to start offering monthly training sessions for both realtors and buyers. The sessions started this month and aim to educate the key players involved so that the process of getting a new home goes as smooth as possible.
“I have bought and sold a few houses … and the easiest transition I’ve ever had in my whole life was with Leslie,” Luray resident and Chamber employee Clancy Arnold told the large group huddled in the front office last Wednesday. “She made it so easy.”
Currle said one key advantage of working with ALCOVA is that the same person will be with the client through the entire process until closing.
“We have a lot of success stories,” Currle said. “The biggest thrill is helping people in Page County to be a homeowner.”
In addition to having more space, Leslie has also added her daughter Kelly to the staff as a loan coordinator to help with a wide variety of loan services from first-time home buyers to second-home vacation rentals.
“We’re here for the community,” Leslie said. “We have lots to offer and want to help as many local residents as possible become home owners. We’re here to serve the community we live in.”
The remodeling for the new office opens up another dormant space on Luray’s Main Street.
“It’s great to see these older buildings rehabbed,” Mayor Jerry Dofflemyer told the group, noting the building used to serve as a mercantile or department store, as well as a second-hand furniture store.
Door prizes were given out at last week’s ribbon cutting, and Helmintoller was so impressed with the turnout and the “small town feel” at the event, he even offered to hold an additional drawing and donate $500 to the winner’s charity of choice.
“The work you have done has impacted Page County in so many ways,” Page County’s Director of Economic Development and Tourism Nina Fox said of Leslie Currle’s long-term commitment to the community.
“This is what hard work looks like,” Luray Downtown Initiative program director Jackie Elliott added about Currle.
ALCOVA Mortgage is celebrating its 20th year. The company has branches from Fairfax, Va. to Orlando, Fla., and recently opened its newest branch in Dallas, Texas. Its branch partner first became familiar with Luray when his family bought the Valley Baseball League’s Covington Lumberjacks. While his baseball memories of Luray aren’t that great, he is excited about ALCOVA’s future in Luray.
“This community has been great to us…except when our Lumberjacks kept being the Buffalo Bills to your Luray Wranglers for a few years there when ya’ll we’re winning all those [VBL] championships,” Helmintoller told the crowd. “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary as a company, we look forward to another 20 years in Luray.”
ALCOVA Mortgage, now located at 134 West Main Street, Suite A, in Downtown Luray, is open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information or to set up an appointment,
visit their website, https://alcovamortgage.com/va/luray, call (540) 244-4540, or email them at LCURRLE@alcovamortgage.com,
To see more pictures from the ALCOVA Mortgage Ribbon Cutting, visit the Chamber’s Facebook page.
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Wisteria Farm and Vineyard announces new ownership
Valley broker named Virginia’s top Realtor
Page County’s housing market continues to grow despite low inventory
Real estate tax, utility fee increases being considered and other news from Luray
Virginia Cooperative Council’s Young Cooperator Award presented to Alex White
Cameo Fine Art & Photography opens on East Main Street in Luray
Briar Laine Vacation House cuts ribbon on major renovation to 1800 farmhouse
Be the first to comment