Spanish-Language Podcast is Virginia Housing’s Latest Hispanic Outreach Effort
Guests on the first episode of the podcast, from left to right: Alex Guerrero, Frank Curbeira, Roxana Juárez, Chris Parks and Walkiria Pool.
May 22, 2026While Virginia’s 1 million Hispanic residents make up about 11% of the state’s population1, members of this demographic have been responsible for nearly 23% of the state’s homeownership growth over the past decade2. Hispanic residents’ incomes and labor force participation rates are climbing, strengthening the demographic’s purchasing power, and this trend is likely to continue as Hispanic residents are among the nation’s youngest and fastest-growing populations, meaning they are only beginning to enter their prime homebuying years.
“Podcast de Virginia Housing,” which recently debuted a pilot episode called “Las llaves de la propiedad,” or “The Keys to Your Home,” provides Hispanic Virginians with tools they can use to shop for and purchase a home with confidence. The podcast helps listeners understand the homebuying process, from managing personal finances to choosing a real estate agent and lender to work with. It also provides information on Virginia Housing resources, such as Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance grants.
Virginia Housing Strategic Housing Officer Frank Curbeira hosts “The Keys to Your Home,” with professional experts such as real estate agents and mortgage lenders joining as guests.
“Virginia Housing is here to help, whether that’s directly through our classes, grants and loans, or by connecting them with trusted partners like housing counselors, lenders and real estate agents who can guide them through the process,” said Curbeira. “We bring in partners who align with our mission and help clients make informed decisions, not just to close transactions.”
Episodes for Virginia Housing’s podcast are recorded at La Selecta, a Spanish-language radio station in Norfolk. Virginia Housing also collaborates with La Selecta on both audio and visual recording and editing of the podcast. Two episodes of “Podcast de Virginia Housing” have been released, and plans are in place to record new episodes.
Episode 1
In the first episode titled “The Keys to Your Home,” listeners walk through the first steps taken when starting their homebuying journey. The guests emphasize the importance of taking a homebuyer education class covering topics including credit scores, debt and how Virginia Housing loan programs and grants can assist with creating a manageable mortgage.
The guests on this episode include:
- Walkiria Pool, President, Centro de Apoyo Familiar
- Chris Parks, Sales Manager, Churchill Mortgage
- Roxana Juarez, Real Estate Agent, Keller Williams
- Alex Guerrero, Settlement Agent, Regal Title & Escrow
Episode 2
The second episode, scheduled for release this summer, zooms in on the different types of lenders, their part in the homebuying journey, Virginia Housing’s assistance programs and misconceptions that homebuyers have about the loan process.
The following lenders from Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and Central Virginia joined to discuss how mortgages, loans and resources differ based on their specific areas:
- Carlos Montero, Branch Manager & Vice President, HomeTrust Lending
- Ivy Perez, Loan Officer, Movement Mortgage
- Chris Parks, Sales Manager, Churchill Mortgage
Continued Commitment to Hispanic Community Engagement
Beyond the podcast, Virginia Housing continues strengthening its connection with Hispanic communities across the Commonwealth. These efforts help meet families where they are and reinforce our commitment to making homeownership more accessible for Hispanic Virginians.
Through several pastor events, we’ve partnered with trusted faith leaders to share housing resources directly within their congregations. We’ve expanded access to Spanish-language homebuyer education courses, giving families the tools they need to navigate the path to homeownership with confidence. Our Charlando en vivo series has created space for open conversations about housing programs and community needs, and mark your calendars for May 30 as we join the ¿Qué Pasa? Festival in Richmond where we’ll meet families face-to-face and share information about the support Virginia Housing provides for homebuyers.
Future Podcast Episodes
Stay tuned for more information on upcoming podcast episodes by following Virginia Housing on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube or X. In the meantime, share the link to our first episode with your communities as a helpful resource for first-time homebuyers.
1Virginia Department of Health. (2026, April 15). Demographics. Virginia Department of Health Data Portal. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/data/demographics/
2National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. (n.d.). *State of Hispanic Homeownership Report*. NAHREP. Retrieved May 11, 2026, from https://nahrep.org/shhr/