How to Apply for a Habitat Home

It takes a minimum of one year from the time of application before a family can move into their Habitat home. Here are the steps:

Attend an Orientation Meeting to Fill Out Your Application
The application process begins with mandatory attendance at an orientation meeting (upcoming sessions are available below).  At the meeting we will explain the program requirements, describe the types of homes we build, and talk about how the application process works.  Applications are distributed and filled out at the meeting. Please be prepared to tell us your monthly income. The orientation is a good place to ask questions!

Family Selection Evaluates Application & Sends Financial Letter
Following the orientation meeting Habitat for Humanity’s Family Services staff and volunteers will review the income that you reported and do a credit check to ensure that you meet the basic qualifications for homeownership.  If you do not meet the basic qualifications, you will be notified by Habitat and provided with information about how to successfully reapply.  If you appear to meet the qualifications then Habitat will send you a letter listing photocopies of documents needed for further financial review (such as income tax returns, rent receipts etc.). You will be asked to provide this information at a meeting at the Habitat office.

Results of Financial Review
After Habitat receives your financial documents, a financial review will be completed within one month.  The financial reviewers will recommend one of three things: that the application be denied, that more information is needed, or that a home interview be scheduled.

Attend A Building Skills Class and Have a Home Interview
If the application is recommended for a home interview, each applicant will need to participate in a 4-hour Building Skills class. This class will teach families about construction site safety, how to use tools, and expectations for working on the construction site if you are selected to become a homeowner.  If there are physical limitations, alternate opportunities may be provided.  Children are not permitted to attend this, or any other Homebuyer Education class.

You will also have a Home Interview. Two Habitat representatives will come to your home to talk to you about your Need for Housing and Ability to Pay. They will also ask for your plan to demonstrate your Willingness to Partner. The home interview also provides an opportunity to discuss the responsibilities that you will have if selected to join the homeowner program, and for you to ask as many questions as you'd like.

Receive Approval From The Family Selection Committee
Following your home interview the Family Selection Committee will meet to review your application. The Family Selection Committee selects the most qualified applicants to begin a partnership with Habitat. If you are not selected for then you are welcome to reapply, and members of the Family Services staff are happy to work with you to understand your eligibility and help you to become a more qualified candidate.

Begin Sweat Equity and Look at Houses
After you are approved for Habitat's homeownership program, the Family Services Department and its volunteers will work with your family to help you become a successful Habitat homeowner.

You will begin to complete the first 50 of the required 200 hours of sweat equity per applicant. Once all family applicants complete 50 hours (this must happen in the first 90 days after selection) you will begin to receive information about available properties. If you say no to a property then you will be required to continue to contribute 20 hours per month of sweat equity while you wait for the next properties available for your family. Once you have been offered properties on 3 separate occasions you will be inactivated from the program if you have not accepted a property.

Once matched with a property you will complete your sweat equity and make payments for your $1,500 deposit for closing costs. The deposit has to be fully paid by the time of closing. Your support team will work with you to make sure that all deadlines are met.

Applications are distributed and turned in at orientations held throughout the year. Click here for information about the upcoming our 2013 orientation sessions. You may also call us at 720-496-2726.