WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN OWN?

WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, PLEASE CHECK BACK THE 10TH OF EACH MONTH TO SEE IF WE HAVE RESUMED ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati is a partnership housing program in the truest sense of the word. Applicants must demonstrate a need for housing, ability to pay back a mortgage estimated at $700 per month (including taxes and insurance) and be willing to partner with Habitat in the building and buying of their home.

Habitat homebuyers work side by side with volunteers each week building their own home and the homes of others, attend homeownership and Financial Peace University classes, and are positive ambassadors for HFHGC throughout every step of the process. In exchange, Habitat homebuyers are provided the opportunity to build and buy a home with Habitat for Humanity with an affordable mortgage payment. We give away nothing, but opportunity.

STEP 1: DON’T PUT OFF APPLYING!

Many Habitat homeowners said they took months, to even years, to finally apply to build and buy a home with Habitat for Humanity.  If you are concerned, or unsure if you qualify, please do not assume you are not qualified.  Even if you apply, and your application is denied, you will be provided with the reason(s) for the denial so you can, possibly, reapply in the future.   You will never know if you are eligible unless you apply. 

STEP 2: REVIEW HABITAT’S 3 CRITERIA FOR QUALIFYING

1. 1)    Must have Need for Adequate Housing:  Must be living in substandard or inadequate housing that does not meet your needs, living in subsidized housing or current housing expenses exceeds 30% of monthly income. We encourage you to apply and let us determine if you meet this criterion.   

   2)    Must have Ability to Pay Estimated Monthly Mortgage of $800.00:  This estimated mortgage amount includes closing costs, taxes, and insurance. The ability to pay criteria are listed as part of Step 4.

   3)    Must be Willing to Partner:  This is a public partnership with many responsibilities and expectations for each Habitat for Humanity homebuyer.  At Habitat, we often say we give away nothing to homebuyers, but an opportunity. To be considered to build and purchase a Habitat for Humanity home, you must be willing to invest “sweat equity” hours.  You earn sweat equity hours by working to help in building your home and the homes of others, attending homeownership classes, working in the Habitat ReStores or other approved activities.

   HOW MANY HOURS MUST BE EARNED?

   250 Sweat Equity Hours- One Applicant Households where only one person is officially purchasing the home must earn 250 hours of sweat equity.

   500 Sweat Equity Hours- Two applicants (applicant and co-applicant) households must earn 500 hours of sweat equity.

   NOTE:  Must be comfortable with friends and family knowing you are purchasing a home with Habitat.  This is a public partnership that can involve news coverage, social media coverage and information about homebuyers and build sites are shared on the Habitat website.

STEP 3: CONFIRM YOUR HOUSEHOLD MEETS THESE INCOME REQUIREMENTS

STEP 4: CONFIRM YOU MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS

1. 1)     No bankruptcy within the past three years (must be three years from date of discharge)

   2)     No evictions within the past 12 months

   3)     Must be a first-time homebuyer an individual, or family, who has not owned a home during the three-year period prior to purchase of a Habitat home, some exceptions apply.

   4)     No felony convictions for anyone in household, over age 18, within past five years

   5)     No open judgments or liens.

   6)     Debt/Income ratio cannot exceed 40% of monthly income spent on estimated monthly mortgage payment of $800 and monthly debt combined.

   7)     No more than $2,000 in uncollected past due, bad debt.  Example:  If a credit card has a $3,000 balance and payments are current, this is not considered a “bad” debt. However, if the credit card is in default and is in collection that would be considered a “bad” debt.  

   8)     You can check your credit by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.   You are entitled to receive one free copy from each of the three credit reporting agencies one time per year by visiting this website.

NOTE: Married applicants can apply individually, but spouse must be listed on application as member of household, provide all income and asset information, consent to a background check and agree to sign a release of dower rights at time of home purchase.  The spouse, who is not an applicant, will not have their income or debts counted when determining if the applicant meets the ability to pay criteria, but their income and assets will be considered to determine if the household income is within Habitat’s guidelines.

STEP 5: DETERMINE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONE OF THE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE BUILD SITES LISTED AT TOP OF THIS PAGE.

WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

Please keep checking the website the 10th of each month to confirm if we have resumed accepting applications. We do not update each month, but any update on accepting applications for new build sites will be made by the 10th of any month.

STEP 6: AS YOU WAIT FOR A LIST OF NEW BUILD SITES TO APPLY, PLEASE REVIEW THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED. Complete list of documentation is included in the application that you can download, with the below link.

WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, PLEASE CHECK BACK THE 10TH OF EACH MONTH TO SEE IF WE HAVE RESUMED ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.  

Click here to print the application. If you have an older version of an application, you use that application to apply for this round of build sites, but please review the current income guidelines and deadline date listed above.

Click here to request an application by completing the Homebuyer Interest Form and an application will be mailed to you. However, we can’t guarantee that your mailed application will be -received in time for you to complete and return by the deadline date. If you are not able to download an application, applications can also be picked up at our offices, Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.