Homeownership Program
Habitat for Humanity provides a unique opportunity for families with low and moderate incomes to buy their own homes. Our houses are sold below market value to families who qualify for an affordable monthly housing payment. We work alongside the families we serve to provide them with the knowledge and tools they need to become successful homeowners, and we offer support and guidance through every step of the homebuying process. To become a homeowner, applicants must demonstrate housing need, meet income and credit requirements, have a manageable level of debt, and spend time building their home alongside our construction team and volunteers.
For questions about our homeownership program, please get in touch with Eli Echavarria at Eli.Echavarria@habitatdcnova.org.
If our program may not be a good fit for you right now, please visit our list of additional housing resources.
Steps to becoming a Habitat Homeowner
1. Read our program eligibility criteria
To qualify for our homeownership program, families must income qualify based on household size and demonstrate a need for housing, the ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and a willingness to partner with Habitat to complete financial education and volunteer hours.
2. Attend a Homebuyer Information Session
We offer weekly in-person and online information sessions, and the schedule can be found on our website under Events. If you are unable to attend a session, please use our Bookings page to schedule an appointment with a staff member. You must attend an information session or complete an intake appointment before you can complete an application.
3. View our homes
When you apply to our program, you apply to a specific home that you want to purchase. We post for-sale and upcoming homes on our website, and we send out a weekly email newsletter with the homes we have for sale. Sign up for the newsletter using this link: https://www.habitatdcnova.org/about/subscribe.
Once you have found a home in which you are interested, you can attend an open house or schedule a showing of the property. We hold open houses and offer showings of the homes we have for sale. Check the property listing for details on how to tour the homes that interest you. If you are not available during the open house times, contact our staff to schedule a showing.
Please note that you must view the home for which you are applying before your application is considered complete.
4. Submit an application
After you have attended an information session and toured a home, you can apply for our program by completing an application and making an appointment with a member of our Family Services team. Once your application is submitted, our team will determine if you qualify for our program. If your application is approved by our staff and Board of Directors, we will work alongside you throughout the purchase process. Please note that any applications submitted without attending an information session and touring the home will be denied.
5. Secure home financing
When you apply, Habitat DC-NOVA’s staff will guide you through the process of securing financing. On occasion, Habitat DC-NOVA offers 0%-interest Habitat mortgages for specific properties. However, most applicants pursue bank mortgages and local government down payment assistance from programs such as Virginia’s Down Payment Assistance Program and D.C.’s Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP). We work with you through the financing process to find a home loan and other funding, and we can identify lenders within Habitat’s partner network. Additional loans and funding may be available depending on the home you’re purchasing.
The type of financing needed for each home we sell is always noted on the home’s for sale listing page.
6. Complete financial education and volunteer hours
As part of the partnership agreement of Habitat DC-NOVA’s program, homebuyers complete pre- and post-purchase financial education classes to learn about foreclosure prevention, home maintenance, and other tools to be a successful homeowner. In addition, homebuyers complete volunteer hours helping to build their Habitat home and the homes of their neighbors. Click the link below to learn more about our financial education program and other ways homebuyers volunteer with Habitat.
In accordance with Federal, State, and Local Fair Lending Laws, Habitat DC-NOVA does not maintain a waiting list of applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status, elderliness, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status or marital status. The number of applicant households approved for Habitat DC-NOVA home ownership is driven by the availability of developed properties.