Application process
Applications are currently closed,
Applications will be open from January 2 - March 3.
Attend an info session to prepare!
We open our homeownership application when we begin construction on a new construction project, which is typically 2-3 times per year.
You can also learn more about where we build here. Learn more about our program requirements here. We have also compiled a guide to local homeownership resources.
Sign up here to be notified about future Habitat homeownership opportunities.
Signing up to be notified about applications is not the same as applying to our homeownership program; you’re signing up to be notified whenever we open our applications to our program.
Review for Completeness
In order to fairly review your application, we must have all necessary information. If there is something missing from your application, we will contact you via the email address provided in your applicaiton. In the case your email is invalid, we will mail the notice to the address you provided. It is the responsability of every application to ensure your application is complete by the application deadline. Applications incomplete by the deadline will not be further considered.
Program Review
Every Habitat application is reviewed for the following criteria: Being in need of better housing (80% or under AMI; lives or works in our service area); Willingness to partner (completes application, agrees to program terms provided in application); Able to afford an affordable mortgage (financial review - has steady income that can sufficently support an estimated mortgage payment; has at least $1000 in savings).
Credit Check
Applicants that meet program criteria will have a soft credit pull to assess financial and credit history, as well as criminal background information to ensure their name does not appear on a sex offense registry. Criminal history is reviewed on a case-by-case basis using NYS's HUD guidelines. This is at no cost to you. If your credit and background check reveals circumstances that make you ineligible for Habitat at this time, you will receive a notice explaining why. The credit report will be available to you upon request.
Bank pre-qualification
Program-qualified applicants will be informed of their next steps regarding mortgage pre-qualification. A pre-qualification letter is required in order to be entered into the application pool.
Selection Pool
Qualified applicants, who are program qualified and have a bona fide pre-qualification for a home loan that meets Habitat's standards, are entered in the selection pool. It is not a first-come, first-serve basis.
Selection
Qualified applicants are ordered randomly using a random ordering program to determine the order in which an applicant is matched to a property they have applied for. In the case there are more qualified applicants than available properties, the randomized list will be maintained for those applicants to opt-in to our "alternate list" of back-up buyers should a property become available before it is sold. Alternate buyers are not on a waitlist and are made no guarantee of partnership for this application cycle or future applications.
Application denial
If your application is denied, you will receive a letter stating so within 30 days of when the application decision was made. Typically, you can expect an update on your application in 10-15 business days. Applications are reviewed as fast as possible to ensure everyone has time to complete their application by the deadline. If your application is denied, you will receive via email or USPS post with personalized feedback on how to approve for upcoming application cycles.
A guide to buying a Habitat house
During an open application period, you may submit a completed application to Habitat. Your application will be reviewed to assess if you meet our program guidelines. Applicants that pass the program review are then asked to obtain a pre-qualification letter from a responsible lender for an affordable home loan.
We strongly encourage prospective applicants to attend an information session or Homebuyer 101 (provided through HUD-approved agencies) to learn if homeownership and if our program is right for you.
Applicants who meet our program requirements will be matched by lottery with an address they have applied to. All Habitat homebuyers go through rigorous screening including credit and background checks, employment verification and landlord references. Once pre-qualified for a mortgage, you will sign a partnership agreement and purchase contract with Habitat and begin your journey to homeownership.
If you are not eligible or selected, you will receive a written letter explaining so. You are welcome to re-apply during future application cycles.
Step 1: Thinking about Habitat homeownership
Consider whether homeownership is the right decision for you at this moment. There are pros and cons, and it is a big decision. Taking Homebuyer 101 and getting started with HUD-approved homebuyer counseling can help you prepare.
Step 2: Understanding application cycles
Sign up to be notified as soon as we have an application cycle open. We only open applications when we have homes ready to sell. Typically, it takes up to 12 months from when a qualified buyer submits an application to purchasing their home. Because build cycles can be difficult to predict as we wait for external processes, we aren’t able to give an exact date before opening a new cycle. That’s why we recommend to start preparing now.
Step 3: Getting to know the application requirements
The Habitat program application looks like a typical loan application because in some ways, it is. The application helps us determine if you meet program requirements, so we’ll ask for all the information we need to help us verify that you do. In addition to self-reporting information on the application form, you’ll also have to submit supporting documents: Most recent two months of bank statements; most recent two months of income information for all adult household members (paystubs, award letters, etc); and two most recent years of federal tax returns with W2s (if applicable).
Your household size is determined by who you would have live with you in your Habitat home.
Step 4: Submitting your application & materials
When you submit an application, you will receive a Notice of Incompleteness informing you of any missing documentation and when/how to complete your application. Within 30 days, you will either receive this notice or receive a decision on your application. Denied applicants will be given notice of why their application has been denied, as well as an accompanying feedback form on how to improve for future cycles. Applications are only valid for the homes listed in the application package. If you want to apply again in the future, you’ll have to submit a new application.
The homeownership process
After you sign your partnership agreement, we will provide you with a comprehensive homebuyer handbook that describes every step of the process. In general, it takes about 8-12 months from the time you sign your partnership agreement to when you purchase the home and receive your keys. We will help you navigate the journey to homeownership, including the signing of the real estate contract, completing your mortgage loan application, establishing a savings account, completing partnership hours, completing homebuyer education coursework, applying for down payment assistance, purchasing homeowner's insurance and preparing to purchase your home.
For more information, please contact us at homes@habitatcd.org.
Habitat for Humanity follows a nondiscriminatory policy of family selection. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
