Homeownership

qualifications

Need for Housing
  • You are a first-time home-buyer or have not owned a home in the past 3 years.
  • All members of your household are U.S. citizens or legal residents of the United States.
  • Your present housing situation is overcrowded, unsafe, in substandard conditions or lacks operable plumbing and/or heating.
  • You are unable to secure adequate housing through the private market.
  • Your residence is not accessible to all household members.
Willingness to Partner
  • You will live in Habitat-Roanoke’s target neighborhood.
  • You understand that you may be offered a building lot OR a renovated house.
  • You plan to stay in the house and become a part of the neighborhood.
  • You understand that there are certain resale restrictions on your home.
  • You will contribute “sweat equity hours” and attend all required financial and homebuyer classes.
Ability to Pay
  • Your total household income falls between 30%-60% of HUD Area Median Income.
  • You and/or your co-applicant have a stable combined income of at least $1400 monthly.
  • You have paid rent on time for at least the past 12 months.
  • You have not had a foreclosure or bankruptcy discharged in the past 2 years.
  • You will clear any old debts (judgments, liens and collections) and maintain a low debt level.
  • The family is committed to maintaining a savings account for emergencies.

Note: Habitat staff can help you make a plan to pay off old debts and offers one-to-one or group money management classes.

getting started

Applications will only be accepted during our open application period. Next application period is December 1 – 15.

see application process

Application Steps

  1. 1 Learn About Us
  2. 2 Who is Considered?
  3. 3 Start the Process
  4. 4 Next Steps
  5. 5 Application Decision

Step 01

Learn About Us

Habitat-Roanoke is different from other housing programs.  We partner with qualified families who join us in our goal of renewing neighborhoods as well as improving their own lives.  Habitat-Roanoke builds and renovates houses and sells them at no profit with affordable mortgages over a 20-30 year term.  House size is determined by family make-up, with no more than two persons sharing a room.  Monthly payments, which include taxes and insurance, are based on the family’s income and the cost to build the house.

Step 02

Who is Considered?

Habitat-Roanoke considers the need for housing, ability to make mortgage payments and willingness to partner.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for homeownership without regard to age, color, religion, sex, familial make up, disability, national origin or any other protected status.  Special accommodations are available upon request. Application information is kept confidential.

Step 03

Start the Process

Applications are only taken two times a year. The next homebuyer application period will be November 9th through December 14th, 2023. We will have more information on the application process and open houses that will be going on closer to that time period. We are holding several Open House Events, please click the link to see the dates and locations. 

Homeowner Orientation Sessions
Application Information
Download Application – PDF
Homebuyer Program Brochure

Step 04

Next Steps

Once your application and required documentation has been received, Habitat-Roanoke will conduct credit, rental history, background and employment checks and make one or more home visits to establish your need for housing.  This will complete your application.

Step 05

Application Decision

The Habitat-Roanoke Board of Directors will approve or deny your application within 30 days of completion, based on the three criteria of need, ability to pay and willingness to partner.

Ready to Request an Application?

Please fill out the form below and we will be in touch.

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Questions

The application process takes roughly 6-8 months. The sweat equity requirement takes 12-18 months. It generally takes about 1.5 to 2 years to complete the entire process, from the date of the application to the house closing.

Only about 5% of all applicants are selected to move forward in the home buyer program. Applicants who are not selected into the program will receive a letter with a description of the reason and a list of HUD approved Financial Counselors or a referral to another qualified organization.

There is no limit to how many times one may apply for a Habitat-Roanoke home. We encourage applicants who are not accepted to reapply! Remember, this program is highly competitive! 

Absolutely. For questions or concerns regarding the application process, please call Joyce Williams at 540-344-0747.

Construction of a Habitat-Roanoke house typically takes 4-6 months, depending on the weather and the number of volunteers available to build. Regular work days are Tuesday through Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. You, along with other future homebuyers, will be required to contribute at least 20 hours of sweat equity per month, for a minimum of 250 hours. Don’t worry if you have never worked on a construction site before, the Habitat staff and other experienced volunteers will teach you what you need to know!

Once construction is complete, you and Habitat-Roanoke will hold a dedication ceremony to celebrate your hard work and the contribution of sponsors, volunteers and other Habitat families who have worked with you to make your dream a reality. This will be a time of great celebration for you, the new homeowner family, and a source of encouragement for other families who are working and waiting to purchase their new home.

Current mortgage payments range from $350.00-$565.00 monthly, depending on household income and the cost of construction.  As each family’s income and household size will differ, so will the monthly payments, even for the same size house. Mortgage payments include an escrow for real estate taxes and hazard insurance.

Your monthly mortgage payments help to fund new construction and home renovation for future families.