
Building Mission
Applications Closed
What it means to qualify for a Habitat home:
Habitat homeowners must be active participants in building a better home and future for themselves and their families. Every Habitat home is an investment. For us, it is one answer to a critical need, and we believe that stronger homes will create stronger communities.
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Prospective Habitat homeowners must demonstrate a need for safe, affordable housing. Need will vary from community to community.
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Once selected, Habitat homeowners must partner with us throughout the process. This partnership includes performing “sweat equity,” or helping to build their own home or the homes of others in our homeownership program. Sweat equity can also include taking homeownership classes or performing volunteer work in a Habitat ReStore.
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Homeowners must also be able and willing to pay an affordable mortgage. Mortgage payments are cycled back into the community to help build additional Habitat houses.
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Can anyone apply to be a Habitat homeowner?
Yes. Habitat follows a nondiscriminatory policy of homebuyer selection. Neither race nor religion is a factor.
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How do you apply for a Habitat House with Greater Dalton?
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Our Application Process is as follows.
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Qualification for Greater Dalton Habitat Home Ownership
You must live and work in Dalton/Whitfield County for at least 2 years, be willing to undergo and pay for: Credit Report, Background Check, and Drug Screening. Must be able to obtain a letter of recommendation for housing from current landlord, provide current income verification, be willing to pay an affordable mortgage.
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Step 1
Once the application process has been opened we ask that you stop by Habitat ReStore during open hours to pick up an application packet.
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Step 2
You will need to complete the items in the application such as: Credit Report, Background Check, Drug Screening, Rental History & letter of recommendation from current landlord, Income Verification and other items. We will give you the date these must be submitted.​​​
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Step 3
Our selection committee will review all applications make a decision based on who qualifies and has the highest need. They will then present this information to the board of directors for approval. All staff members recuse themselves from making homeowner selections.
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Step 4
You will be notified by mail of the selection committee's decision no later than 30 days after the board of directors approval. In the event that you are denied, you can request more information from the selection committee via mail. Staff will not have access to why a potential applicant was denied. If you are not selected, you may apply again during the next selection cycle. There is no limit to the number of times you may apply.
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Step 5
If selected, we schedule for you to come in and sign a partnership agreement that details our expectations and the process.
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You will be expected to help build your home. This is 350 hours of dedication. Friends and Family are allowed to assist with 50 hours.
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You must uphold the Habitat Standard. Be kind, grateful, gracious and appreciative. Anyone found to have been arrested during the process will be terminated from the Habitat Homeownership Program.
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You must pay $2,500 toward your down payment at time of closing. You will typically have 18 months to save for this.
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Typical mortgages with Habitat range from $600-$700 monthly. This is including your taxes and escrow.
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A credit check will be ran at the time of closing. Taking out loans, credit cards, or other major
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purchases can drastically change your debt-to-income ratio and credit report. This can affect your ability to qualify for Habitat Homeownership. Please keep an open form of communication about loans/large credit debt with the Director so that we can help guide you with these decisions.