Evergreen Habitat homeowner’s mortgage payments are kept affordable and set based on their income at the time of sale. This monthly amount will include the primary mortgage payment, homeowners insurance, land lease fee, interest, and property taxes. Habitat for Humanity provides additional subsidies and/or a second mortgages to cover the difference between what the buyer can afford in a first mortgage and the sales price of the home.

Our permanent affordability model uses a resale formula that provides sellers with 1.5% compound interest over the life of the mortgage, plus what they have paid towards their mortgage. This ensures that the homeowner can still build equity, this coupled with a land lease as Habitat retains the deed to the land keeps the home permanently affordable to the next buyer. This guarantees affordable neighborhoods into the future, for Clark County.

If you are interested in the Habitat for Humanity program and have reviewed the requirements to see if you qualify, the next step is to attend an orientation, offered twice a month. This orientation is required so you can determine if our Home Trust, permanently affordable model is right for you.

Applications are accepted year round. The first step is to attend the required orientation, then submit a pre-application, either online through a secured portal or on paper with an application fee of $55. Applications will be processed in order of receipt and continue through until all available homes have a qualified buyer. Along with the pre-application, applicants will be asked to submit additional information such as pay stubs, bank statements, and tax returns. Habitat staff will use that information, as well as information from the pre-application and a credit report to determine eligibility for our program. This is not the final step, final step includes qualifying with a third party lender.

We typically build two- to five-bedroom wood frame homes with approximately 900 to 1500 square feet. We also rehab homes in which the square footage and amenities of homes vary. An electric or gas range, refrigerator, and dishwasher are provided with most homes. Habitat homes or remodel homes can be single units or attached and share walls.

The location of the home is dependent upon where Habitat is building or remodeling houses. The locations available will usually be discussed during the homeownership application process. Habitat does not build custom homes. Habitat will choose the size of the home based on household size and makeup. We expect two children of the same gender to share a bedroom if they are close in age.

Only individuals who are currently living in the household can be considered when determining household size and the number of bedrooms the applicant qualifies for. A child is only considered in regard to household size if the applicant has at least 50% custody of that child. We do occasionally make exceptions and definitely want to make sure that household members are not discounted when appropriate. If a person is pregnant during the application process, the unborn child will be counted towards the household size. Please be sure to explain any household size situations in your application.

Homebuyers are in the program until their home has been built or remodeled; generally, this could take 6 to 24 months. Ideally, construction of a pre-approved homebuyer’s home begins within six months from the time of approval. Completion dates of the homes vary, are subject to change and never guaranteed. The construction process is complex with many variables including funding sources, the construction schedule and building requirements. This complexity makes it difficult to predict the length of time from pre-approval in the program to purchasing a home.

Homebuyers will complete participation hours. Participation hours refer to the actual hands-on involvement of Habitat homebuyers in the construction or rehab of their own homes. Hours can also be done in our Habitat retail Store, as well as participation in other Habitat and community activities, and a series of education classes. All hours must be completed before pre-approved homebuyers purchase their home. Hours will vary per project, for example, hours for a newly construction home may be different for a rehab home. Education topics include: Financial Readiness, First Time Home Buyer class, Maintenance and Warranty/Good Neighbor, and a Ground Lease class. All classes will be provided by Habitat free of charge.

Not all applicants are mortgage ready the first time they apply. We have community partners that will work with you if your credit does not meet our standards or the standards of our third-party lending partners. Once you feel your credit has been improved you are welcome to apply again.

Some applicants start our program and then realize it is not for them, or life circumstances change and they need to withdraw. This is perfectly fine, you just simply notify us in writing that you wish to withdraw from the program. 

Yes! Even though this is a difficult topic for people to prepare for, drawing up the appropriate paperwork is always best to have. Your home will be the biggest asset you will own and knowing you can leave it to your loved ones gives you peace of mind.

Yes! There are resale restrictions, this will be covered in the onboarding and the ground lease class. You can sell your home any time you like to.