The whole process from application to move-in really depends on each situation but on average *may* take about 18-24 months. There are many factors involved with getting your home that are unique to each individual situation including available land, sweat equity hours, and willingness to partner. We are committed to getting you in your home as quickly as possible.

Habitat’s home ownership program is unique in two ways: (1) We sell houses to our homebuyers at the assessed value without adding in profit; 2) We offer affordable mortgages to buy the house. The affordable mortgage is significant, because a loan from a commercial bank adds interest payments, which can more than doubles the “cost” of the home to the buyer.

Our policy is that homebuyers should repay their mortgages as fast as they are able and our mortgages are 15 years when that is affordable. However, mortgages may be extended to 20, 25, or 30 years in order to keep payments affordable. There is no penalty to the buyer for paying off the mortgage ahead of schedule – though other restrictions may remain in place for the entire original mortgage period.

Our lots are offered to future homeowners as they become available for the family's size. We have built homes in all parts of Bloomington, so there is no guarantee where your lot will be. You have the option of refusing the first lot offered to you, but you will be asked to reapply to the program if you turn down a second lot offer.

We work with faith communities, businesses, and other organizations and individuals to sponsor the building of a house. Such sponsors contribute funds that go toward buying construction materials for the home and typically sponsoring organizations also volunteer skilled and unskilled workers to build alongside the homeowners on the house they sponsor. Once an affiliate has built 20 houses, the monthly mortgage payments from those 20 families are sufficient to build an additional house each year. Thus, as mortgage payments are recycled, homeowners also sponsor Habitat houses. Other funding comes from grants and individual donations.

The primary way to earn sweat equity hours is by working on the construction site (at least 100 hours must be completed this way) and additional hours may be earned by working in our office, attending homeownership classes, helping at ReStore, and attending special events. At a minimum, each adult member must complete ten hours a month. A friend/family member may donate up to 50 hours toward each future homeowners' total sweat equity.

An important part of preparing partner families for the responsibilities and potential pitfalls of homeownership are the classes that we provide. There are at least three series of classes on the topics of Habitat Philosophy and Partnership, Financial Planning, and Home Maintenance and Neighborhood Development. Homebuyers are required to attend these classes (counted towards sweat equity hours).

House size depends on the number of household members who will be living there. The following is the maximum square footage for each house size: 900 square feet for a two-bedroom house, 1070 square feet for a three bedroom house, 1230 square feet for a four-bedroom house, and 1400 square feet for a five-bedroom house. The square foot numbers describe living space not including stairwells, crawl space and exterior storage.

The size and floor-plan for each home we build is determined by the number of household members and the location of the build. Habitat provides a standard floor plan for each size house, which might need to be adapted to meet special needs of the lot or particular considerations of the homebuyer. All adjustments to floor plans are minimal and there is no guarantee that we can meet all the desires of the homebuyer.

Yes, there are some customizable choices for your home. Every homeowner can choose at no cost:

Vinyl siding and exterior door colors
Countertop and cabinet colors for kitchen
Phone and cable jack locations
Carpeting and vinyl flooring colors/options
If possible, some minimal changes to the basic floor plan

In an effort to personalize and beautify the home while still staying true to Habitat’s mission of building simple, decent, affordable housing each future homeowner may choose to add certain custom options. Examples of these options include: dishwasher, washer and dryer, ceiling fans, an extra window, etc. Homeowners can customize their homes further as desired after they sign their mortgage and take ownership of the home.

In a further effort to ensure affordable housing, we have focused on building energy efficient homes. All of our homes are up to Energy-Star standards, utilize energy-efficient appliances, and we are making steady progress towards even higher levels of green certification. This commitment helps not only the environment, but it also helps create sustained energy savings for our homebuyers.

The homes built in our third neighborhood, Osage Place, will have a special focus on energy efficiency, and are being built to the Zero Energy Ready standard which includes the wiring for photovoltaic solar panels. They will also include high efficiency heating and cooling and water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

You may contact the office for a comprehensive list of house features.

There is a one-year warranty on all work done by Habitat. This warranty excludes damage resulting from wear and tear. There is also a one-year warranty on all subcontracted work such as plumbing, electrical, and heating and cooling.

We hope that you'll enjoy your home for (at least) the extent of the mortgage, but understand family circumstances change. If you need/want to sell your home before you've fully paid off your mortgage, Habitat has the first right to buy your home. In these cases, we are the able to resell the home (after some - hopefully minor - repairs and renovations) to another Habitat family at a fraction of the cost and time of a traditional new construction build.

More specific guidelines will be shared at the Homeowner Information Meetings, your Orientation (if accepted0, and before closing on your home.

You may contact the office for more specific information.