Households in the homebuyer program contribute 275 hours of sweat equity instead of a down payment. Historically, these hours have been completed on the construction site building their homes. While many hours still come from swinging a hammer, more than ever, they come from different opportunities. The program now focuses on being good homeowners and neighbors, aiming to build strong, welcoming communities.

Our Homeowner Services team is dedicated to enhancing our financial education programs. Some of our staff are pursuing certification as Financial Social Workers, and we’re well on our way to becoming a HUD-certified housing counseling agency. We have also partnered with Fifth Third Bank to work with homebuyers one-on-one on financial literacy, like budgeting, saving, and credit. These initiatives underscore our commitment to helping our homebuyers learn how to manage their money and prepare to pay a mortgage.

Community-building events provide a chance for the whole family to get involved, and last weekend, we hosted a potluck at Weavers Grove. Many of our homebuyers came with their families to share their favorite dishes and play games. It was great to see everyone having fun and getting to know each other, including some market-rate buyers who recently moved in.

At Habitat, our mission goes beyond building houses; we build communities. We take pride in supporting our homebuyers as they transition into homeowners and become active, contributing members of their neighborhoods.

We look forward to continuing this program and setting our homebuyers up for success!