Selling Your Habitat Home
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Supporting homeowners through the resale process
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC is committed to supporting homeowners throughout their homeownership journey. When a Habitat homeowner decides to sell their home, we work with the homeowner and other parties involved in the transaction to provide information, guidance, and support throughout the resale process.
Our goal is to help homeowners understand the requirements that apply to their Habitat home and to facilitate an orderly resale process while protecting the interests of the homeowner, the organization, and the future buyer. We’re here to help homeowners understand the resale process and move forward with confidence every step of the way.
Getting Started
Selling a Habitat for Humanity home can involve additional requirements because of the terms of your original Habitat agreement and the organization’s affordable homeownership mission. Before listing or entering into an agreement to sell your home, contact Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC at resales@orangehabitat.org to clarify which provisions and processes apply to you.
Properties offered through our resale program must meet applicable affordability and resale requirements. If your property does not have affordability restrictions, you may be eligible to sell on the open market. We recommended you verify this with Habitat staff before putting your home up for sale.
Important: The information on this page is intended as a general guide and does not replace the terms of your individual Habitat agreement or provide legal, tax, lending, or real estate advice. Requirements may vary depending on your documents and circumstances.
Before you sell: A quick checklist
If you are considering selling your Habitat home:
☐ Contact Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC at resales@orangehabitat.org
☐ Review your Habitat agreements and recorded restrictions
☐ Determine the applicable resale requirements
☐ Discuss your plans with your mortgage lender
☐ Consider whether you want to hire a real estate professional
☐ Gather records of improvements and repairs
☐ Identify outstanding mortgages or liens
☐ Obtain appropriate legal and tax advice
☐ Coordinate with the closing attorney
☐ Have the proposed buyer and transaction reviewed as required
☐ Do not assume the market value is the allowable resale price
☐ Do not accept an offer before understanding the applicable Habitat requirement
The Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Sell
Yes, you may sell your home at any time, however, your home may be subject to resale requirements contained in your Habitat agreements and recorded documents.
Before taking steps to sell your home, contact Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC at resales@orangehabitat.org. Habitat will review the applicable documents and explain the requirements that may apply to your resale.
Contact Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC at resales@orangehabitat.org before listing your home for sale or entering into a contract.
Starting the process early allows you, Habitat, your real estate professional, lender, and closing attorney to identify applicable resale requirements and coordinate the transaction.
Your Habitat home may be subject to affordability restrictions, resale provisions, a right of first refusal, a shared-equity provision, a deed restriction, or other requirements established in your Habitat agreements or recorded documents.
Habitat’s role is to review and administer the applicable resale provisions and help ensure that the sale is handled in accordance with those requirements.
You should notify Habitat at resales@orangehabitat.org before making assumptions about how improvements will affect the resale of your home.
Depending on your Habitat agreements, certain improvements may be considered when determining the allowable resale price or may require documentation. Keep records of significant improvements, including:
- Receipts
- Invoices
- Permits
- Contractor information
- Dates of work
- Descriptions of improvements
You should locate and provide, as applicable:
- Your Habitat homeowner agreement(s)
- Mortgage and loan documents
- Deed and other recorded documents
- Information regarding outstanding liens
- Records of major improvements
- Property tax information
- Homeowners insurance information
- HOA information, if applicable
- Mortgage payment information
- Any prior Habitat correspondence regarding the property
Habitat may request additional documentation during the resale process.
The timeframe varies from property to property. The process can be affected by:
- Review of Habitat documents
- Determination of the allowable resale price
- Buyer eligibility
- Financing
- Property inspections
- Title issues
- Mortgage payoff information
- Required Habitat approvals or notices
- Preparation of closing documents
- Scheduling of the closing
Homeowners interested in selling their home should begin the process as early as possible.
Yes. The resale process may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in applicable law, Habitat policies, program requirements, or the documents governing the property.
The process and requirements are subject to change. The requirements applicable to your specific home and transaction will be based on the governing documents and applicable requirements in effect at the time of the resale.
Start by contacting Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC at resales@orangehabitat.org before listing your home or entering into a purchase contract.
Habitat can help you understand the next steps, identify applicable resale requirements, and coordinate with the appropriate parties involved in the transaction.
Listing and Selling Your Home
It is strongly recommended that you contact Habitat first at resales@orangehabitat.org.
Listing a home before understanding the applicable resale provisions can create confusion about the allowable sales price, buyer eligibility, required notices, Habitat’s rights, and other requirements.
Starting with Habitat can help prevent delays later in the transaction.
The answer depends on the terms of your individual Habitat agreements and applicable resale provisions.
The resale price may be affected by the requirements contained in your Habitat documents, including any applicable formula, restrictions, or other provisions governing the resale of the property.
Homeowners should not assume that the home’s current market value is necessarily the same as the allowable resale price.
Any price discussed during the resale process may be subject to change based on the applicable Habitat documents, required calculations, inspections, improvements, or other factors.
Yes. You may choose to work with a licensed real estate professional to assist with the sale, subject to the requirements of the applicable Habitat agreements and resale process.
A real estate agent can assist with matters such as marketing, showing the property, negotiating with prospective buyers, and preparing transaction documents.
Not necessarily. Habitat’s role in the resale process is different from that of a real estate broker or agent.
If you choose to use a real estate professional, you may independently select the licensed agent or broker you wish to represent you, subject to applicable requirements.
No. Habitat’s role in the resale process does not make Habitat your real estate agent or personal attorney.
You may wish to obtain independent advice from a licensed real estate professional, attorney, tax professional, or other appropriate advisor.
Your ability to select a buyer may be subject to the resale provisions in your Habitat agreements.
For example, your documents may provide Habitat with certain rights or establish requirements concerning the eligibility of a prospective purchaser.
Before accepting an offer, homeowners should make sure the proposed transaction complies with the applicable Habitat requirements.
You may be able to sell the property without a real estate agent, but all applicable Habitat resale requirements still apply.
If you choose a private sale, you should still coordinate with Habitat and obtain appropriate legal advice regarding the transaction.
You should consult Habitat before accepting an offer.
Your Habitat agreements may contain requirements concerning the sale, purchaser, sales price, notice, or Habitat’s rights.
Obtaining Habitat’s guidance early can help avoid entering into a contract that cannot be completed as proposed.
Habitat may need to review the proposed transaction to determine whether it complies with the applicable resale provisions.
Depending on the requirements applicable to your property, Habitat may review items such as:
- The proposed purchase price
- The prospective purchaser’s eligibility
- The proposed contract
- Required notices or documentation
- Applicable resale restrictions
- Habitat’s rights under the homeowner’s agreements
- Required approvals or acknowledgments
The specific steps will depend on the documents governing your property.
The Offer to Purchase and Contract is generally prepared by the parties’ real estate professional or attorney, depending on the circumstances of the transaction.
Habitat is not the homeowner’s real estate agent or attorney and does not represent either party in negotiating the purchase contract.
The parties should obtain independent legal or real estate advice regarding the contract.
The closing attorney generally handles the legal and closing aspects of the real estate transaction.
Depending on the transaction, the closing attorney may:
- Conduct the title search
- Review title issues
- Prepare or coordinate closing documents
- Coordinate with the lender
- Calculate closing figures
- Obtain required payoff information
- Coordinate execution of documents
- Record applicable documents
- Disburse funds
- Complete other legal and closing requirements
The closing attorney’s responsibilities may also include ensuring that applicable Habitat documents or restrictions are properly addressed in the transaction.
Ask Habitat and your real estate professional about the requirements that apply to your transaction.
The parties should understand who is responsible for selecting the closing attorney and whether any particular requirements apply to the closing.
No. Habitat can explain the requirements contained in its applicable agreements and explain its role in the resale process, but Habitat does not provide individual legal or tax advice.
Homeowners should consult their own attorney or tax professional regarding questions specific to their circumstances.
Your Mortgage and Financials
Your existing mortgage or other liens generally must be addressed as part of the closing process.
The closing attorney will typically obtain payoff information from the applicable lender(s) and account for the amounts owed when calculating the closing figures.
The exact treatment of your Habitat financing will depend on your individual loan documents and other agreements.
Potentially. The amount you may receive from the sale depends on the allowable sales price, your outstanding mortgage and other liens, closing costs, applicable Habitat resale provisions, and other transaction expenses.
Do not assume that the difference between the sales price and your mortgage balance will be the amount you receive at closing.
Applicable affordability restrictions or other recorded restrictions may continue to affect the property after the sale.
The specific requirements depend on the documents recorded against your property and the terms of your Habitat agreements.
The closing attorney should review these requirements as part of the transaction.
Contact Habitat and your mortgage lender before listing the property or accepting an offer.
A potential shortfall can affect whether and how the transaction can proceed. The homeowner may need to explore options with the lender, Habitat, and the closing attorney.
Contact your mortgage servicer as soon as possible. Do not wait until you are ready to sell.
A delinquent mortgage can create additional complications for a resale, including additional fees, legal proceedings, liens, or other issues that may need to be resolved before closing.
Habitat may also be able to provide information about available resources or organizations that may assist homeowners.
Potentially. Orange County and North Carolina may have programs or resources that can assist eligible homeowners who are experiencing financial hardship.
Homeowners should contact Habitat and their mortgage servicer as soon as possible to discuss available options.
Buyer Requirements
A prospective buyer may be required to meet applicable eligibility requirements.
Depending on the resale provisions applicable to the property, Habitat may need to review or approve the proposed purchaser or confirm that the purchaser meets specified requirements.
Homeowners should contact Habitat before representing that a prospective purchaser has been approved.
Generally, a buyer should be permitted to independently select a lender of their choice, subject to the terms of applicable law and the transaction documents.
Habitat should not recommend, require, direct, refer, or steer a prospective purchaser toward a particular lender or mortgage product as a condition of purchasing the property or obtaining Habitat’s approval, unless a specific legal or contractual requirement applies.
The buyer should be allowed to independently explore available financing options.
Habitat’s role in a resale transaction depends on the specific property and applicable agreements. Homeowners and prospective buyers should contact Habitat to determine whether any Habitat financing or other Habitat-related requirements apply to the particular transaction.
