Once a family is approved by the all-volunteer Family Selection Committee the team work begins. Families begin accumulating sweat equity, by constructing Habitat homes alongside volunteers. Sweat equity is an integral part of the Habitat ministry. Homeowners receive training in all aspects of construction; which in turn provides them with “on-the-job -training” useful in the maintenance of their own home. It also enables them to see first hand the support they are receiving from the community.
Sweat equity is part of the homeowner’s down payment. Single-parent families must perform 300 hours of sweat equity and two-parent families must perform 400 hours of sweat equity on their and other Habitat homes. They must also pay a $500 cash down payment.
The size of the Habitat home is based on the size of the family. Most homes are either three bedroom or four bedroom duplex homes. A 3-bedroom/2-bath home is approximately 1,216 square feet and a 4-bedroom/2-bath home is approximately 1,349 square feet.
Homeowners are assigned building lots in the same order in which they are approved. At the appropriate time in the construction process the homeowner is asked to select carpet and flooring colors, countertops, cabinets, vanities and siding colors.
Once the home is completed a closing is scheduled. The average closing costs are $3,100 per house; this cost is paid by Beaches Habitat and added to the interest-free mortgage.
Habitat partner families receive more than a home. They receive the training and education necessary to transition from renting to homeownership. In addition, Beaches Habitat offers a variety of educational programs for the Habitat youth. Visit the Youth and Educational Programs section of our web site for more information on homeowner and youth educational programs.
If you would like to learn more about homeownership, call Joyce Freeman at (904) 241-1222 or email her at jfreeman@beacheshabitat.org
