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Is Habitat For Humanity Your Best Bet For Affordable Housing Right Now?

By Housing Nonprofit

HUD Certified Housing Counselors

It’s no secret that we are living in challenging times right now.

Rachelle Taylor found her path to home ownership through the first time homebuyer program and private financing in New Orleans. Her financing included Housing Grants from Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, Cross Roads Missions, and the Reconcile New Orleans Construction Training Program.

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    But even though times are tough, housing prices are higher than ever. If you’re looking to buy a home to offer your family stability, see how a piece of property from Habitat for Humanity can help.

    Even though the coronavirus pandemic started a while ago, many of us still feel its adverse financial effects. And if you lost your job or income due to COVID-19, you probably struggled to pay your housing costs.

    As impossible as it may seem right now, you could buy a home, even if your finances aren’t in complete order. Not just any home, but a Habitat for Humanity home, as this special program can offer many benefits for families seeking stability.

    Reasons To Apply For Habitat For Humanity Housing

    One reason why you may want to apply for Habitat for Humanity housing is to cut ties with your landlord. While valid, here are even better reasons to apply:

    1. You can gain housing stability.

    When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, it’s common to be constantly on the move. Whether you’re staying in a temporary apartment, motels, or shelters, this can take a toll on the physical and mental health of both you and your kids. It can negatively impact your ability to hold a job and start saving money. And it can make it hard for your kids to advance through school.

    Move into a Habitat for Humanity home that’s 100 percent yours, and you can gain the stability you need to flourish. There are statistics to back this up too. For starters, kids who grow up in Habitat housing have gone on to college at higher rates than their peers with the same socioeconomic backgrounds. And adults who become Habitat homeowners tend to gain financial independence faster thanks to the program’s educational resources that are a prerequisite to becoming eligible for a home.

    2. You can own an affordable and safe home.

    Rent costs are out of control, and so are home prices. Get a Habitat for Humanity home, and you can own a house, stop wasting money on rent, and get a monthly mortgage payment that fits your budget.

    Statistics show that Habitat housing offers lower mortgage payments than comparable homes, and the monthly bills tend to be cheaper too. How can a Habitat home have cheaper monthly bills? Because this type of housing is built with an emphasis on keeping building costs low and making homes as energy-efficient as possible. As for safety, Habitat homes are built up to code and sit in secure neighborhoods.

    3. You can connect with others.

    Habitat for Humanity is a unique program since it requires you to invest “sweat equity” to become a homeowner. This means that you must help build your home or one in the community while also attending classes on homeownership or performing administrative tasks.

    Through this process, you can bond with other volunteers. You can gain friends and make valuable connections to help your family grow, and these benefits can be quite helpful during times like these when you may feel vulnerable.

    Now that you see the benefits of owning a Habitat home, go here to start the application process.