Home Ownership

How Do I Qualify for an Otsego County Habitat for Humanity House?

Otsego County Habitat for Humanity (OCHFH) builds simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with those who need a better place to live, who would like to purchase their home but are unable to qualify for a traditional home mortgage. You should be ready to accept the responsibility of being a homeowner.

To be eligible to apply for a Habitat home, you must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident and cannot already own a home. If you can answer yes to those three questions, you may qualify to own a Habitat home. If it any point you feel that you would not qualify for a Habitat home we may be able to refer you to another program. Please call us at (989) 732-6070.

Please note that when building is completed and an occupancy permit issued, homes are sold NOT given to the partner family. The partner family will pay a monthly mortgage payment that includes taxes and insurance for 20-30 years.

Habitat families are selected based on the three criteria listed below.

1. Ability to Pay (The partner family must meet all of these conditions):
⌂ The Debt-To-Income ratio is 30% / 43% (this is to protect the home buyer so that they will have income to afford
other common living expenses after meeting the monthly mortgage obligation).
⌂  Possess solid credit history with satisfactory payment of debts.
⌂  Be able to meet the terms of grant funding, and be able to place a deposit of $500.00 to $1,000.00 on the house.
2. Need (The partner family must meet at least one condition under "Need"):
⌂  You were unable to obtain adequate housing through conventional means of a bank or government loan.
⌂ Your present housing is unsafe, in disrepair, or is not adaptable for disabled persons.
⌂ You cannot already own your home and have no permanent housing and either live in transient housing, with
  family, friends or in a shelter.

3. Willingness To Partner (The partner family must meet all these conditions):
⌂ Complete an application package.
⌂ Attend all required meetings, workshops and classes.
⌂   All families selected for the program will complete at least 250 hours of volunteer "Sweat Equity" per adult.
⌂ Accept available properties and home design plans.

  Application for a Habitat for Humanity Home in Otsego County

526 Edelweiss Village Parkway
Gaylord, MI 49735
Phone: (989) 732-6070
Fax: (989) 731-4578
Email: office@otsegohabitat.org

Hours: Monday - Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Sunday's
526 Edelweiss Village Parkway
Gaylord, MI 49735
Phone: (989) 731-4506
Email: restore@otsegohabitat.org

All applicants are considered without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, Non identifying, height, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, veterans, weight nor as state or federal law otherwise prohibits.

Otsego County Habitat for Humanity is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

NON-PROSELYTIZING POLICY

Otsego County Habitat for Humanity will not proselytize. Nor will OCHFH work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with OCHFH. This means that OCHFH will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must (i) adhere to or convert to a particular faith or (ii) listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.