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Apply for a Habitat house

Apply for a Habitat house

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Thank you for your interest in becoming a Habitat homeowner. We believe that everyone should have a safe, affordable place to call home.

To carry out our vision, we partner with individuals and families from application through construction to when the keys are handed over.

By working with us from beginning to end, we can help prospective individuals prepare for the various responsibilities of homeownership, including learning about personal finances, mortgages, maintenance and upkeep of homes, and much more.

Habitat’s path to homeownership is an important and in-depth process, requiring hard work, time and dedication. But this helps to ensure the long-term success of Habitat homeowners.

How to qualify for a Habitat home

Habitat homeowners must be active participants in building a better home and future for themselves and their families. Every Habitat home is an investment. For us, it is one answer to a critical need, and we believe that stronger homes will create stronger communities.

  • Prospective Habitat homeowners must demonstrate a need for safe, affordable housing. Need will vary from community to community.
  • Once selected, Habitat homeowners must partner with us throughout the process. This partnership includes performing “sweat equity,” or helping to build their own home or the homes of others in our homeownership program. Sweat equity can also include taking homeownership classes or performing volunteer work in a Habitat ReStore.
  • Homeowners must also be able and willing to pay an affordable mortgage. Mortgage payments are cycled back into the community to help build additional Habitat houses.

Housing Help

ReStore Business & Donation Info:

406-256-0409
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am to 6pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed

Administration Office Info:

406-652-0409
Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm

Mailing Address:

Habitat For Humanity
Mid-Yellowstone Valley
685 King Park Dr.
Billings, MT 59102

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Habitat's Homebuyer Program

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Habitat for Humanity do?

Habitat is committed to making ownership of simple, decent homes affordable for low-income households.

Does Habitat give away houses?

No, we do not give away houses. Habitat homebuyers purchase a home at fair market value.

I don't live in Yellowstone County (or) I have just moved here. Do I qualify to apply?

Maybe. To apply, you must have resided in or commuted to a job within Yellowstone County for at least the past year. Habitat MYV does not provide housing outside of Yellowstone County.

Where does Habitat Mid-Yellowstone Valley build houses?

Habitat MYV is currently building a 21 home subdivision on Hawthorne Lane, in Billings Heights’ east side area.

What type of homes does Habitat MYV build? How large are the houses?

One-level, handicapped accessible, with attached garage. The largest house available at this time is 4 bedrooms.

How do I get an application? Is there a list I can get on to become a Habitat homebuyer?

Applications are distributed and processed only when there are openings in the homebuyer program. There are usually one or two application cycles per year.

If you are interested in applying, please contact our Homebuyer Services office at 406-652-0960 or at applications@billingshabitat.org to learn when the next application cycle will begin.

How soon can I move into a Habitat house? What is “sweat equity labor”?

Our homebuyer program does not provide emergency or immediate housing. Applicants who are approved into the program will complete “sweat equity labor,” which includes working on our construction sites building homes, and completing educational workshops. Each homebuyer household completes these requirements over the course of 12 to 24 months before purchasing and moving into their home.

I have a disability, and I don’t think I can do sweat equity labor. Will this program work for me?

Habitat MYV will make reasonable accommodations for sweat equity fulfillment, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We have partnered with several disabled homebuyers over the years.

I’m single, and I don’t have any kids. Can I apply to buy a Habitat house?

Yes, Habitat serves households of all sizes.

The bank turned down my home loan application. How can I afford a Habitat home?

Habitat for Humanity sells homes at no profit, and provides mortgage loans at 0% interest (or “zero equivalent”), so that monthly payments are within reach for folks who qualify. Habitat also structures mortgage loan packages to be affordable based on the individual circumstances of each homebuyer.

How do I know if my income is at a qualifying level?

An Income Guideline chart will be provided with your application materials. Qualifying income levels are based on the number of members in the household. Habitat uses low-income guidelines that are specific to Yellowstone County, and which are updated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

I have bad credit. Am I disqualified?

The amount of debt you are carrying will be considered in calculating your ability to pay a Habitat mortgage loan. If you have a lot of debt, you might be disqualified until your debt is reduced to a level that you can afford to pay. A definite determination could only be made if you apply to the program and provide the required income and debt documentation.

I have a judgment against me. Will that disqualify me?

If you are selected into the program, any judgment(s) must be paid off before you qualify for a home to be built.

Can I apply while I’m going through bankruptcy?

You are temporarily disqualified from the program if you are currently in bankruptcy or if you have had a bankruptcy discharged within the past year.

Will I have to make a down payment to buy a Habitat house?

No, but you will be required to save for and pay certain loan closing costs. Habitat will provide financial education to help you learn budgeting and saving to succeed in reaching your goal.

Will my kids all have their own bedrooms?

Habitat builds simple, decent, affordable houses that are sized according to the makeup of the buyer’s household. Our house sizing policy provides that two children of the same sex will share a bedroom if they are less than 5 years apart in age. The largest house available at this time is 4 bedrooms.

Are there any restrictions on what the person purchasing the home can do with it?

Habitat requires the homebuyer to live in the home as his/her primary residence (i.e., you may not rent it out).

I have a criminal record. Am I disqualified?

If any member of your household has been convicted of a sexual offense, your household is disqualified. If any member of your household has been convicted of a violent felony within the past 5 years, your household is disqualified until the conviction is more than 5 years in the past. Other types of criminal convictions may be evaluated by the Selection Committee, but are not necessarily disqualifying.

Billings Habitat Equal Housing Opportunity

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.

Qualifications for Habitat homeownership

Find out more about the qualifications for Habitat homeownership and view our infographic with even more information on our homeownership program.
Read more

How does financial education help families?

Future Habitat homeowners participate in financial education classes, often before the building process even begins.
Read more

What is sweat equity?

At Habitat, sweat equity is a new homeowner investing in their home or one for another family. It’s not a form of payment, but an opportunity to work alongside volunteers to bring to life a family’s dream of owning a home.
Read more

Who does it take to build a Habitat house?

In every Habitat home, you’ll find the work and dedication of many people, all working with a common goal: helping a family build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter.
Read more
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Habitat For Humanity Mid-Yellowstone Valley | Billings Montana

ReStore Business & Donation Info:

406-256-0409
Restore Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am to 6pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Donation Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday: 10am to 5:30pm

Administration Office Info:

406-652-0960
Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm

Mailing Address:

Habitat For Humanity
Mid-Yellowstone Valley
685 King Park Dr.
Billings, MT 59102
Billings Habitat Equal Housing Opportunity
© Habitat for Humanity Mid-Yellowstone Valley, 2024
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