Homeownership Qualifications

Do I Qualify?

Homeowner applicants must have lived or worked in Hillsborough County for at least one year (the last 12 months) and meet the following criteria:

Housing Need – Applicants must demonstrate a housing need such as:

• Overcrowded conditions
• Unsafe or unsanitary conditions
• Substandard housing – with a leaking roof or windows, poor heating or lacking proper plumbing
• Unaffordable rent – paying a very high percentage of income for rent (more than 30% per HUD standards)

A home visit will be performed by Homeowner Services Committee members to verify a Housing Need.

Ability to Pay – Applicants must have appropriate affordability including:

• U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident
• Income must be within the income guidelines for eligibility (See income guidelines below)
• Ability to pay Buyer’s closing costs. Some closing costs are required to be paid prior to closing.  The balance of the Buyer’s closing costs will be due at closing. A gift of money from a close relative may be used to pay closing costs. See “Requirements for Gift Funds” below.
• Have at least one year of steady, reliable and verifiable income. (can be employment, Social Security income or retirement income; food stamps are not considered; unstable employment is not considered)
• Gross monthly income to support a Habitat for Humanity mortgage. How to Calculate Your Income
• Underwriting decisions are based on income, debts and credit history of the borrower(s)
• Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County requires a minimum credit score of 600.
• Non-medical collections must not total more than $1,500 and will need to be paid off before a future homeowner purchases a Habitat home
• Bankruptcies must have been discharged at least 48 months and credit re-built

Willingness to Partner – Applicants must contribute “sweat equity” which includes:

• Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County to build homes, work at the Habitat ReStore, or work at Habitat events, etc.  Hours are minimum of 300 Sweat Equity hours for a One-Applicant Household and 375 Sweat Equity hours for a Two-Applicant Household

Requirements for Gift Funds:

1. A gift letter (including, among other things, the amount of the gift and a statement that it doesn’t have to be paid back)
2. Evidence of the transfer of funds. Evidence can be the donor’s withdrawal slip and your deposit slip; a copy of the check and evidence of its deposit into your account.
   1. We must be able to verify that the donor had the money for the gift in their account for at least 30 days prior to the gift. The donor’s bank statements will be used for verification purposes.
   2. If the donor borrowed money for the gift, they must be able to document the source. The gift CANNOT come from cash the donor has on hand. It must be in a verifiable account.

Income Limits for 2024

The income limits required to be ELIGIBLE for the Habitat Homeownership Program are based on the number of people who would be living in the home. Our limits are below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Hillsborough County with incomes above the minimum incomes listed. The numbers listed are based on guidelines adjusted each year and defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These figures include many forms of income: employment, public assistance, Social Security, disability, child support, etc.

The minimum gross monthly income needed to support a Habitat Hillsborough mortgage is slightly above the minimum amounts listed below for various household sizes.