10 Things to know about the Habitat Lakeside Homebuyer Program

By Penny Rayfield, Habitat Lakeside family services manager

Partnering with Habitat Lakeside to become a homeowner is a transformative journey that can lead to creating generational wealth. While many believe the organization simply gives away houses, the reality is that the partnership is designed to set families up for long-term financial success.

Far from winning the lottery, prospective home buyers must be qualified and they must apply for the program. Here are 10 things to know about our homebuyer program.

1. You must live or work in Sheboygan County for at least six months and meet minimum and maximum income guidelines.
   
   
2. While there are national guidelines, Habitat operates through local affiliates. Each affiliate may have slightly different income limits based on their specific Area Median Income (AMI) and local housing costs. Sheboygan County income guidelines are shown below, to qualify your annual household income should fall within the guidelines in this chart.
   
   
3. The selection process is based on three core criteria; need, ability to pay and willingness to partner.
   
   Need for housing: Living in substandard, overcrowded, or unaffordable conditions.
   
   Ability to pay: Having a stable income to cover a monthly mortgage. 
   
   Willingness to partner: Committing to the program’s unique requirements. Instead of a large cash down payment, time is your investment. This typically involves 250 hours of volunteering for individual applicants and 400 total hours of volunteering for joint applicants. Partner families help build their own home, work on other Habitat projects, or volunteer at the Sheboygan ReStore.
   
   
4. All future homeowners must complete financial education courses covering budgeting, credit management, and home maintenance. The classes count towards the required volunteer hours, are designed to prepare partner families for the financial responsibilities of home ownership and provide lifelong skills.
   
   
5. Habitat homes do not negatively affect their surrounding neighborhood. Upon completion, the home is appraised, then sold to the partner family at market value. The total monthly mortgage payment (including taxes and insurance) does not exceed 27 percent of the applicant’s gross monthly income creating affordability.
   
   
6. You don't need a high credit score to apply. Habitat often looks at credit history over scores, focusing on whether you are currently paying bills on time and if you have recent bankruptcies or excessive collections.
   
   
7. You become a community ambassador when you buy a Habitat Lakeside home. Future homeowner families represent Habitat in their community. This might include sharing their stories at events or participating in media interviews to help the organization create awareness and raise funds for more homes.
   
   
8. Homes are built for sustainability and designed to be energy efficient, which keeps long-term utility costs low for the homeowner. Habitat Lakeside homes meet ENERGY STAR standards, meaning lower ongoing heating, cooling, and electrical expenses.
   
   
9. The process takes time, from the initial application, through the selection process and then to the day you move in, typically takes 12 to 18 months. It requires patience and a significant time commitment to complete all the program milestones.
   
   
10. Habitat homes are not custom built; the size of the home is based on family size and location is based on available land. As a future homeowner you do have the opportunity to choose your exterior colors, flooring, cabinet, and countertop colors. The homes come with donated new appliances, which is a great upfront cost savings for a home buyer.

 
There are various requirements to being a Habitat Lakeside homeowner, but the rewards outweigh the work involved. Habitat homeowners often report improved health and fewer environmental hazards, better educational outcomes for children, and the ability to build savings and family wealth through equity and energy‑efficient living.

A Habitat home provides an affordable, stable mortgage, support, training, and coaching, lower upfront costs, a community‑oriented homebuilding experience, energy‑efficient, newly built housing, and a lifelong partnership with Habitat Lakeside.

ReStore volunteer Karen (left) and Habitat Lakeside home buyer Kewanna at the Sheboygan ReStore.