Atlanta Habitat is thrilled to announce the reopening of the application process for our Home Purchase Program!
For the past 40 years, Atlanta Habitat has played a vital role in making homeownership dreams come true for residents of the City of Atlanta and South Fulton County. Through the Home Purchase Program, Atlanta Habitat offers qualified first-time homebuyers an opportunity to own affordable, energy-efficient homes with a zero-interest thirty-year mortgage.
Considering our application process has been closed since 2019, this re-opening marks a major milestone for our organization and our ability to make homeownership possible for more families in Atlanta and South Fulton. Amidst the surging demand for affordable homeownership in Atlanta, our application submissions reached a historical high and over the last four years, our Family Services Team has supported our waitlist of homebuyers to realize homeownership. To ensure our team can accommodate the flow of applications, submission volume will be limited and only accepted on the first Monday of each month, beginning Monday, December 4. To be eligible for the Home Purchase Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a first-time homebuyer or fall within specific exceptions;
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident who has lived or worked in select counties for the past year, including Fulton, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Henry or Paulding;
- Household size must range from one to eight people;
- Must meet income guidelines based on the area median income, considering various documented income sources such as employment, social security, self-employment, disability and child support;
- Savings requirement, with a step-up option available;
- Credit guidelines will be reviewed, with a primary focus on overall payment history rather than credit scores. Past due non-medical debts should not exceed $400, and they must be paid in full within 30 days of approval;
- Applicants must demonstrate their willingness to partner with Atlanta Habitat.
In addition to meeting the above criteria, potential homebuyers will also engage in a comprehensive process of five steps towards approval, including: watching an online information session, submitting an interest form online, meeting with the Family Services team, completing an application, and undergoing a home visit and interview. After all steps are complete, applicants will attend Home Smart classes, pay a good-faith deposit, and begin working towards the 250 required sweat-equity hours. For more information or if you have questions about our Home Purchase Program, please contact Dorothy Sambucetti, Outreach and Program Services Manager.
