Homeownership
Ownership in Marion, Monongalia, & Preston Counties
In West Virginia, 1 in 9 households spend half or more of their income on housing. This means that every day, families face tough choices just to keep a roof over their heads. Home is more than just a place to live—it’s peace of mind, a foundation for security and opportunity.
A decent home provides safety and stability, while an affordable home offers the financial freedom to prioritize other life essentials like healthcare, savings, and education. Everyone deserves the chance to thrive in a home they can truly call their own.
Homeownership with Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity
Every day, Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity partners with qualified families and individuals like you to provide comfortable, high-quality homes with affordable mortgages.
For households throughout the US, owning a home provides a stable foundation for building a better life – from increased financial stability and improved quality of life to creating a sense of home and community involvement.
About Our Homes
Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity believes that everyone deserves a safe, comfortable place to live, and this is reflected in the thoughtful design, craftsmanship and expertise that we put into our house plans.
Habitat’s Homebuyer Program currently offers:
- New build single-family detached homes
- New build townhomes, duplexes and other multi-unit plans
The Application Process
- After you submit your pre-application online, a Mon Valley Habitat team member will contact you via phone to answer any questions you may have about the program and confirm the information you have submitted.
- Our team member will talk with you about the next steps in the process and send you an application packet to complete.
- Once you’re approved for the Homeownership Program, you’ll continue your journey through:
- Completion of additional Homebuyer education classes
- Participation in home construction and community engagement activities
- Committing to your home and maintaining a positive financial situation
Criteria
To be considered for our program you must meet the following criteria:
Habitat’s vision is a world where everyone has a safe, affordable place to live, and we know the need for housing looks different for everyone. Some examples of a need for housing include, but are not limited to:
- Living in overcrowded or substandard housing; overcrowded is defined as more than 2 children sharing a room, 2 children of the same gender sharing a room, children sharing a room with adults, and/or multiple adults sharing a room
- Being a resident of public housing, housing assistance program, or renting a room from a friend or family member
- Paying more than 30% of your gross monthly income (pre-tax) on housing expenses
- Please note – you cannot be a homeowner at the time of application
The ability to afford your mortgage is essential to guaranteeing success in our homeownership program. We will review your financial history to determine your potential success in our program
We encourage all applicants to pull their FREE credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com before applying so you are aware of your debts and potential barriers to becoming approved for the program.
Homebuyers must partner with Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity throughout the process. Purchasing a home through our program doesn’t require the same down payment a mortgage on the open market typically does. Instead of a down payment, Habitat families agree to partner with Habitat by:
- Performing 150-250 sweat equity hours, which includes education hours, construction hours, and community engagement opportunities.
- Living and/or working in Marion, Monongalia, or Preston County for at least the last 12 months.
- Responding in a timely manner to requests from MVHFH
Why do the income guidelines vary for different areas?
We understand this question and appreciate your interest in our program.
Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity partners with families who have a demonstrated need for housing and the ability to pay an affordable mortgage. To determine income eligibility, we follow federal guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These guidelines define “low- to moderate-income” based on 50–60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) — which varies by county and region.
Because the cost of living and average incomes in our service area are slightly higher than in some other parts of the country, the income thresholds may appear higher than expected. Rest assured, these numbers are not set arbitrarily by Mon Valley Habitat for Humanity — they reflect the federally-recognized standard for housing affordability in our local community.
If you’re unsure whether you qualify, we still encourage you to complete the pre-application. Every application is reviewed individually, and we’re happy to help walk you through the process.
Take this brief quiz to see if you meet the minimum qualifications for consideration as one of Mon Valley Habitat’s partner families. It should only take a few minutes, and you’ve completed the pre-application which is the first step toward homeownership.
If you don’t want to fill out a pre-application online – no problem! You can email [email protected] to request further information.
Currently we are accepting pre-applications for Morgantown/Monongalia Counties only.
Select an option below to see if you qualify.
Homeownership Frequently Asked Questions
The sweat equity requirement takes 12-18 months. It generally takes about 1.5 to 2 years to complete the entire process, from the date of the application to the house closing.
If applicants do not meet Mon Valley Habitat’s criteria for the Homeownership Program, and are not selected, they will receive a letter with a description of the reason as to why they were not approved.
For questions or concerns regarding the application process, please call 304.292.0914 or email [email protected].