MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• I/we am/are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

• I/we have lived or worked in Putnam County for at least the last 12 months.

• I/we have not owned a house in the past 3 years or had a foreclosure in the past 7 years.

• I/we currently live in an inadequate or unsafe home; and/or in an overcrowded home; and/or in a physically unsafe neighborhood.

• I/we am/are willing to invest up to 250 hours in sweat equity labor by helping to build your house and/or the houses of others (based on two adults), or by volunteering at the ReStore. 

• I/we agree to attend Home ownership educational classes and pre-purchase homeownership counseling.

• I/we are committed to living in a drug-free and crime-free community.

• I/we agree that Habitat can obtain a credit report for everyone who will be purchasing the home. You must have reasonably good credit history. Your credit score must be 620 or better.

• I/we are aware that all members of our household who are 18 years or older (and living in the home) cannot be listed on a sex offender registry and that each individual must pass a national criminal background check.

• If you have filed bankruptcy, it must have been 5 years since the discharge of a Chapter 7 and at least 3 years since the discharge of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

• I/we are able to pay a $1,500 down payment.

• I/we agree that we will live in our Habitat home as our principal residence, and that it may not be occupied by another family while you own it.

HUD 2026 Annual Income Guidelines for Homeowner Selection

This chart is based on the Putnam County Area Median Income (AMI) of $95,500.

Source: HUD

We consider wages, Social Security disability, SSI, TANF, pensions/retirement and child support as sources of income.

Household income must be between Putnam County minimum and maximum income amounts illustrated in the table below

You must gather the following documents before you can start your application process. We require documents for the applicant, co-applicants, and all family members 18 years of age and over. Make copies to be submitted with your application. We will require originals for verification.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Obtain your own credit report by logging on to: AnnualCreditReport.com

• Social Security Card

• Driver’s License

• W-2 forms for the last two years (2025 and 2024)

• Tax returns for the last two years (2025 and 2024)

• Paycheck stubs for the past two pay periods

• Government assistance award letters: Food Stamp/Snap benefits, Social Security and/or Disability benefits

• Documentation of alimony and/or child support

• Documentation of any other income

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) is federal civil rights law that prevents lenders from discriminating against credit applicants based on factors unrelated to their ability to repay. Specifically, ECOA protects consumers from lending discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, public assistance, or the exercise of any rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.