Homeownership Program & Application FAQs
If you did not find answers to your questions from the HOW DO I APPLY page or in the information below, please call us at 609-463-0244 ext. 77
- I am a United States citizen or legal permanent resident.
- I have a credit score of 620 or higher.
- I have the ability to save a minimum of $9,000 (this is the down payment estimate for the house at 300 Wildwood Avenue)
- I can provide verification that my current housing is overcrowded, unaffordable, dangerous, unhealthy, temporary, or otherwise substandard.
- My gross annual household income (before taxes) falls within the income guidelines listed.
- If I’m employed, I have been employed in the same industry for at least 2 years.
- I have a stable source of income that I do not expect to end within the next 3 years.
- If I have ever declared bankruptcy, it has been discharged for at least 3 years.
- I have not been foreclosed upon in the past 7 years.
- I have not owned a home in the last 3 years.
- I can provide proof of timely rental payments for the last 12 months.
- I plan to use this home as my primary residence for the duration of my ownership.
- All members of my household have lived together consistently for the past 12 months.
- I am willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Cape May County by volunteering my time working on the construction site, participating in homeowner preparation classes, attending meetings and events, volunteering in the ReStore, etc.
- I do not have any unpaid non-medical collections, or if I have any medical collections, they are on a payment plan and current.
In order to meet Habitat for Humanity International, local, and federal regulations, homes built by Habitat for Humanity Cape May County are only available to households that meet certain income limits. For example: to qualify as a successful applicant for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, your total household annual income must fall into the range below, based on your household size:
| People in household | Low Income Limits | Moderate Income Limits |
| 3 | $46,250-$60,125 | $60,126-$74,000 |
| 4 | $51,350-$66,755 | $66,756-$82,160 |
| 5 | $55,500-$72,150 | $72,151-$88,800 |
| 6 | $59,600-$77,480 | $77,480-$95,360 |
The application fee is undetermined at this time due to vendor changes. However, it will be no more than $75.
- Completed Homeownership Program application
- Copies of driver’s licenses for everyone in the household 18 years of age or older
- Copies of all household members’ social security cards
- Copies of the 4 most recent pay stubs for everyone in the household over the age of 18
Please note:Â If it is determined that your application is qualified to move on to the next step in the homeownership selection process, you will be required to provide W-2s, tax returns, birth certificates, proof of rent payments, bank statements, credit card bills, and numerous other financial documents. Also, a $20 application fee (per every household member 18 y/o and older) in the form of cash, check, or money order made out to Habitat for Humanity is required at this stage of the process.
Completed applications with accompanying documentation should be MAILED to:
The Housing Partnership
2 East Blackwell Street, Suite 12
Dover, NJ 07801
Yes, all people who will be living in the home MUST be listed on the application. If they are 18 years of age or older, their income (earned and unearned) must be listed.
You are welcome to volunteer with us before you are approved, but the hours you volunteer will NOT carry over.
Sweat equity demonstrates your willingness to partner with HFHCMC. Sweat equity includes but is not limited to: taking online financial education classes, working on HFHCMC construction sites (possibly your own home), volunteering at our Restore, and representing HFHCMC at events.
We will hold a random selection. Qualified applicants will be notified of the next steps.
All applications will be entered into the random selection. The first application drawn will be further verified for eligibility. If that application is complete and fully approved, then no other applications will be reviewed further. If that applicant withdraws from the program, the next application selected from the lottery will be reviewed. Applications that are drawn further down the list would remain in that order and if applications prior do not meet the full eligibility, then the next application will be up for review until a homebuyer is approved and final.
The applications are held in the order in which they were drawn in the lottery until the closing/transfer of the home occurs. If a selected applicant is deselected/withdraws from the program for any reason, we will reference the order of applications for a next applicant. We will also add all applicants who are not selected to our notification list. This means you will be notified of the opportunity to apply for future properties.
Applicants who provide a completed application will receive some sort of notification regarding the status of their application: more information needed, you do not qualify, or you do qualify. Notifications are sent via email and/or USPS.
Habitat for Humanity houses are deed-restricted, meaning there is a maximum resale value (calculated by a state formula), and they must be sold to other who are verified low-to-moderate income. The municipality where the house is located, following state regulation, governs the sale of the house during the 30-year deed restriction and also for the first sale after the deed restriction expires.
Yes. You will be required to submit additional documents during this process. During the home-buying process, your income, assets, and credit will be reviewed at different stages. In an effort to be prepared, keep your pay stubs, bank statements, and most recent tax returns (including W-2s, 1099s, etc) in a binder or folder for easy access.
We encourage you to save a minimum of $5,500 towards closing costs and down payment. It is important for lenders to verify that you are investing your own money into the initial purchase of the home.
Your mortgage will be held by a third-party lender. (i.e., TD Bank, Columbia Bank, USDA, etc). HFHCMC staff will support you through the mortgage process. While we guide you through the process, it is ultimately up to you which lender you would like to utilize.
HFHCMC homes are NOT free. You must be able to qualify for a mortgage and have income to pay the mortgage every month. HFHCMC will point you to a third-party lender where you can apply for a loan and find grants to offset down payment costs and closing-cost fees.
Typical move-in dates are anywhere from 6-18 months from when the family is selected. These dates are dependent on construction schedules and municipal permits and when the mortgage lender is able to facilitate the closing.
No. Your HFHCMC home must be your own primary residence and cannot be leased or rented.
Yes, in accordance with affordable housing regulations, these homes will have a 30-year deed restriction.