By completing sweat equity hours, Habitat homeowners grow as homeowners, give back to their community, and invest in their journey.

REQUIREMENTS

As a part of the Habitat Orlando & Osceola homeownership program, future and current homeowners are asked to complete sweat equity.

• 75 hours for an applicant
• 150 hours for an applicant and co-applicant 

Below are several opportunities to complete sweat equity. Build site and event opportunities will be listed on VolunteerHub. Opportunities are updated frequently and subject to change. Check back periodically and submit documentation prior to activity expiration, when applicable.

Email is not secure, so please do not email documents with important private information like social security numbers, account numbers, private medical information, etc.

• Show proof that you have lowered your debt
  • Pay off your debt by 100% from the balance at time of approval, without closing any revolving accounts (ex. credit cards)
  • Upload through the secure link to your Habitat application or drop off proof at the Habitat Office for sweat equity credit.
  • Acceptable proof is account statements showing the balance has been paid, or a current copy of your own credit report (annualcreditreport.com) showing the balance has been paid.

• Take First Time Homebuyers Workshop
  • Click here for a flyer on HUD-approved agencies.
  • Once you complete the training, you will be able to download a certificate.
  • Email us a copy of the certificate with the date after approval to home@habitatorlandoosceola.org

• Join us on the build site (up to 6.5 hours)
  • Sign up on VolunteerHub
  • Must arrive on time and stay entire shift to receive full credit.
  • Must be actively engaged to receive hours.
• Write 100 thank you letters to our donors
  • Must be handwritten/legible
  • Must thank our donors for their generous gift
  • Must express what home means to you
  • Must have a drawing of something home-related, such as a drawing of a house, a family, Habitat, etc.
  • Click here for examples of thank you letters.
  • Do’s/Don’ts:
    • No photocopies of the letters will not be accepted.
    • Provide a variety of different handwritten messages. No more than 10 can be alike.
    • Please email home@habitatorlandoosceola.org to arrange a drop off of completed letters at the Habitat office. Sweat equity credit will be given after the letters have been reviewed by staff.

• Show proof that you have lowered your debt
  • Pay off your debt by 50% from the balance at the time of approval, without closing any revolving accounts (ex. credit cards).
  • Upload through the secure link to your Habitat application or drop off proof at the Habitat Office for sweat equity credit.
  • Acceptable proof is account statements showing the balance has been paid down, or a current copy of your own credit report (annualcreditreport.com) showing the balance has been paid down.
• Share your story with Habitat
  • • 4 hours can be earned per participating applicant or co-applicant
    • By video, essay or being interviewed by a member of our marketing staff
    • Please contact our marketing team at Social@HabitatOrlandoOsceola.org
    • Email home@habitatorlandoosceola.org after you have shared your story.

• Habitat U Mandatory Classes
  
  • Click here to visit the Habitat U website
  • Each homebuyer applicant is required to complete a series of 8 prospective homeowner classes.
  • You must complete the required quiz at the end of each class to earn sweat equity credit.
• Register to vote
  • Show voter’s registration card as proof (make sure the ID# isn’t visible)
  • Email proof to home@habitatorlandoosceola.org

• Habitat U Elective Classes 
  • Click here to visit the Habitat U website
  • Any elective classes in Habitat U can count for sweat equity hours.
  • In order to receive the sweat equity credit, you will need to take the online class & the quiz associated with that class.
  • Upon completion of the quiz, Habitat will receive proof that the class was completed & sweat equity credit will be added to your account.
• Listen to a financial health podcast episode
  • Choose from:  Dave Ramsey Show, Chris Hogan Show or Rachel Cruze Show
  • Write a short reflection on what you learned.
    • Reflection must:
      • Include the name of the podcast and the episode
      • Be minimum of 5 sentences
    • Email reflections to home@habitatorlandoosceola.org
• Education (maximum 10 hours)
  • A member of the household:
    • Earning a “B” or above in primary education (K-12) on an official report card in an academic course (math, science, English, history, or foreign language), each quarter after date of approval.
      • A = 1 hour
      • B = 0.5 hour
    • Earning a GED or high school diploma after the date of program approval
    • Earning a grade of “B” of higher after date of approval in higher education (college, university, trade school). Sweat equity hours earned are equivalent to course credit hours earned.
  • Email proof to home@habitatorlandoosceola.org