New Homes with Affordable Mortgages Available near Downtown Orlando

Ebony purchased her home from Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County in 2023. The longtime Orange County employee recently shared how her life has changed since closing on her home almost three years ago.

“Homeownership has been amazing. The journey was amazing. Habitat had the best people to guide me through. Even when I wasn’t confident in myself, they pushed me through,” Ebony said. Since her closing, she has planted both literal and figurative roots in Holden Heights, tending to her new plants while getting to know her neighbors. She hopes that owning her home and going back to school at age 40 will encourage her son and daughter to work hard and not give up, no matter how long it takes.

Owning a home brings stability, pride, and long-term financial benefits. Instead of paying rent that increases year after year, homeowners build equity. Children in stable housing tend to perform better in school, and families experience improved health and well-being. Habitat homes are energy-efficient, which means lower utility bills and a smaller environmental footprint.

How Habitat Orlando & Osceola Helps

Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s mission is to make homeownership affordable for individuals and families who are priced out of the open market. And right now, we are accepting applications for brand-new, energy- efficient homes in Holden Heights—just minutes from downtown Orlando, I-4, and 408.

Applicants must meet three main criteria:

• Afford a monthly mortgage. You need a middle credit score of 630. You also need to meet income requirements to ensure that your mortgage stays affordable.

• Current housing is inadequate. Do you live in a home that’s overcrowded, temporary, or unsafe? Or is your household paying more than 30% of its monthly income toward housing?

• Willingness to partner. Our homeownership classes and sweat equity hours give you the tools to be a successful homeowner by walking you through basic home maintenance, budgeting, and more.

The Path to Homeownership

1.      Attend a Homeownership Program Orientation: Attend one of our twice monthly sessions to learn about our homes and the program.

2.      Apply/Meet with Housing Counselor: After attending an orientation, you’ll get a link to pay the application fee and then fill out the homeownership application. Need help applying or meeting the criteria? Sign up to meet for free with one of our Certified Housing Counselors who can help.

3.      Pick Your Lot: After your application is approved, you’ll choose the location, floorplan, and finishes of your home.

4.      Fulfill Partnership Requirements: You’ll also start taking classes and can volunteer on the build site.

5.      Closing: We’ll work with you to apply for down-payment assistance programs, which can reduce your home’s price by up to $100,000. After closing, you’ll get the keys to your brand new, affordable home!

Learn more and take your first step toward homeownership by visiting HabitatOrlando.org/Homeownership