Discover the Bliss of Asheville's Low Cost Housing Opportunities

Downpayment Assistance Programs

Mountain Housing Opportunities' Downpayment Assistance Loan Program
"...Mountain Housing Opportunities, Inc. offers a Downpayment Assistance Program (DAP) for households with low and moderate income. Below is a list of loan products and guidelines. Please note, this program administers federal funds and all borrowers must be first time homebuyers and must income-qualify for the program...."

Financing for Low Income Individuals and Families

Self-Help Credit Union
".... is a community development lender and real estate developer that works with qualified individuals, organizations and communities traditionally underserved by conventional markets. The funds that support our work come from deposits, grants, and other investments made by individuals and institutions across the U.S.... "

• We strengthen underserved communities by financing nonprofits, childcare centers, community health facilities, public charter schools and residential and commercial real estate projects.

• We operate a secondary market program that enables private lenders to make more loans in low-wealth communities.

Locating Low Cost Housing

NC Housing Search
"... allows people to locate available housing that best fits their individual and family needs. The service can be accessed online 24 hours a day and is supported by a toll-free, bilingual call center M-F, 9-6 EST. Individuals can easily search for housing using a wide variety of search criteria with special mapping features and receive apartment listings that provide a multitude of important information about each unit. In addition, the site connects people to other housing resources through website links and provides helpful tools for renters such as an affordability calculator, rental checklist, and renter rights and responsibilities information...."

North Carolina Housing Coalition
"... a network of housing and service providers, members of the faith community, civic and elected leaders, representatives of business and industry, and other advocates who believe that housing is a basic human need and the cornerstone of vibrant communities...."

Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!

Volunteer Built Homes

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHH) "... We are a nonprofit ministry dedicated to building simple, decent houses with community volunteers in partnership with qualified families currently living in inadequate housing.  We have been building houses and changing lives in Buncombe County since 1983.... We are currently building homes in the Enka Hills subdivision in West Asheville...."

Volunteer as a Habitat for Humanity builder, meet people and learn skills.

Mountain Housing Opportunities' Affordable Home Ownership program
".... provides low and moderate income households the opportunity to own new or renovated homes in Buncombe County. With flexible mortgage financing and homebuyer education, our safe, attractive homes in good neighborhoods become affordable. MHO builds high quality homes that will reduce future energy costs and provide a healthier, more durable dwelling. Focusing our home ownership opportunities in Asheville’s existing neighborhoods fosters local economic development, serves the environment and enhances community quality of life. MHO locates properties for the Self-Help Home Ownership program in rural areas that are attractive, affordable, and as near as possible to schools, shopping, and places of employment.
Home mortgages are arranged through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Interest rates vary according to a family’s need and can go as low as 1 percent.  The value of a family's labor is used as the down payment on the new home.
As part of the process, qualifying families and individuals learn financial and construction skills necessary to build and maintain their homes. The Self-Help Home Ownership program improves lives by building affordable homes and attractive neighborhoods...."

Affordable Housing Coalition of Asheville - Buncombe County
"... To use the talents and resources of the Coalition member agencies and the Asheville / Buncombe community in promoting a wide range of affordable housing options which lead to thriving, safe neighborhoods and individual and family self sufficiency...."

Volunteer Home Repairs

Since its founding in 1988, MHO has worked with volunteers to provide safety-related home repairs for low-income homeowners in Asheville and Buncombe County. MHO offers rewarding volunteer opportunities throughout the year.

Volunteer repairs may include:

• Building wheelchair/handicap access ramps
• Installing handrails or interior “grab-bars”
• Repairing rotted floors
• Replacing porches and stairs

Volunteers must be at least high school age due to safety requirements and the technical nature of some of the work. However, carpentry experience is not required. Volunteers must only possess a desire to make a real difference in someone’s life. All volunteers work under the supervision of qualified and experienced MHO staff.