Once a year, volunteers step back, look at the results of their hard work then get ready to turn over the keys.

These volunteers work with Habitat for Humanity of Beaufort County and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout a good portion of the year, they can be found at the latest construction site, lending their expertise to the building of a home.

“We have a core group of volunteers,” said Rudy Burns, head of publicity for the organization. “They’re just people that want to come down and help — they know a little about carpentry. We’re always looking for anyone to come down and help.”

The homes are not given away, but sold by Habitat to qualified low-income buyers who are in need of safe, decent and affordable homes, according to A press release from Burns. In order to qualify, the purchaser(s) must have good credit, meet certain income qualifications, have the ability to make moderate monthly payments and a low cash-down payment. The houses are then sold to qualified applicants with a 30-year mortgage at 0 percent interest.

The homes’ construction is volunteer and donation driven and once new homeowners pass through the application process, they become volunteers as well: during construction, they are required to contribute by investing their own sweat equity — their own labor — in the project, Burns said.

“I would say we get quite a few applications a year, but only two or three that are credit-worthy,” Burns said, adding that if applicants aren’t credit-worthy, Habitat will often help them become credit-worthy.

The process requires an application review and interview by Habitat’s Family Selection Committee, then a candidate’s paperwork is studied: copy of birth certificate or citizenship papers (for non-U.S. citizens, a copy of their passport and work permit or permanent residency card is required; the previous year’s Federal income tax return and/or copies of last two payroll stubs; list of any credit card, auto or other loan debts; address and telephone number of current employers and any past employer if an applicant has changed jobs within the past year.

“Once we get someone approved, we’ll start another home,” Burns said. “We’ll probably start on a new one around the end of the year or first of the year.”

Habitat for Humanity of Beaufort County builds one house a year, according to Burns.

“With more donations and volunteers, we may be able to do two homes a year,” he said.

For more information on how to apply for a Habitat for Humanity of Beaufort County home, call 252-975-1750. To volunteer to help build a Habitat for Humanity house, call John Reiner at 252-946-8557 or the Habitat number.