Realtors, Developers Gather for Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County Build Day

Montgomery County, TX -- Thirty people who normally sell homes spent their day Sept. 29 building a home during a Johnson Development-sponsored Build Day at Habitat Montgomery County.

Twenty-five Realtors and several members of the development team for the Johnson communities of Grand Central Park and Woodforest — both in Montgomery County — volunteered four hours at the Habitat community of Cedar Creek in Conroe. They constructed 10 walls — about half of the walls that would go into a two-bedroom home, said Debra Richmond, Director of Strategic Partnerships for Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County. The Build Days are integral to fulfilling the organization’s mission, Richmond said.

“Each home has more than 2,500 hours of volunteer work spread over about 400 volunteer shifts,” she said. “Without volunteers, we couldn’t provide affordable housing to Montgomery County.”

Johnson Development donated $5,000 to reserve their Build Day, funds that will go toward paying for the cost of the home.

“We have to pay the same suppliers as everyone else when it comes to building our homes,” Richmond said. “We do try to get donated items whenever we can, but that doesn’t happen all of the time.”

She said a three-bedroom home typically costs about $95,000 to build.

In addition to the 12 Build Days for each home, Richmond said there are a number of individual volunteers — often retirees — who also give their time. The more seasoned volunteers are called “Red Hats.” People approved to buy a home within the Cedar Creek neighborhood also must put in 175 hours of “sweat equity” before they are assigned a home and then 175 additional hours before closing on their home with a zero percent interest mortgage.

This is the first time Johnson Development has participated in a Build Day, but it likely won’t be their last, said Monica Conchola, Realtor Relations Liaison for Johnson Development.

“This was so much fun and a very rewarding experience,” she said. “Buying a new home is a life-changing experience for anyone, but particularly those in the Habitat for Humanity program. We are honored to help make that dream a reality.”

Calvin Waida, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty in The Woodlands, agrees.

“I had always known about Habitat for Humanity but didn’t have an organization to go with,” he said. “It was a rewarding experience to work with fellow Realtors. I have learned to appreciate more of what truly goes into building a home. This is a great organization that helps those in need to homeownership.”

In addition to group Build Days and volunteering individually, there are several ways the public can support Habitat Montgomery County. Donations of money, real estate and in-kind gifts are welcome. Cars, boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles can also be donated, with the proceeds of the sale going to Habitat Montgomery County. People can also donate to and volunteer at the organization’s ReStore, which sells furniture, home goods, flooring, appliances and other home improvement supplies for a fraction of the price. Another fundraiser — the Building Hope Gala — happens April 1, 2023. Sponsorships are available now.

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity Montgomery County at https://habitatmctx.org.

Grand Central Park is located in Conroe along Interstate 45 and Loop 336 South. Much of the 2,046-acre community will remain in its natural state, with shaded trails leading through forests to lakes and other features. Homes are priced from the low $300,000s. More information is available at www.grandcentralparktx.com.

More than a dozen homebuilders offer single-family homes, custom designs and homes for those ages 55 and up in Woodforest. Pricing for the wooded, 3,000-acre community ranges from the $300,000s to more than $1 million. Learn more about Woodforest at www.woodforesttx.com.