September 14th, 2017 arrived bright and beautiful for the third annual Golf Tournament hosted by the Ithaca Board of REALTORS®. Nearly $10,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland County, and over sixty-four members of the community participated.

Shannon MacCarrick, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties stated, "Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties has been building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with income-eligible families for over 30 years. Habitat is currently building two homes in the City of Ithaca, at 208 and 210 Third Street. These homes are Habitat's first opportunities to build within the City limits. All proceeds from the Ithaca Board of REALTORS® Golf Tournament will go directly towards construction of Habitat's Third Street homes."

The houses are built with volunteer labor and they welcome community members of all abilities to join in the building process and to volunteer. Two qualified homebuyers have been selected for the homes and both families are actively working on earning three-hundred and fifty hours of Sweat Equity by helping build one another's homes. They've also been taking financial management and homeownership training classes, and have been participating in other events with Habitat for Humanity.

Upon completion, each family will be able to purchase their home at an affordable mortgage, and the mortgage payments will help fund construction of future Habitat houses. Work on the houses will continue through to the end of this year and into early 2018.

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