By Courtney Paquette
April 10, 2008 08:32 am ANDOVER -- Eliud Felix, 32, heads to Town Hall here every day to work in the information technology department. He takes pride in helping things run smoothly in a town where he and his wife, Ana, 27, and their 31/2 year-old son could never afford to live — until now. The Felixes, who rent an apartment in Haverhill, are one of the many families hoping to be selected to buy an affordable home at 94 Cheever Circle. The house is the fourth in town made available to lower-income residents through Andover Community Trust. The nonprofit was started by residents 15 years ago with the goal of making affordable homes available in a town where the average house is assessed at $581,568. The Cheever Circle property will be sold for $161,200. "It's a combination of the school system, and once you get into a house, you can start growing your family, too," Felix said of his reason for looking at the home. "That's been holding us back. The house comes first." The home is only available to first-time homebuyers with children who make less than 80 percent of the area's median income. For a family of three, like many of the families applying for the home, that's $55,350. "One of the primary benefits of living in Andover is the education system," said Susan Stott, executive director of Andover Community Trust. "Our mission is really to serve families." Families who hope to be selected have to attend an information session such as the one held Tuesday night at Memorial Hall Library. The nine potential buyers who attended that session were told what the house looked like, the criteria for purchasing it and the selection process. Applicants get points for different elements such as living in Andover, working in Andover, number of children, community service, references and good financial history. Between three and five applicants with the most points will get interviews with the four-member selection committee, made up of three members of Andover Community Trust and one person from the Cheever Circle neighborhood. Applications are due May 10, and the committee expects to have a new owner for the home selected in June. In a market where it's "almost impossible," to buy a home, this would be a great opportunity for Michele Detore, her boyfriend Josh Lang and Detore's 8-year-old son Tristen, Detore said. The couple currently lives in Andover. Lang works at Serene Restaurant in Andover and Detore is a master stylist at Green Tangerine Spa and Salon in Burlington. Ubel Ortega, 34, a single mother who lives in Andover with her two children, Shantele, 11 and Gabby, 7, agreed. She said her rent and living expenses eat up her whole paycheck every month, but she wants to stay in Andover because of the school system. "This is a very good opportunity for me because I'm a single mother," Ortega said. "For me, this is a very good chance."
How can I apply for the home? There's one more information session on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Memorial Hall Library. Those in interested in buying the home must attend the information session to get an application.
—
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.