It has long been a dream of the Central Panhandle Association of Realtors® to fully fund and build a Habitat for Humanity home in our area. Just in time for Christmas, we are pleased to announce that we will be presenting the keys to our first “House That CPAR Built.”

On December 15, 2022, from 3 to 5 pm we will host a Closing Ceremony and Habitat Home Dedication for our very deserving home recipient. The event will include a blessing of the home, presentation of several symbolic and meaningful gifts and a presentation of the keys to the new homeowner! Guests in attendance will enjoy complimentary heavy hors d’oeuvres and a brief tour of the beautiful new home. The ceremony will be conducted by representatives of CPAR and the Habitat of Humanity of Bay County.

Our home recipient, Ashly Cooper, and her son have waited a long time to realize the dream of homeownership. Cooper is a local single mom with a young son. This change of living arrangements will move her out of a small RV and into a comfortable three-bedroom house. Over the course of 2022, she has worked alongside volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of Bay County and CPAR to build her new home. As part of Habitat’s Homeownership Program, she contributed 500 hours of volunteer “sweat equity” and attended financial literacy and home maintenance classes to earn and purchase the home. She will pay an affordable, monthly mortgage going forward. The homeownership program is designed to facilitate the success of participating homeowners every step of the way.

“We are thrilled to present Ashly and her son with their new home!”  Susan West, the 2022 CPAR President said, "We, as Realtors, wanted to give back to our community and thought, ‘what better way to give back, than to raise the money needed to build a Habitat home and for us...to build it!’  We support homeownership and are so happy to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Bay County in their efforts to provide homes here in our community." 

“The House that CPAR Built” is a campaign started by CPAR in 2019 and has included a series of projects ranging from engraved brick sales, t-shirt sales, auctions, sponsored events, in-kind donations, volunteer construction days and member donation drives. REALTOR® volunteers have managed it from start to finish.

This home would not have been possible without generous sponsors, donors, and volunteers. In addition to the effort of local REALTORS®, top level sponsors of the campaign include Calcasieu Refining, Bay County Contractors and Associates, Jerry Wilson’s Roofing, Roberts & Roberts Inc., EPCI Code Administration Services, Marshall Brothers Construction & Engineering, Simply Granite, Panhandle Engineering, Flooring Depot, Southern Lumber Supply, People’s First Insurance, and New American Funding.

This event is free and open to all who wish to celebrate Ashly and support the Habitat for Humanity. RSVP is required at www.cpar.us/WelcomeHome.