Homes for Heroes vs. Building Homes for Heroes: What’s the Difference?

Homes for Heroes and Building Homes for Heroes share a commitment to honoring the nation’s heroes who serve our country and communities. Despite their similar names, however, they are separate organizations with different missions, benefits, and eligibility requirements.

Homes for Heroes helps a broad range of eligible community heroes save when buying, selling, or refinancing a home. Building Homes for Heroes is a nonprofit organization that provides mortgage-free or modified homes and other support to help qualifying injured veterans build a productive civilian life, along with military families, Gold Star families, and first responders.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Homes for Heroes?
2. What Is Building Homes for Heroes?
3. Key Differences Between the Programs
4. Which Program Is Right for You?
5. Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Homes for Heroes?

Homes for Heroes is a nationwide real estate savings program created to give back to the people who serve our communities every day.

Eligible hero groups include:

• Military members and veterans
• Firefighters and EMS professionals
• Law enforcement personnel
• Healthcare professionals
• Teachers and educators

Heroes who sign up are connected with local Homes for Heroes real estate and mortgage specialists. These professionals help heroes navigate the process of buying, selling, or refinancing a home while providing access to Hero Rewards® savings.

Heroes save an average of $3,000 when they buy or sell a home through Homes for Heroes, or an average of $6,000 when they complete both transactions. Actual savings depend on the home price, services used, and details of the transaction.

There is no membership fee, income limit, or financial hardship requirement. Eligibility is primarily based on the hero’s profession or service, and the program is available nationwide through participating specialists.

Homes for Heroes does not build or give away homes. Instead, it helps eligible heroes reduce some of the costs associated with a traditional real estate transaction.

What Is Building Homes for Heroes?

Building Homes for Heroes is a nonprofit organization focused on giving wounded American service members and their families, Gold Star families, and first responders better and brighter lives.

Its housing program constructs, modifies, and gifts mortgage-free homes to qualifying recipients. Depending on the individual’s needs, assistance may include building a new home, modifying an existing property to improve accessibility, or providing another form of housing support.

Building Homes for Heroes also operates programs that provide emergency funding and family assistance. These grants may support qualifying injured or disabled veterans, Gold Star families, and first responders facing financial hardship.

The organization’s work is funded through charitable donations, corporate partnerships, volunteers, and other supporters. Unlike Homes for Heroes, Building Homes for Heroes is not a real estate rewards program available to everyone within a broad professional category. Recipients must meet the requirements of the relevant program and complete an application and review process.

Key Differences Between Homes for Heroes and Building Homes for Heroes

Feature	Homes for Heroes	Building Homes for Heroes
Organization type	Real estate savings program and network	Nonprofit charitable organization
Primary mission	Help community heroes save on real estate transactions	Provide housing and other assistance to qualifying heroes and families
Who it serves	Military, veterans, firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and educators	Primarily qualifying injured veterans and their families, Gold Star families, and first responders
Primary benefit	Hero Rewards® savings when buying, selling, or refinancing a home	Mortgage-free homes, home modifications, emergency grants, and family support
How eligibility works	Primarily based on the qualifying profession or service	Based on specific program requirements, application, and selection
Geographic reach	Nationwide, through participating real estate and mortgage specialists	Nationwide assistance is provided to selected recipients based on program criteria
Cost to participate	No membership fees or hidden costs for qualifying heroes	Assistance is provided for free through nonprofit programs

Who Each Program Serves

Homes for Heroes has broader professional eligibility. Teachers, healthcare workers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters, EMS professionals, military members, and veterans may all qualify based on their service. This even includes retired professionals.

Building Homes for Heroes has a more specialized focus. Its housing programs primarily serve qualifying injured veterans and their families, as well as Gold Star families and first responders through certain initiatives. Eligibility is determined through an application and review process.

The Type of Benefit Offered

Homes for Heroes provides financial savings connected to a traditional real estate transaction. Heroes still purchase, sell, or refinance their homes through the normal process, but they receive savings through participating Homes for Heroes specialists at the end of their transaction.

Building Homes for Heroes provides direct housing and financial assistance. Depending on the program and recipient, that may include a newly constructed mortgage-free home, accessibility modifications to an existing home, or emergency financial support.

In other words, Homes for Heroes helps make a real estate transaction more affordable. Building Homes for Heroes helps selected recipients address significant housing or financial needs.

Eligibility Requirements

Homes for Heroes eligibility is primarily profession-based. Heroes do not need to demonstrate financial hardship, meet an income limit, or be first-time homebuyers. To receive eligible Hero Rewards® savings, they generally must sign up and work with participating Homes for Heroes specialists.

Building Homes for Heroes uses more specific eligibility and selection criteria. Applicants may need to provide military, disability, financial, family, and housing documentation, depending on the program. Applying does not guarantee selection or assistance.

Which Program Is Right for You?

Homes for Heroes may be the better fit if you are an eligible military member, veteran, firefighter, EMS professional, law enforcement officer, healthcare worker, or educator who plans to buy, sell, or refinance a home.

The program allows eligible heroes to complete a traditional real estate transaction while receiving Hero Rewards® savings through local specialists.

Building Homes for Heroes may apply if you are an injured or disabled veteran, a qualifying military or Gold Star family member, or an eligible first responder with a significant housing or financial need. Assistance depends on the organization’s current programs, eligibility requirements, and selection process.

Some veterans may potentially qualify for both organizations under different circumstances. For example, a veteran completing a traditional home purchase may qualify for Homes for Heroes savings. A severely injured veteran with accessibility or housing needs may also meet the criteria to apply for a Building Homes for Heroes program.

Because the organizations are separate, participation in one does not automatically establish eligibility for the other.

Two Organizations, Two Different Ways to Serve

Homes for Heroes and Building Homes for Heroes both honor those who serve, but their programs address different needs. Homes for Heroes helps a broad range of community heroes receive meaningful savings during real estate transactions, while Building Homes for Heroes provides specialized housing and financial assistance to selected recipients.

Eligible heroes planning to buy, sell, or refinance can sign up with Homes for Heroes to connect with a local specialist and learn about potential savings.

Together, the two organizations reflect the generosity of everyday Americans. Thanks to donors and volunteers, thousands of the nation’s veterans and community heroes have found renewed hope and a more independent future. Those interested in supporting Building Homes for Heroes can contact the organization or join its network of volunteers to help inspire hope in the families it serves.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Building Homes for Heroes?

Building Homes for Heroes is a nonprofit organization that constructs, modifies, and gifts mortgage-free homes to qualifying injured veterans and their families, Gold Star families, and first responders. It also operates emergency funding and family support programs.

Is Building Homes for Heroes the same as Homes for Heroes?

No. They are separate organizations with different missions, benefits, and eligibility requirements. Homes for Heroes offers real estate savings, while Building Homes for Heroes provides charitable housing and financial assistance.

Does Homes for Heroes provide free homes?

No. Homes for Heroes does not build or give away homes. It helps eligible heroes save money when buying, selling, or refinancing through participating real estate and mortgage specialists.

Can veterans use Homes for Heroes?

Yes. Active-duty military members, reservists, National Guard members, and veterans may qualify for Homes for Heroes savings.

Can someone qualify for both organizations?

Yes, but each organization has its own requirements. A veteran might qualify for Homes for Heroes based on military service while separately meeting the application criteria for assistance from Building Homes for Heroes.