That's an interesting thought that I might have to consider. That may be more of a long term solution than something for the solution.
Some of the sweat equity stuff might be rough based on my aptitude (doing shop things before). Years ago I was a would be counselor taking a class in intelligence assessment which was demoing the various specific tests of the Weshler Intelligence Test. The professor had each member of the class take one specific area of the test. I was really looking forward to it when it came to me. There was lots of stuff that I knew etc. compared to other folks on the verbal side of the test. But later things shifted to performance and things got tougher. Towards the end, the professor called on me when it came to a kind of a puzzle test, essentially replicate a picture with a set of tiles and that was really really hard and it confirmed some things like probably having some kind of undiagnosed learning disability. As a kid, I had vision and coordination problems and had therapy for that. But when I say, my performance was bad, the professor actually joked "Did you take any controlled substances before coming to class?"
Yes, it would be a long term solution. The process can take up to two years and there are some qualifiers.
1. You have to have reasonably good credit (and / or willingness to improve your credit score if "inadequate").
2. Be in a certain income bracket. (That you would have difficulty purchasing a house on your own; but have high enough income to make your mortgage payments. Habit houses are based on cost of material to build the house.)
3. Have a need for housing. (They are usually flexible on this. If you really want the house and are willing to work for it; they will help you get one; even if your not "living in a tenement slum".)
4. Be willing to put in "sweat equity". (Now "sweat equity" can mean "other than house building itself", if you are incapable of doing construction. You might be able to put "sweat equity" in to working at a "rehab store", or clerical work for the agency if you are absolutely incapable of building things.
The construction part of it is not that hard though. (I know you are worried about your spacial capabilities.) I'm sure you can do things such as laying cinder blocks, assist at putting in insulation and putting up drywall, taping drywall, mudding and painting. There are volunteers who work on these houses who were in construction and know what they are doing. They are more than willing to teach anyone who wants to learn. They will cut the drywall, cut the moldings, cut the tile, wire the electrical to the circuit box. The only thing that's not usually done by volunteers is roofing. (Too much liability if someone falls.) I learned how to install electrical wires. I leaned basic plumbing. I put up siding. I helped tile my kitchen and bathroom floors. I put my faucets in. I mudded and painted. I didn't do things that required heavy lifting because of my physical disabilities.
The required "sweat equity" is 500 hour two adult home owners. 250 hour "sweat equity" for single person / single parent home owners. I personally put in far more than the 250 hours required. (I'd worked on 4 houses.) You also don't have to do all the sweat equity personally, you can have family members and friends add to your hours.
"Draw backs" are:
1. It's a lengthy process and you have to be willing to stick with it.
2. You have to live in your house for 10 years before you can sell it.
3. You are confined to the "area of availability for a build". Habitat houses are built on donated land. Habitat has built houses for low income people who had obtained land. One family in our area had land donated from a family member who died and Habitat built them a house on that land.
Now as far as "area of availability" you potentially have better prospects if you live outside of a city county. The service area of any given Habitat is usually divided by county. If you're in a rural county, your build can be any place in that county. Builds tend to be in lower income areas. (Not always though if Habitat gets a donated property in a "better neighborhood". If the taxes are too high though, Habitat may sell properties that have been donated, for their clienteles ability to afford the taxes if they get a donation from a wealthy high income area.)
The process tends to go faster in rural communities too because there are fewer qualified applicants. (Population density.) Draw back to rural Habitat agencies is they tend to build only one to two houses a year. Urban Habitat agencies tend to have lots of builds going simultaneously.
On the upside of this; Habitat builds in cities tend to be congregated in "renewal areas" because they tend to buy / have donated land that is in tax default - So Habitat will buy groups of vacant properties they get dirt cheap basically for the cost of back taxes owed. So if you are in an area with a lot of Habitat houses, than your neighbors are also Habitat owners and you have your own "built in community" which you tend to know these people because you've worked on each others's houses. Now that's good; even though your community might be adjacent to "a ghetto" so to speak.
3. Habitat houses are built to the specifications of the family who will get them and they are usually not very big. So if you have one or two people; you will "get" a one or two bedroom house. If you have two parents and 6 kids; depending on ages and gender of kids, will determine number and size of bedrooms. Habitat houses generally do not come with garages.
Now on the "exception to the rule" on this; Habitat does both new builds and rehab of old houses. So if you are next on the list for a house and the one coming up is a 4 bedroom rehab and you only need 3 bedrooms, than you will likely get that house anyways. That's how we got our house. There's only two of us. (mother and son) yet the available house was a 3 bedroom rehab. We got this house because the family that was suppose to get it backed out. They were living in a trailer park and wanted a property with more land. They decided that they were going to wait and save up to buy land and just move their trailer. I was next in line, and in immediate need of housing. I asked if I could have this house and they said "yes". Now I got a garage too; because the house was a rehab and the garage was already on the property.
What's in a Habitat house:
You will get, (rehab or new build) and entirely new house, built to current codes of the community the house is in. You will get thermal pane windows and a fully insulated house. You will get a new furnace, new hot water system, new electrical and new plumbing. You will get a refrigerator and oven. You will get laundry hook ups. (The windows, furnace and hot water system are usually donated new by companies who write them off their business taxes. Home Depot gives Habitat discount on materials. Sears donates appliances.)
Any specific needs you have, they will make your house to fit your needs. Mine is 100% handicapped accessible.
Your mortgage and taxes are escrowed into one payment set up and managed by Habitat, that is determined by your income. Your mortgage and taxes can't be more than (I think it's) 30% of your income.
All Habitat mortgages used to be interest free. (Some still may be depending on what state you are in?) They will also help set up what ever discounts you may qualify for. My initial discount was "disabled home owner"; which was income based, set by the state of NY. When I got "service connected" as a disabled veteran, I actually ended up with a bigger discount on my taxes because on top of the disabled discount, I got a tax break for being a war time veteran.
So there you go - there's the "run down" of everything I know about Habitat. (Or at least Habitat in Western NY).