KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The problem is fewer people are applying for the homes.

Over the past five years, applications are way down.

One exception is Tina Thomas. She's a single mother of two, and one is a college student and the other a freshman at West High School.

She's always wanted a home to call her own, and with every nail hammered she's closer to that dream.

However, Dan Hurst with Habitat says there are less qualifiers for homes like Thomas.

"I think more people don't think they don't qualify, so we've seen our applications cut in half," said Hurst.

From July 2010 to June 2011, 565 people that applied, and only 74 of them pre-qualified.

"It's a concern, we wanna make sure we have plenty of people in the program," said Hurst.

To qualify, he says you need to fit the income requirements, afford the down payment and mortgage, invest sweat-equity hours to help, and take homeowner education classes.

"That way I'll be able to pay my mortgage and keep my insurance together and my taxes. Finding things to help with my construction that I'll need and landscaping that I'm gonna do," said Thomas.

The house is scheduled to be finished December 7, just in time for the holidays.

"All my dreams are coming true. It's all I ever wanted. To make sure my kids had a stable place to come that know they can always come home, because I live and breathe for my kids," said Thomas.

Thomas says the family will move in after the holidays, but it's certainly a wonderful Christmas present.

Hurst also says in the past few years, the local Habitat has risen from the tenth-largest Knox County builder, to the second.

However, the number of homes built each year has stayed at 25.