LYNNWOOD — The founder of Habitat for Humanity International described the ministry that helps people become homeowners as the “theology of the hammer.” Tresa Varn, owner of the first Habitat home built in Snohomish County, has a new reason to celebrate the group’s mission and her own work.

On Feb. 28, Varn will mark the end of her house payments at a mortgage-burning ceremony at Unity Church in Lynnwood.

“It’s a complete blessing,” the Lynnwood woman said Wednesday in the cozy living room of the house she helped build. “It was funny, I received a call from Habitat. They said ‘We’ve got some good news. Your house is paid off.’ I didn’t even know.”

Guinn Rogers, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County, said the mortgage on Varn’s house was $37,950. The organization is the lender, and Habitat loans are no-interest. The family moved into the home in 1997.

Millard Fuller, an Alabama native, founded the nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization in 1976. The goal of the ministry is to help low-income families build their own modest homes.

It wasn’t until 1993 that Varn and her former husband were chosen as the first recipients of a three-bedroom home they would help build in Lynnwood. At the time, they were raising eight children — Varn had seven children and raised one stepchild — in a cramped rental. At 58, Varn now has 12 grandchildren, ages 10 months to 19 years old.

She had no experience in building, but Habitat for Humanity requires families to contribute 500 hours of sweat equity in lieu of a down payment. Rogers said at least 100 hours must be direct work on the house, and the rest can be other volunteer tasks with the organization.

“It took awhile,” said Varn, who remembers skilled volunteers doing the carpentry while she did a lot of sanding and painting. Her son Aaron, now 26, “helped by pounding nails,” she said.

Varn said she went through a difficult divorce and ended up raising children on her own. About 10 years ago, after working for a company cleaning houses, she started her own business, AMiracle Cleaning. She now has seven employees, and cleans more than 50 houses from Snohomish County to Seattle.

“I had no education and was a homemaker all my life,” she said. Varn learned the business while working for the other company, and taught herself to use a computer.

In her early days as a single mom, Varn said she had “zero income” and couldn’t make payments. “I almost came close to losing the house,” she said.

Varn caught up on her mortgage, which had monthly payments of $426, by working with Habitat and making overpayments once she earned enough. “To catch up, I set a rate of $600 a month. If I could, I’d add to that, sometimes up to $1,000,” she said.

Marnee Chua, Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County’s resource development director, said payments on the homes average $400 to $600. To be eligible, a family’s income must be 20 percent to 50 percent of the median income for the county, Chua said. There is no requirement that a Habitat family be affiliated with any church or religion.

Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County was founded 24 years ago. Twenty houses have been built or rehabilitated and sold to families, Rogers said. Four more are under construction in Marysville, with completion expected by the end of the year.

The organization also runs the Habitat Store, selling building materials and appliances, at 2302 Broadway in Everett. A second store will open soon at the Habitat headquarters, 16929 Highway 99 in Lynnwood.

Volunteers are always needed, Rogers said.

Varn is grateful for the help, and for her home. With the house paid off, she is saving to make needed repairs. Today, she gives back by donating free house-cleaning services at new Habitat homes. She remembers being the one in need.

“You just don’t give up,” she said.

Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.

Mortgage burning

Habitat for Humanity of Snohomish County will celebrate the payoff of its first home loan with a mortgage-burning ceremony at 10 a.m. Feb. 28 at Unity Church in Lynnwood, 16727 Alderwood Mall Parkway. Event open to public.

Habitat for Humanity information: http://habitatsnohomish.org