But three years ago, she and her daughter Victoria stepped into their own home and said goodbye to renting forever. Byrd's was constructed by the Greenville chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a group that builds houses with volunteers for families in need.

"I thank God from the bottom of my heart," she says. "Because it's just a blessing to have your own house."

People must apply to receive a Habitat home. If accepted, they buy the home through a zero-interest, 25-year mortgage. The homeowner also pays through 250 hours of community service.

"I came down here and helped build my house," Byrd says. "The whole time I was so nervous. I didn't get any sleep until it was over, I was just all wound up."

Holding down a job at St. Francis Hospital and running a house-cleaning business on the side, Byrd has a refined appreciation for cleanliness and upkeep of her home as well.

"I just like neatness," Byrd says. "Like they say, cleanliness is next to godliness."

Byrd's pride in her house is apparent in her decor. She loves decorating, though she hesitates to classify her style.

"Something just comes to my mind, and then I just go in there and work it," she says. "I'm constantly changing things around."