Solutions
First-Time Buyer Programs & Down Payment Assistance
Grants, second loans and tax credits that quietly make the first home possible.
The first home is the hardest, and more help exists for it than most buyers realize — much of it unused simply because people never ask. If you are buying for the first time, start by asking what you qualify for.
The forms help takes
- Down payment assistance (DPA) — grants or low-cost second loans that cover part or all of your down payment and sometimes closing costs.
- State housing finance agency loans — competitively priced programs paired with assistance, aimed at first-time and moderate-income buyers.
- Mortgage credit certificates — a federal tax credit on a portion of your mortgage interest, year after year.
- Low-down-payment loans — FHA at 3.5%, conventional at 3%, and 0% options through VA and USDA for those who qualify.
Who counts as a ‘first-time buyer’
The definition is more generous than it sounds. Many programs treat you as a first-time buyer if you have not owned a home in the past three years — so a past owner who has been renting again can qualify. Do not rule yourself out on the label.
Pro tip
Assistance programs have income and price limits and can run out of funding, so timing matters. Ask early in your search, not after you are under contract, so you can plan around what is available.
The one rule: ask. These programs are underused precisely because buyers assume they will not qualify. The cost of asking is a single conversation; the payoff can be thousands of dollars.
Common questions
Am I still a first-time buyer if I owned a home years ago?
Often, yes. Many programs count you as a first-time buyer if you have not owned a primary residence in the past three years. It is worth confirming, because it opens doors people assume are closed.
Does down payment assistance have to be repaid?
It depends on the program. Some assistance is a grant that never needs repayment; some is a second loan that is forgiven over time or repaid when you sell. We will explain exactly how any program you use works.