If you are eligible for a program, it will provide you with a mortgage loan and funding to use for your down payment. You can choose to receive the down payment assistance as a grant (which does not have to be repaid) or a deferred forgivable second lien loan (which only has to be repaid if you sell or refinance within three years). If you’re eligible, you can essentially receive free money to help you buy a home.
Texas DAPs
5 Star Texas Advantage Program
The Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH) offers Texas residents the 5 Star Texas Advantage Program, which helps eligible applicants with down payment and closing cost assistance in the form of a grant.
Austin Down Payment Assistance Program
The Austin Down Payment Assistance Program helps low-income families purchase their first home by offering up to $40,000 in assistance funds, to help cover the upfront costs of a mortgage.
Harris County Community Services Department DPA Program
In order to help more residents purchase their first homes in Harris County, the Community Services Department offers eligible applicants help with its Down Payment Assistance Program.
Homeownership Across Texas Homeownership
Across Texas grants 5 percent of the loan amount with VA, FHA, or USDA financed loans. Borrowers with conventional loans receive 3 percent grants. Grants do not come with any repayment or recapture period, nor is there a first-time homebuyer requirement.
Homes for Texas Heroes Program
This initiative provides teachers, police and correctional officers, fire fighters and EMS personnel, and veterans with down payment assistance between 3 and 5 percent of the loan amount and a 30-year fixed rate mortgage with several rates and loan options.
My First Texas Home
Along with a competitive, fixed interest, 30-year home loan, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs offers the My First Texas Home Taxable Mortgage Program (TMP) offers down payment and closing cost assistance of up to 5 percent of the mortgage loan.
Travis County - Hill Country Home Down Payment Assistance
This program is designed for homebuyers to purchase a home anywhere in Travis County, including the City of Austin, by helping them overcome the obstacle of down payment costs. A grant of up to 6% percent of the loan amount is applied towards the down payment or closing costs.
Florida DAPs
Broward County Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program
Broward County recognizes that many individuals who can afford monthly mortgage payments don’t have the required down payment for a home. The Broward County’s Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program helps potential homebuyers overcome this hurdle by offering down payment assistance.
Escambia County Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance
The program provides down payment and closing costs assistance to income-eligible applicants in the form of a zero-interest, deferred second mortgage, with the maximum loan amount being $7,500. This can be used in conjunction with the program’s 4 percent first mortgage exclusively.
Hardest Hit Fund Down Payment Assistance
The Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County offers the Hillsborough First with Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) Down Payment Assistance Program. The program is meant to help first-time homebuyers who do not have enough money saved for hefty down payments and closing costs.
Head Start To HOME Ownership Program
The City of Jacksonville offers the Head Start To HOME Ownership Program, also known as H2H, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible applicants interested in purchasing a home.
HFA Miami-Dade Mortgage Program
The Housing Finance Authority of Miami-Dade recognizes the high upfront costs of purchasing a home. To help offset this cost, the HFA offers a first mortgage as well down payment assistance to potential homebuyers.
Home Key Plus 2nd Mortgage
The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County’s First-time Homebuyer Program is designed to help potential borrowers purchase the home of their dreams. Along with a first mortgage, the program helps borrowers with down payment assistance via the Home Key Plus 2nd Mortgage.
Home Ownership Program
With their Home Ownership Program, the Housing Finance Authority of Manatee County offers homebuyers down payment assistance. In addition to a first mortgage, the program gives borrowers the chance to cover the down payment and/or closing costs as well.
Home Sweet Home Hillsborough Program
The Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County offers homebuyers the Home Sweet Home Hillsborough Program that helps applicants overcome the hurdle of expensive down payments.
Lee County FirstPlus Program
Florida’s Lee County Housing Finance Authority provides first-time homebuyers down payment and closing cost assistance with the FirstPlus program. This program works on a first-come, first-served basis and is continuously funded.
Orange County Down Payment Assistance Program
Florida residents in Orange County can take advantage the Down Payment Assistance Program, which provides funding to income-eligible first-time homebuyers to help them purchase a new or existing home. These funds are to be put toward paying qualified closing costs and the down payment associated with a mortgage transaction.
Palm Bay HOME Down Payment Assistance Program
The City of Palm Bay in Florida established the HOME Down Payment Assistance Program, which is designed to help income-eligible applicants with down payment and closing cost assistance to purchase their first home, and rehabilitation, if needed.
State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program
The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program in Charlotte County provides income-eligible applicants up to 10 percent of the purchase price (a maximum award of $15,000), in the form of a zero-interest loan.
