Down Payment Assistance Finder
Most buyers who could get help never apply, because nobody tells them the programs exist. Answer ten plain-English questions and RED will show you the grants, forgivable loans, and 0% second mortgages on file for your state and county — with what each one really costs you later.
Which state are you buying in?
Almost every assistance program is run state by state.
The four kinds of help, in plain English
Grants
Money you never pay back. Rare, capped, and often first come, first served.
Forgivable loans
A loan on paper that disappears a little each year you live in the home — usually gone after 5 to 10 years.
0% second mortgages
No interest, no monthly payment. You repay the balance when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first loan.
Tax credits (MCC)
Not cash at closing. A slice of your mortgage interest comes back every year as a federal tax credit.
Common questions
What is down payment assistance?
Money from a state, county, city, or nonprofit that helps cover your down payment or closing costs. Some of it is a grant you never repay, some is a loan that is forgiven after you live in the home for a set number of years, and some is a quiet second mortgage you settle when you sell or refinance.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Usually, but 'first-time' almost always means you have not owned a home in the last three years — not that you have never owned one. Some programs have no first-time requirement at all.
Does using assistance hurt my offer?
It can add a few days and some paperwork, which matters in a competitive market. Tell your agent early so the closing timeline is written correctly into the contract.
Is this a loan approval?
No. This is a readiness tool. It shows what programs exist and how your answers line up with published rules. The housing agency and your lender decide who actually qualifies.
Keep going
- How to use this Finder — the user guide: what each result means, and how to verify a program.
- See what you can actually afford — run the numbers with assistance included.
- The Homebuyer's Knowledge Center — how down payments, credit, and loan programs fit together.
- Ask RED a question — teaching first, no sales pitch.
ReadinessIQ does not take applications or make lending decisions. Program terms change frequently; always confirm with the housing agency listed on each result.