Washington's help comes from the State Housing Finance Commission, and all of it is a payment-deferred loan rather than a grant: 3% to 5% of the loan at 0% with Home Advantage (no first-time requirement, $215,000 income cap), up to $15,000 with House Key Opportunity, and up to $150,000 through the Covenant Homeownership Program. Seattle (up to $76,000), Bellingham ($40,000) and East King County's ARCH ($30,000) add local loans.
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
WSHFC first mortgage through Commission-trained lenders
RepaymentRegular monthly payments
Works withHome Advantage DPA, Needs-Based DPA, Covenant, HomeChoice, Veterans and local DPA
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
WSHFC first mortgage for first-time buyers with low to moderate incomes
RepaymentRegular monthly payments
Works withHouse Key Opportunity DPA and other WSHFC DPA
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage
Repayment0% interest, no monthly payments; due on sale, refinance, transfer, ceasing to live in the home, or payoff (at 30 years or before)
Works withHome Advantage first mortgage only
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Up to $10,000 (for homes priced under $250,000)
Repayment1% simple interest, no monthly payments; due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff
Works withHome Advantage first mortgage; needs assessment (except veterans)
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Up to $15,000
Repayment1% simple interest, no monthly payments; due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff
Works withHouse Key Opportunity first mortgage; needs assessment (except veterans)
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Up to 20% of the home's cost, up to $150,000, plus closing costs
RepaymentDeferred loan (see the Covenant program page for terms and forgiveness rules)
Works withHome Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Up to $15,000
RepaymentDeferred loan
Works withHome Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage
Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Up to $10,000
Repayment3% interest, deferred
Works withHome Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage
A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH) with WSHFC
Up to $30,000
Repayment4% simple interest, payment-deferred
Works withHome Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage
City of Bellingham with WSHFC
Up to $40,000
Repayment3% simple interest, payment-deferred
Works withHome Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage
City of Seattle Office of Housing; delivered by HomeSight, Parkview Services and other partners
Up to $76,000 per household
RepaymentLow-interest deferred second mortgage (terms vary by partner program)
Works withPartner programs can layer sources (Parkview: up to $110,000 combined)
Whether WSHFC still issues mortgage credit certificates isn't confirmed on its current pages. Washington's MCC status, sources and calculator.
Amounts, limits and funding change during the year, and many local programs run out of money before the year ends — confirm current terms with the agency or a participating lender before you apply. Spotted an outdated program? Tell us.
What each program's own terms ask of you. "Not stated" means the official page doesn't publish it — the agency or the first-mortgage lender sets it. Most programs count you as a first-time buyer if you haven't owned a home in three years; see the federal definitions and exceptions.
| Program | First-time buyer | Min. credit score | Income limit | Price limit | Homebuyer education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Advantage (first mortgage) | Not required | Not stated | Under $215,000 household income statewide, regardless of family size or location | Not stated | Commission-sponsored homebuyer education class |
| House Key Opportunity (first mortgage) | Required (or no home owned in the last three years), unless buying in a Target Area | Not stated | County limits by household size (e.g., King/Snohomish $175,000 for 1–2 people; effective Sept. 15, 2025) | Acquisition cost limits by county (e.g., King/Pierce/Snohomish $725,000 non-target) | Commission-sponsored homebuyer education class |
| Home Advantage DPA | Not required | Not stated | Up to $215,000 statewide | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA | Not required | Not stated | County-group limits — the Commission's page shows two sets ($164,400 / $126,800 and $157,100 / $122,100 for King-Snohomish / other counties); confirm with a lender | Under $250,000 | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| House Key Opportunity DPA | Required, or buy in a Target Area | Not stated | County groups: King/Snohomish $93,350 (1–2 people) / $116,650 (3+); other groups lower (effective June 8, 2026) | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| Covenant Homeownership Program | For people with pre-1968 roots in Washington (self, parent or grandparent) who were members of groups affected by housing discrimination | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| HomeChoice DPA | Required unless buying in a Targeted Area; buyer or a household member has a verified disability | Not stated | $164,400 (King/Snohomish) / $126,800 (other counties) | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| Veterans Downpayment Assistance Program | Military veterans | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| ARCH Downpayment Assistance (East King County) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| Bellingham Downpayment Assistance Program | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free WSHFC homebuyer education class |
| Seattle Office of Housing downpayment assistance (through partner organizations) | Required (or no home owned in three years; displaced homemakers eligible) | Not stated | Under 80% of area median income by household size | Not stated | City-approved pre-purchase education plus one-on-one housing counseling (HomeSight or Parkview Services) |
Home Advantage has one statewide limit: household income under $215,000, regardless of size or location. House Key Opportunity and its down payment loan use county groups.
| Counties | 1–2 people | 3+ people | Target area, 1–2 | Target area, 3+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King/Snohomish | $175,000 | $200,000 | $175,000 | $200,000 |
| Pierce | $130,000 | $155,000 | $130,000 | $155,000 |
| Clark/Skamania | $118,000 | $135,000 | $130,000 | $150,000 |
| Kitsap | $118,000 | $135,000 | $130,000 | $150,000 |
| All other counties | $118,000 | $135,000 | $130,000 | $150,000 |
| Counties | 1–2 people | 3+ people |
|---|---|---|
| King/Snohomish | $93,350 | $116,650 |
| Clark/Kitsap/Pierce/Skamania | $83,000 | $103,700 |
| Thurston/Whatcom | $78,600 | $98,250 |
| All other counties | $67,450 | $84,300 |
| Counties | Outside target areas | Target areas |
|---|---|---|
| Clark/Island/Kitsap | $550,000 | $625,000 |
| Skagit/Skamania/Thurston | $550,000 | $625,000 |
| King/Pierce/Snohomish | $725,000 | $775,000 |
| Whatcom | $600,000 | $675,000 |
| All other counties | $500,000 | $550,000 |
Sources: Home Advantage (first mortgage and Home Advantage DPA) (heretohome.org); House Key Opportunity first mortgage (heretohome.org). Limits are reset every year — check the agency's current table before you apply.
The 10 counties with the most home purchases, priced at each county's median list price. WSHFC Home Advantage DPA: up to 5% of the first mortgage at 0%. In 6 of 10, the income it takes to carry that home still fits under the program's limit.
| County | Median list price | Cash to close | Home Advantage DPA covers | You still need | Income to afford | Home Advantage income limit | Fits the program? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | $842,425 | $35,480 | $35,480 | $0 | $283,000 | $215,000 | Income needed is above the limit |
| Pierce | $625,000 | $27,870 | $27,870 | $0 | $210,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
| Snohomish | $749,975 | $32,244 | $32,244 | $0 | $252,000 | $215,000 | Income needed is above the limit |
| Spokane | $470,852 | $22,475 | $22,475 | $0 | $158,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
| Clark | $619,900 | $27,692 | $27,692 | $0 | $208,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
| Kitsap | $649,500 | $28,728 | $28,728 | $0 | $218,000 | $215,000 | Income needed is above the limit |
| Thurston | $569,500 | $25,928 | $25,928 | $0 | $191,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
| Benton | $499,950 | $23,493 | $23,493 | $0 | $168,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
| Whatcom | $645,000 | $28,570 | $28,570 | $0 | $217,000 | $215,000 | Income needed is above the limit |
| Yakima | $428,213 | $20,982 | $20,661 | $321 | $144,000 | $215,000 | Yes |
Estimates, not a quote. Median list price: Realtor.com, October 2026. Cash to close = 3.5% down (the FHA minimum) + $5,995, Washington's average closing costs including transfer taxes (closing costs by state). Income to afford = principal and interest at 7.18% (Freddie Mac 30-year average), the 0.55% FHA annual premium, Washington's 0.81% effective property tax and 0.21% homeowners insurance, kept within 28% of gross income. The program also has to accept the home and you — see the requirements above.
Prefilled with Washington's $630,000 median list price, 3.5% down, 1% closing costs and Home Advantage DPA's terms. Change any field to match your quote.
Capped at your down payment plus closing costs ($28,350) — the calculator never treats assistance as cash back.
A deferred loan has no payments, but it is a debt: it is repaid when you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage.
30-year fixed first mortgage; monthly figures are principal and interest only. Assistance is capped at your down payment plus closing costs. For the full monthly payment with Washington's taxes and insurance, use the Washington mortgage calculator.
Most assistance sits on top of an FHA, VA or USDA loan, or a 97% conventional one. Of the 80,188 conventional, FHA and VA first mortgages made to buy a home in Washington in 2025, 13.9% were FHA and 10.3% VA, against 18.7% and 9.7% nationally. The median 30-year fixed FHA purchase loan was $435,000 (U.S. $305,000), and those borrowers paid a median $15,456 in total loan costs (U.S. $11,291).
Source: HMDA 2025 loan-level records, first-lien home-purchase originations. HMDA doesn't record whether a borrower is a first-time buyer, and the lenders listed aren't necessarily approved for WSHFC's programs — find those through WSHFC — Commission-trained lenders.
| Lender | FHA purchase loans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| United Shore Financial Services, LLC | 843 | 7.6% |
| Guild Mortgage Company | 827 | 7.4% |
| CMG Mortgage, Inc. | 826 | 7.4% |
| Movement Mortgage, LLC | 667 | 6.0% |
| Crosscountry Mortgage, Inc. | 617 | 5.5% |
232 lenders made FHA purchase loans in Washington. Compare them on Washington mortgage lenders.
The Commission's programs are loans, not grants: Home Advantage DPA (3%, 4% or 5% of the loan at 0%), Needs-Based ($10,000 at 1%), House Key Opportunity DPA ($15,000 at 1%), HomeChoice ($15,000 for buyers with a disability in the household), Veterans ($10,000 at 3%) and Covenant (up to 20% of the price, $150,000 maximum).
None requires monthly payments; you repay when you sell, refinance or pay off the home.
For House Key Opportunity: no home owned in three years (unless you buy in a Target Area), income under the county limit — $175,000 for one or two people in King and Snohomish, $118,000 in most counties — a price under $725,000 in King, Pierce and Snohomish ($500,000 in most others) and a Commission homebuyer class. Home Advantage drops the first-time rule.
About $168,000 a year with 3.5% down, if the $3,916 monthly payment — principal, interest, FHA premium, property tax at Washington's 0.81% effective rate and insurance — stays within 28% of gross income — under Home Advantage's $215,000 income cap.
No. Home Advantage and its 3%–5% DPA, plus the Needs-Based DPA, are open to repeat buyers. House Key Opportunity DPA and HomeChoice require first-time buyers unless you buy in a Target Area. Seattle's city-funded help requires no home owned in the past three years.
How we built this page: each program was read on its official page — the agency's, city's or county's own site, or the Internet Archive's copy of that page where the site blocked our checker — on October 22, 2026, and every amount and limit above appears on the source we link. By the Editorial Team; see our editorial policy and methodology.