Assistance program · Delaware
Keys4You Home Loan
Delaware state authority 0% second mortgage equal to 4% of your mortgage, for the down payment and closing costs, with no monthly payments until you sell, refinance or stop living in the home; with the Welcome Home (first-time buyers) or Open Door (any buyer) mortgages
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 4% of the loan
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Deferred
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
- First-time buyer?
- No
- No first-time requirement
- Minimum credit score
- 620
- The minimum the source asks for; a lender may ask for more.
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
What it gives
Up to 4% of the loan
Source text
Zero-interest second mortgage equal to 4% of the first mortgage loan amount for down payment and closing costs assistance. … No monthly payment required. Payment is deferred until the following events (whichever comes first): refinance, sale of home, transfer of title, or property is no longer used as a primary residence. A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
Welcome Home and Open Door each pair a Delaware Mortgage Program first mortgage with a choice of down payment and closing costs assistance options. … Open to first-time and repeat buyers … Minimum credit score of 620. (Applicants with credit scores of 659 or below must participate in housing counseling.) … Income and sales price limits apply - First-time buyers only No
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score 620
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Delaware
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in Delaware
The program covers all of Delaware. The first column is Delaware's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in Delaware: $352,000.
The typical home value ($352,000) fits within Delaware's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Delaware is $86,200.
| Figure | Delaware | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $352,000 | $316,600 (Kent County) to $382,600 (Sussex County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Kent County) to $630,200 (New Castle County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 3 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $86,200 | $82,550 (Sussex County) to $98,150 (New Castle County) | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
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Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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Check your county's maximum price
The program sets a maximum price per county in its table.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 620
That is the program's minimum; the lender may ask for more. If you are short, a housing counselor can explain how to raise it.
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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 6 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Delaware State Housing Authority.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- When is the second loan repaid: when I sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage?
Against the others
How it compares with Delaware's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Delaware, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is the only one of Delaware's 3 programs that says you do not need to be a first-time buyer. It is one of 3 out of 3 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. One other program in the state also gives "deferred" help: Take5 Home Loan.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keys4You Home Loanthis program | Deferred | Up to 4% of the loan | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Home Sweet Home | Forgivable | $12,000 | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Take5 Home Loan | Deferred | Up to 5% of the loan | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
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Help and programs
Public charge and housing: what the rules say
Public charge: which housing help DHS may consider, who is exempt, how HUD prorates assistance for mixed-status families and where to get free advice.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.