Assistance program · Georgia
ATL HomeNOW
Invest Atlanta help of up to $20,000 for the down payment, closing costs or a lower rate when you buy within the City of Atlanta, alongside a 30-year mortgage; forgiven if you live in the home 10 years
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to $20,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- Not stated — ask
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- 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 forgiven if you stay in the home
Only in: Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County
What it gives
Up to $20,000
Source text
Homebuyers can receive up to $20,000 to help buy a home within the incorporated city limits of Atlanta. … Homebuyers will receive a 30‐year, fixed‐rate 1st mortgage loan, AND up to $20,000 in assistance that can be used for down payment, closing costs, permanent interest rate reduction, OR all 3 … Affordability period is 10 years. Loan is forgiven after living in the home for 10 years as the 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
Must qualify for a 30-year fixed rate FHA, VA. or Conventional mortgage loan with an Invest Atlanta participating Lender … Minimum FICO credit score is 620 with a maximum DTI determined by AUS. … Homebuyers cannot exceed $35,000 in liquid assets. … Homebuyer must make a $1,500 contribution in the transaction from their own funds. … The maximum loan amount is $325,000. NO maximum purchase price … Participants cannot own interest in any other property. … The property must be owner-occupied. … we require attending a homebuyer education class with a participating educator. - First-time buyers only Not stated — ask
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- 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 FHA, VA, Conventional
- 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 Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County
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 Atlanta
These are the official figures for the area the program covers. Use them to compare the price of the home you want and your household income with the program's limits.
The typical home value ($458,800) fits within Fulton County's FHA limit ($718,750).
The typical home value ($357,800) fits within DeKalb County's FHA limit ($718,750).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Atlanta is $94,250.
| Figure | Fulton County | DeKalb County | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $458,800 | $357,800 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $718,750 | $718,750 | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $94,250 | $94,250 | 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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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Georgia has 42 agencies on HUD's list, and 12 serve people in Spanish.
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Pick a mortgage it works with
According to its page, the help is used together with a FHA, VA and Conventional loan. Each loan type has its own requirements.
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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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Apply with Invest Atlanta. Its page explains whether you apply directly or through a participating lender.
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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 Invest Atlanta.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Is it only for first-time buyers?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- 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
- After how many years is the loan forgiven, and what happens if I sell or refinance before then?
Against the others
How it compares with Georgia's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Georgia, 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 Georgia's 3 programs whose page does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. It is one of 3 out of 3 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. It is the only program in Georgia on our list with "forgivable" help. It is the only local program on the list; the others cover the whole state. 3 of the 3 require a homebuyer course, this one included.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL HomeNOWthis program | Forgivable | Up to $20,000 | Doesn't say | Yes | Doesn't say | Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County |
| Georgia Dream Homeownership Program | Deferred | Up to 5% of the price, capped at $10,000 | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Georgia Dream Peach Plus Loan Program | Type not stated | Up to 3.5% of the price, capped at $10,000 | No | Yes | 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
Homebuyer education courses: when you need one
What a homebuyer education course is, when Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and assistance programs require one, and where to take it for free or in Spanish.
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Mortgage loans
FHA loan: down payment, insurance, limits and who qualifies
How an FHA loan works: the down payment and credit score HUD requires, MIP mortgage insurance, your county limit, the home and the residency rules.
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.