Assistance program · Louisiana
HomeStart Advantage
Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months; you do not need to be a first-time buyer, but you cannot own another home at closing
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
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- No
- No first-time requirement
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- 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
What it gives
Up to 4% of the loan
Source text
Offers a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage along with 4% forgivable assistance based on the final amount of the first mortgage. The assistance is provided through a 0% interest second mortgage that can be fully forgiven after 60 months when all applicable program requirements are met. 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
HomeStart Advantage is available statewide … All occupations qualify … First-time homebuyer status is not required. However, the borrower may not own another residence at the time of closing. … The project annual household income may not exceed $125,000. … The minimum credit score is 640. … Completion of an approved homebuyer education course by at least one occupying borrower. … The purchase price may not exceed the applicable FHA loan limit. - First-time buyers only No
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score 640
- Income limit A flat cap; see the source
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional
- Immigration requirement Legal residence in the U.S., per the source
- Accepts ITIN? No
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Louisiana
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 Louisiana
The program covers all of Louisiana. The first column is Louisiana's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its parishes. Limits change by parish: check yours.
The typical home value ($216,500) fits within Louisiana's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program publishes an income cap of $125,000 for the household. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Louisiana is $62,800.
| Figure | Louisiana | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $216,500 | $77,300 (St. Helena Parish) to $315,700 (Orleans Parish) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 in all 64 parishes | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 64 parishes | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $62,800 | $54,150 (Allen Parish) to $83,350 (St. Tammany Parish) | 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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Your income cannot go above $125,000
According to its page, the cap counts the whole household's income.
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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Louisiana has 26 agencies on HUD's list, and 5 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, USDA and Conventional loan. Each loan type has its own requirements.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 640
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 3 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Louisiana Housing Corporation.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- 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 Louisiana's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana's 2 programs that says you do not need to be a first-time buyer. It is one of 2 out of 2 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. One other program in the state also gives "forgivable" help: HomeStart Assist. 2 of the 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HomeStart Advantagethis program | Forgivable | Up to 4% of the loan | No | Yes | No | Statewide |
| HomeStart Assist | Forgivable | Up to 4% of the loan | Yes | Yes | No | 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.