Assistance program · Missouri
Next Step Program
Missouri state commission mortgage for buyers who earn more than First Place allows, with a second loan of 4% of the mortgage for the down payment and closing costs that is forgiven after ten years
At a glance
- 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
- 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
Source text
For potential homebuyers with limited savings, the program provides the option for cash assistance to be used for down payment and closing costs. Loans are provided by Certified Lenders for any eligible property in the state of Missouri. All interest rates and allowable closing costs are set by Missouri Housing Development Commission with no minimum down payment or minimum loan amounts. 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
The Next Step Program gives potential first-time and repeat homebuyers outside the First Place income limits the edge they need to purchase a home. - First-time buyers only Not stated — ask
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score 640
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with FHA, VA, USDA, 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 All of Missouri
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 Missouri
The program covers all of Missouri. The first column is Missouri'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 Missouri: $230,300.
The typical home value ($230,300) fits within Missouri'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 Missouri is $64,950.
| Figure | Missouri | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $230,300 | $96,600 (Worth County) to $345,100 (Platte County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 in all 115 counties | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 115 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $64,950 | $62,000 (Atchison County) to $93,050 (Boone 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.
-
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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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 7 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Missouri Housing Development Commission.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
- Is it only for first-time buyers?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- 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 Missouri's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in Missouri, 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 Missouri's 2 programs whose page does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. None of the 2 publishes an amount with the figure in its own wording. It is the only program in Missouri on our list with "forgivable" help.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next Step Programthis program | Forgivable | Not published | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| First Place Loan Program | Type not stated | Not published | 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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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.
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Mortgage loans
VA home loans: who qualifies, the COE and what it costs
How a VA home loan works: who qualifies, getting your Certificate of Eligibility (COE), the funding fee and the rule that you must live in the home.
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.