Assistance program · Oregon
FirstHome (Flex Lending)
Oregon Housing and Community Services mortgage for low- and moderate-income first-time buyers, with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the loan as a second mortgage
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 5% of the loan
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Type not stated
- The source does not say the type of help
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- 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
- The source does not say the type of help
What it gives
Up to 5% of the loan
Source text
FirstHome is available with or without down payment assistance (DPA). DPA will be a second mortgage with terms based on income. DPA may be used to cover up to 100% of the borrower’s cash requirement to close … Borrowers can receive 4% or 5% of the first mortgage loan amount as DPA. … Standard DPA: 4% … Focused Demographics: 5% 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
Borrowers must meet income and purchase price limits, which are determined by county. Unless purchasing in a targeted area or a veteran using an exception, borrowers must be a first-time homebuyer. … All first-time homebuyers must take homebuyer education classes. … Credit scores as low as 620. … May not own any other real estate at time of closing. … Non-occupying coborrowers and cosigners not allowed. - First-time buyers only Yes
- 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, 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 Oregon
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 Oregon
The program covers all of Oregon. The first column is Oregon'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 Oregon: $477,600.
The typical home value ($477,600) fits within Oregon'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 Oregon is $71,200.
| Figure | Oregon | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $477,600 | $189,300 (Gilliam County) to $660,000 (Hood River County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Baker County) to $762,450 (Hood River County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 36 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $71,200 | $66,900 (Coos County) to $102,650 (Yamhill 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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Confirm you count as a first-time buyer
The program requires it. Read on its page how it defines "first-time buyer" and whether there are exceptions.
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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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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Oregon has 25 agencies on HUD's list, and 18 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 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 4 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Oregon Housing and Community Services.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Against the others
How it compares with Oregon's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Oregon, 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 Oregon's 3 programs that requires being a first-time buyer. It is one of 2 out of 3 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. One other program in the state also gives "type not stated" help: NextStep (Flex Lending). 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirstHome (Flex Lending)this program | Type not stated | Up to 5% of the loan | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| OHCS Down Payment Assistance | Grant · Forgivable | Not published | Doesn't say | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| NextStep (Flex Lending) | Type not stated | Up to 5% of the loan | No | 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
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.