Assistance program · Pennsylvania
Philly First Home
City of Philadelphia grant of up to $10,000 (or 6% of the price, whichever is less) for the down payment, closing costs or to reduce the loan of first-time buyers with income within the limit
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to $10,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Grant
- Grant you never repay
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Grant you never repay
Only in: Philadelphia, Philadelphia County
What it gives
Up to $10,000
Source text
We are offering a homebuyer assistance grant of up to $10,000 (or 6% of the home’s purchase price, whichever is lower) to assist first-time homebuyers reduce the principal, cover down payment, and loan closing costs. 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 property must be a single-family home or duplex located in Philadelphia (no condominiums). … You must be a first-time buyer or have not owned a home in the past three years. … You must complete one-on-one homeownership counseling through a City-funded housing counseling agency before signing an Agreement of Sale. … You must be income eligible (see chart below). - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score Not stated — ask
- 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 Philadelphia, Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
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 ($243,100) fits within Philadelphia's FHA limit ($630,200).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Philadelphia is $98,150.
| Figure | Philadelphia County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $243,100 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $630,200 | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $98,150 | 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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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Pennsylvania has 75 agencies on HUD's list, and 32 serve people in Spanish.
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Apply with Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), for the City of Philadelphia. 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 7 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), for the City of Philadelphia.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- 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
- Is there any case in which the grant has to be paid back?
Against the others
How it compares with Pennsylvania's other programs
The 4 programs we checked in Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania's 4 programs that requires being a first-time buyer. It is one of 4 out of 4 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. It is the only program in Pennsylvania on our list with "grant" help. It is the only local program on the list; the others cover the whole state. It is the only one that requires a homebuyer course.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philly First Homethis program | Grant | Up to $10,000 | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Philadelphia, Philadelphia County |
| Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan | Repayable | Up to 4% of the price, capped at $6,000 | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years Loan Program (K-FIT) | Forgivable | Up to 5% of the price | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Keystone Due At Time of Expiration Loan Program (K-DATE) | Deferred | Up to 8% of the price | Doesn't say | 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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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.
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.