Assistance program · Rhode Island
Extra Assistance
RIHousing second mortgage for first-time buyers, of up to 6% of the price or $20,000 (whichever is less) for the down payment, which you repay over 15 years at the same rate as your RIHousing mortgage
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 6% of the price, capped at $20,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Repayable
- Second loan with monthly payments
- 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
- Second loan with monthly payments
What it gives
Up to 6% of the price, capped at $20,000
Source text
Up to 6% of the purchase price, or $20,000, whichever is lower … Interest rate on an Extra Assistance loan will be the same as the interest rate on your RIHousing first mortgage … No fees or charges … An Extra Assistance loan is a second mortgage lien on your home … 15 year term 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
RIHousing’s Extra Assistance program provides down payment assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers in Rhode Island. … Be a first-time homebuyer purchasing a 1-4 family home or condominium in Rhode Island … Have a minimum credit score of 620 … Complete a homebuyer education course … Occupy the home as your primary residence … Extra Assistance is only available in conjunction with a RIHousing first mortgage - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score 620
- Income limit The source does not mention one
- 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 All of Rhode Island
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 Rhode Island
The program covers all of Rhode Island. The first column is Rhode Island's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The typical home value ($404,200) fits within Rhode Island's FHA limit ($787,750).
| Figure | Rhode Island | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $404,200 | $366,100 (Kent County) to $609,700 (Newport County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $787,750 | $787,750 in all 5 counties | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 5 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $89,700 | $89,700 (Bristol County) to $107,900 (Newport 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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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Rhode Island has 5 agencies on HUD's list, and 5 serve people in Spanish.
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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 7 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to RIHousing.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Is there an income limit for my household?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- 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
- What rate and monthly payment does the second loan have?
Against the others
How it compares with Rhode Island's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Rhode Island, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 3 programs in Rhode Island, out of 3, that require being 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 Rhode Island on our list with "repayable" help. It covers the whole state; one program on the list is only for a city or a county. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Assistancethis program | Repayable | Up to 6% of the price, capped at $20,000 | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| 15kDPA | Deferred | $15,000 | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| FirstGenHomeRILimited funds remain, per the source | Forgivable | $25,000 | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Central Falls, East Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Providence, Newport, Providence County, Newport County |
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.