Assistance program · Tennessee
Great Choice Plus
Tennessee state agency help with the down payment and closing costs alongside the Great Choice mortgage: $6,000 or $10,000 forgivable over 10 years with no payments, or up to 5% of the price (maximum $15,000) as a 30-year second mortgage
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Forgivable · Repayable
- 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
- 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
- Second loan with monthly payments
What it gives
Source text
Down Payment Assistance is available up to $6,000 or up to $10,000 in the form of a forgivable second mortgage loan. … 0% interest rate … forgiven at the end of 10-year term … Down Payment Assistance is available up to 5% of the sales price with a maximum assistance amount of $15,000 … 30-Year term amortizing 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
If you qualify for a Great Choice Home Loan, you can also apply for down payment assistance - First-time buyers only Not stated — ask
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- 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 The source does not mention one — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Yes
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Tennessee
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 Tennessee
The program covers all of Tennessee. The first column is Tennessee'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 Tennessee: $286,700.
The typical home value ($286,700) fits within Tennessee'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 Tennessee is $64,250.
| Figure | Tennessee | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $286,700 | $97,900 (Lake County) to $751,900 (Williamson County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Anderson County) to $1,029,250 (Wilson County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 (Anderson County) to $1,029,250 (Wilson County) | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $64,250 | $62,400 (Benton County) to $92,900 (Wilson 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.
-
Check your county's maximum price
The program sets a maximum price per county in its table.
-
Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
-
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 8 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Tennessee Housing Development Agency.
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?
- 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?
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?
- What rate and monthly payment does the second loan have?
Against the others
How it compares with Tennessee's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in Tennessee, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 2 programs in Tennessee, out of 2, 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 Tennessee on our list with "forgivable" help. It covers the whole state; one program on the list is only for a city or a county.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Choice Plusthis program | Forgivable · Repayable | Not published | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Citywide DPA | Type not stated | Not published | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Memphis, Shelby 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
-
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.
-
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.
-
Help and programs
Public charge and housing: what the rules say
Public charge: which housing help DHS may consider, who is exempt, how HUD prorates assistance for mixed-status families and where to get free advice.
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.