Assistance program · Virginia
Down Payment Assistance Grant
Virginia state agency down payment grant that you do not repay; for first-time buyers, or any buyer in economic opportunity zones, with a Virginia Housing mortgage
At a glance
- 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
What it gives
Source text
The Down Payment Assistance Grant is a true grant, meaning you never need to repay it. 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
Be a qualified first-time homebuyer or repeat buyer purchasing in Areas of Economic Opportunity … Have a household income within Virginia Housing's income limits … Have a bond FHA/Conventional loan from Virginia Housing … Be within Virginia Housing's sales price / loan limits - First-time buyers only Yes
- 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 FHA, Conventional
- Immigration requirement Not stated — 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 Virginia
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 Virginia
The program covers all of Virginia. The first column is Virginia'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 Virginia: $383,700.
The typical home value ($383,700) fits within Virginia'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 Virginia is $78,800.
| Figure | Virginia | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $383,700 | $83,500 (City of Covington) to $1,055,600 (City of Falls Church) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Accomack County) to $1,249,125 (City of Manassas Park) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 (Accomack County) to $1,249,125 (City of Manassas Park) | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $78,800 | $63,900 (Accomack County) to $106,800 (City of Manassas Park) | 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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Pick a mortgage it works with
According to its page, the help is used together with a FHA and Conventional loan. Each loan type has its own requirements.
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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 6 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Virginia Housing.
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?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
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 Virginia's other programs
The 3 programs we checked in Virginia, 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 Virginia, out of 3, that require being a first-time buyer. Its page publishes no amount with a figure; 2 of the 3 do. One other program in the state also gives "grant" help: Closing Cost Assistance Grant.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down Payment Assistance Grantthis program | Grant | Not published | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Virginia Housing Plus Second Mortgage | Type not stated | Up to 5% of the price | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Closing Cost Assistance Grant | Grant | Up to 2% of the price | 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
Conventional loan: 3% down, PMI and credit scores
How a conventional loan works: HomeReady and Home Possible from 3% down, the credit score Fannie Mae requires, PMI and when the law ends it.
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.