Help to buy in Tennessee
Home-buying assistance programs in Tennessee
2 official programs for down payment and closing cost help in Tennessee, from Tennessee Housing Development Agency and City of Memphis Office of Down Payment Assistance. We show what each program says on its own page, with the date we checked it.
Key numbers in Tennessee
- Verified programs
- 2
- from Tennessee Housing Development Agency and City of Memphis Office of Down Payment Assistance
- First-time buyers only
- 0
- 2 do not require it or their pages do not say
- Accept an ITIN
- 0
- per their own site · no: 0 · unconfirmed: 2
- Last checked
- November 5, 2026
- against each program’s official page
How to read the list
Not all help is the same
Amounts, limits and funding change: confirm with a participating lender.
Before you compare amounts, look at the kind of help: it changes what you pay later. These are the kinds the programs on this page use.
On ITIN, each card says what the program itself publishes: yes, no, or not confirmed on its site.
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Forgivable
Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
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Repayable
Second loan with monthly payments
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Type not stated
The source does not say the type of help
The full list
Programs in Tennessee
Filter by who qualifies, by ITIN or by kind of help. Each card quotes the source and the date we checked it.
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- Forgivable
- Repayable
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
What it gives, per the source
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
- First-time buyer?
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA)
Verified November 5, 2026
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Citywide DPA
Only in: Memphis, Shelby County
- Type not stated
City of Memphis help with the down payment and closing costs of a new or existing home within the city, for incomes up to 80% of the area median; the page does not state the amount
What it gives, per the source
The OFFICE of DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE (DPA) provides funds to help meet the down payment and closing cost requirements needed to complete the closing of a new or existing home.
- First-time buyer?
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by City of Memphis Office of Down Payment Assistance (DPA)
Verified November 5, 2026
No program matches your search.
Help to repair your home
Repair programs in Tennessee
One program we checked in Tennessee to repair your home or make it more efficient, with what its page says.
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Weatherization Assistance Program
Run by Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA)
Tennessee weatherization program: upgrades that cut energy use in low-income homes, through local agencies
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is down payment assistance?
Money from a public or nonprofit program for the down payment or closing costs. It can be a grant you never repay, a second loan forgiven if you stay in the home for some years, a second loan repaid when you sell or refinance, or a tax credit (MCC) that lowers your federal taxes.
Do I need to be a first-time buyer in Tennessee?
Of the 2 programs on this page, none requires it, or their pages do not say. In general, “first-time buyer” means not having owned a home in the last three years.
Can I use these programs with an ITIN?
What each program’s own site says: accept an ITIN, 0; do not accept one, 0; not confirmed on its site, 2. Ask the participating lender directly before you start, and ask for it in writing.