District of Columbia First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Assistance

District of Columbia first-time buyer programs open now

DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) and DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is the state's housing finance agency (homebuyer programs page). It runs 4 down payment or closing-cost assistance programs. Required for HPAP and EAHP (first single-family home, condo, or co-op in DC); DC Open Doors and HomeAdvantage DC are open to both first-time and repeat buyers

• Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP). Terms: Interest-free, subordinate loan. Deferred until sale, cash-out refinance, or the home stops being the primary residence for borrowers under 80% MFI; borrowers between 80-110% MFI get a 5-year payment deferral then a 40-year principal-only repayment period Must pair with: A private first-trust mortgage (HPAP does not accept seller-backed financing); first-trust loan amount cannot exceed the FHA conforming loan limit for DC Homebuyer education: required Where: citywide (all 8 wards) Program page
• DC Open Doors - Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL). Terms: 0% interest, non-amortizing, no monthly payments; due on the earliest of 30 years from closing, sale/transfer of the property, the home ceasing to be the primary residence, or refinancing the first trust mortgage Purchase price limit: No maximum sales price limit; maximum first-trust loan $1,249,125 Must pair with: A DC Open Doors first-trust mortgage from a participating lender Where: citywide, open to both DC residents and non-residents Program page
• DC4ME. Terms: Below-market first mortgage with down payment assistance option, for DC government employees Where: citywide Program page
• Employer-Assisted Housing Program (EAHP). Terms: 0% interest, no payments required until sale/transfer, the home stops being the primary residence, or a cash-out refinance Purchase price limit: First-trust loan cannot exceed the FHA conventional loan limit for DC Where: citywide Program page

How little you can put down

You do not need 20% down. Conventional loans go as low as 3% (through programs like Fannie Mae HomeReady and Freddie Mac Home Possible), FHA loans start at 3.5%, and VA and USDA loans can require nothing down. On District of Columbia's median-priced home (about $676,500), 3% down is roughly $20,295. Putting 20% down lets you skip private mortgage insurance, but most first-time buyers put down far less.

Who counts as a first-time buyer

For most programs, a first-time buyer is anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the last three years, so many repeat buyers qualify again. District of Columbia programs often add income and purchase-price limits, which is another reason to confirm the details with District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA).

Stack a buyer rebate on top in District of Columbia

Down-payment assistance and a buyer commission rebate are two different things, and in District of Columbia you can use both. Assistance from District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) helps with your down payment and closing costs; a buyer rebate returns about 2% of the price to you at closing (roughly $13,530 on a median-priced home), which can cover much of your closing bill.

See District of Columbia buyer rebates →   See District of Columbia closing costs →

Official sources

• DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) and DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
• DHCD - Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)
• DCHFA - DC Open Doors
• DCHFA - DC4ME
• DCHFA - Employer-Assisted Housing Program (EAHP)
• DCHFA - Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: down payment options and how to prepare

District of Columbia program details last verified against District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) on September 11, 2026.