Northeast · DC

District of Columbia Down Payment Assistance to Buy Your Home

Programs that help you buy a home in District of Columbia administered primarily by DC Housing Finance Agency / DHCD. Amounts and income limits change often — confirm current terms before you shop.

Check your down payment assistance options

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See what programs you may qualify for in District of Columbia

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When are you hoping to buy?

Assistance funds are released in rounds, so timing matters.

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Prefer to just talk it through? Call 303-669-8454 or text Ashley Hickmon.

Main programs

DC Open Doors

Up to 3.5% DPA

Forgivable second

Fully forgivable second trust covering the minimum down payment on DCHFA loans.

How it works: Assistance is recorded as a small second lien behind your first mortgage and is written off over a set period of ownership.
Repayment: No monthly payment. The balance is forgiven if you stay long enough; sell or refinance early and a prorated amount is due.
Best for: First-time buyers who can cover the monthly payment but not the cash to close.

Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

Up to $202,000

Assistance program

Deeply subsidized city assistance for income-qualified District residents.

How it works: Assistance is paired with an agency-approved first mortgage and applied at closing toward your down payment or closing costs.
Repayment: Terms depend on the option you choose — some rounds are forgiven, others are repaid at sale or refinance.
Best for: First-time buyers who can cover the monthly payment but not the cash to close.

Zero-down VA home loans in District of Columbia

If you or your spouse served, the VA loan is usually the strongest option in District of Columbia — no down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance, and it is not limited to first-time buyers. It can often be combined with state assistance to cover closing costs.

Down payment$0: Eligible veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard/Reserve and many surviving spouses can finance 100% of the purchase price with no down payment, up to what the lender approves for income and credit.
Mortgage insuranceNone: VA loans never charge monthly mortgage insurance, so the payment is usually lower than an FHA or low-down conventional loan at the same rate.
Funding fee0% – 3.3%: A one-time fee that can be rolled into the loan. It is waived entirely for veterans receiving VA disability compensation and for eligible surviving spouses. First use with no down payment is currently 2.15%.
Loan limitsNo cap with full entitlement: Veterans with full entitlement have no VA loan limit — the loan size is driven by qualifying income and the appraised value. Partial entitlement (an existing VA loan) uses county limits.
Seller-paid costsUp to 4% concessions: Sellers can pay all normal closing costs plus up to 4% in concessions, which is how many veterans buy with almost nothing out of pocket.
CreditTypically 580–620+: VA sets no minimum score; lenders do. Residual income and on-time housing history carry real weight, so VA is often more forgiving than conventional.

District of Columbia veteran benefits

VA loans with District of Columbia assistance

District of Columbia does not run a separate state veteran mortgage, but the federal VA loan works statewide and most DC Housing Finance Agency / DHCD down payment programs can be layered on top to cover closing costs or the funding fee.

Property-tax relief for disabled veterans

District of Columbia may offer local property-tax relief for disabled veterans — worth checking with the county assessor, since it lowers the payment used to qualify.

Typical requirements in District of Columbia

First-time buyer (no ownership in 3 years) for most programs
Household income at or below the agency limit for your county
Purchase price under the program limit
Minimum credit score, often 620-640
Primary residence only, 1-4 units or approved condo
Complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education course

Talk to Ashley about District of Columbia programs

Nearby states

Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire

Verified client reviews

1,257 verified client reviews

Ashley Hickmon has earned 1,257 verified reviews on Experience.com from buyers across the country — including many first-time buyers who closed using down payment assistance.

4.83/ 5

1,257 reviews on Experience.com

Ashley went above and beyond to make sure we had the right loan for us. She provided us options so we could run the numbers to make the best decision. There were zero hiccups in the process — smoothest financing we've ever done.

Mallory D.

Charleston, ME · July 2026

Took her time explaining everything to us as we went through the process. She was always available by phone, email or text to answer our questions. She went above and beyond to make everything work, and thought outside of the box.

Katherine T.

Canton, GA · July 2026

I have used Ashley on multiple house purchases and I will never look elsewhere. She is absolutely amazing and extremely efficient. It is always a pleasure working with her and I tell everyone I know in the market for a home.

Brandon T.

Klondike, TX · July 2026

What made this experience great was all the support we received during the process. All our questions were answered clearly and in a timely manner. It never took long to hear back from Ashley and her team.

Enkhtumur J.

Denver, CO · July 2026

Ashley is so quick to respond and keeps you updated throughout the entire process. This is our second time working with them and I highly recommend her and her team.

Kimberly H.

Longmont, CO · July 2026

We really appreciated you and your team's work making sure our loan was ready so quickly, and for helping us scramble to make important changes at the last minute. You guys were awesome!

Brandon R.

Longmont, CO · August 2026

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Want to know what you'd actually qualify for in District of Columbia?

Ashley can check income and price limits in District of Columbia against your numbers and tell you the real assistance amount — usually same day.

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