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Virginia Housing DPA Grant - Northern Virginia First-Time Buyers

A grant you never repay. Let's see if you qualify.

The Virginia Housing Down Payment Grant is a true grant - no lien, never repaid - that reduces your required down payment significantly when you buy with a Virginia Housing bond first mortgage. If you are a first-time buyer in Northern Virginia, this may be the most impactful program available to you. The first conversation is free and starts with a soft pull that does not affect your score.

Free & no obligation Virginia Housing approved lender First-time buyers Soft credit check only
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The biggest barrier for first-time buyers

The down payment is what stops most first-time buyers cold.

You have been saving. But the math keeps moving. Northern Virginia home prices mean that the required down payment is a significant hurdle when you are building your savings from scratch. The Virginia Housing DPA Grant is designed exactly for this moment: it reduces your required down payment substantially - and unlike a second mortgage, you never pay it back.

What the grant gives you

Three things that change the equation for first-time buyers

1

A true grant - never repaid

The Virginia Housing DPA Grant is money you do not pay back. No lien on the property. No balloon payment. No forgiveness period. It is applied to your down payment at closing and that is the end of it.

2

Reduces your required down payment dramatically

The grant covers most of your required down payment; the remainder you bring can even be a gift. You do not need to accumulate the full down payment from scratch.

3

Designed specifically for first-time buyers

The DPA Grant is built for buyers who have not owned a primary residence in the past three years. Household income limits (all household members) are set to help first-time buyers at realistic NoVA income levels get into homeownership.

Program facts - not a rate quote

Key grant program facts for Northern Virginia first-time buyers

Program assistance facts from Virginia Housing guidelines - not rates or payment quotes.

True grant
Never repaid, no lien, no forgiveness period - applied to your down payment at closing
Up to $148K / $174K
Max household income, NoVA bond program (1-2 / 3+ people, eff Aug 1, 2026, all household members)
$800K price cap
NoVA purchase price cap on bond firsts (eff Aug 1, 2026)

Program facts per Virginia Housing guidelines rev May 2026; income and price limits effective Aug 1, 2026. First-time buyer required (3-year rule). Bond firsts only. Grant is for down payment only - not closing costs. Not a commitment to lend; all loans subject to credit approval and program eligibility. Programs subject to change.

How we get you to the keys

Four steps to closing with your grant applied

Confirm eligibility - income and first-time status

We check your household income against the NoVA bond limit (every adult in the household counts), confirm first-time buyer status under the three-year rule, and verify the property fits program guidelines.

Complete homebuyer education

Virginia Housing requires an approved education course for first-time buyers. We point you to the right one early - completing it before you find the home keeps your timeline clean and removes a closing constraint.

Shop, lock, and reserve the grant

Your grant is reserved when your rate locks. We coordinate the timing so the grant is in place before you close. Bring your modest remaining share (which can be gifted) plus closing cost funds.

Close - grant applied, never repaid

At closing, the grant is applied to your down payment with no lien and no repayment obligation. You walk out with the keys and ownership of a home you did not need to wait years of savings to reach.

Your team

A Virginia Housing approved lender and a NoVA Realtor

Good questions

What first-time buyers ask most about the DPA Grant

Do I ever have to pay the grant back?

No. The Virginia Housing DPA Grant is a true grant with no repayment obligation. There is no lien placed on the property. It is applied to your down payment at closing and that is the end of it. It is not a deferred loan, not a soft second, and not a forgivable loan with a payback period - it is a grant.

Can I use the grant for closing costs too?

No. The DPA Grant is for down payment only. Closing costs must come from other sources - seller credits, lender credits, or your own funds. If you need closing cost assistance, ask us about other options including seller negotiation strategies.

What is the income limit?

The grant is available through bond firsts, which use household income - every adult living in the home counts, not just the borrowers on the loan. In NoVA (effective August 1, 2026): $148,000 for 1-2 person households, $174,000 for 3+ person households. This is lower than most other Virginia Housing income limits - it is specifically designed for first-time buyers at the beginning of their earning trajectory.

What counts as "first-time buyer"?

Virginia Housing defines it as not having had an ownership interest in a primary residence in the past three years. If you owned a home before that, or never owned at all, you qualify. There is also a targeted-area exception that allows buyers in certain census tracts to qualify regardless of prior ownership history.

Can I combine the grant with the Virginia Housing Plus Second?

No. The DPA Grant cannot be stacked with the Virginia Housing Plus Second or CCA grants. You choose one program. If you want a second mortgage that covers your full required down payment (rather than a partial grant), ask us about the Plus Second instead.

Will you pull my credit?

The first conversation starts with a soft pull - it does not affect your score. A hard pull is required only when you formally apply, and we do that only when you decide to move forward.

Money you never pay back. Let's see if it is yours.

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