DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS
You May Not Need to Save the Entire Down Payment by Yourself
For many first-time buyers, the biggest obstacle isn’t necessarily the monthly mortgage payment.
It’s this:
“How am I supposed to save enough money to actually BUY the house?”
You may need money for:
Down payment
Closing costs
Inspections
Appraisal
Moving
and you probably don’t want to empty your entire savings account just to get the keys.
That’s where:
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE — DPA
may be able to help.
Southern Nevada buyers may have access to state and local programs designed to make homeownership more attainable.
But there is something very important to understand:
DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS NOT ONE PROGRAM.
Different programs have different:
Income limits.
Credit requirements.
Purchase-price limits.
Repayment rules.
Residency requirements.
Occupancy requirements.
Homebuyer-education requirements.
Eligible properties.
Available funding.
Some programs can help with closing costs.
Some cannot.
Some are forgivable.
Some are repayable.
Some are second mortgages.
Some have limited funding.
So don’t simply ask:
“Do you have a down-payment-assistance program?”
Ask:
“Which programs do I qualify for, and what are the actual terms?”
FIRST: WHAT IS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE?
Down Payment Assistance — commonly called:
DPA
is financial assistance designed to help eligible home buyers with some of the upfront costs of purchasing a home.
Depending on the program, assistance may potentially be used toward:
DOWN PAYMENT
and/or
CLOSING COSTS
Some specialized programs may allow other approved uses.
The exact rules depend on the program.
WHY DOES DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE EXIST?
Consider a renter who is already paying:
$2,000–$2,500+ PER MONTH
They may have:
Stable employment.
Good income.
Manageable debt.
Reasonable credit.
The ability to make a future mortgage payment.
But saving tens of thousands of dollars while simultaneously paying rent and normal living expenses can take years.
That’s the gap some assistance programs are designed to help address.
GOOD ENERGY RULE
DON’T ASSUME YOU CAN’T BUY JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE 20% DOWN.
You may not need 20%.
And depending on your qualifications, you may potentially have assistance available.
Find out what’s possible before eliminating yourself.
WHAT DOES “FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER” MEAN?
Here’s something many buyers don’t know:
You don’t necessarily have to be buying the first home you’ve ever owned.
For Nevada Housing Division’s current first-time-homebuyer program, a first-time buyer generally means someone who:
HAS NOT OWNED A HOME DURING THE PREVIOUS 3 YEARS.
So if you owned a home many years ago…
you may still potentially meet the program’s first-time-buyer definition.
Different programs can use different definitions.
Always verify the definition for the program you’re considering.
SOUTHERN NEVADA PROGRAM #1
HOME IS POSSIBLE FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS
One of the first programs I would want an eligible Nevada first-time buyer to investigate is:
Home Is Possible for First-Time Homebuyers
This program is administered by the:
Nevada Housing Division
and is available statewide.
HOW MUCH ASSISTANCE?
The current program offers:
UP TO 4%
of the total loan amount
in down-payment assistance.
The assistance may be used toward eligible:
DOWN PAYMENT
and
CLOSING COSTS.
WHO MAY QUALIFY?
Current program requirements include:
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER
You generally must not have owned a home during the previous three years.
MINIMUM CREDIT SCORE
Currently:
640
or:
660 for manufactured homes
PRIMARY RESIDENCE
You must occupy the home as your primary residence.
INCOME LIMITS
Your household must fall within applicable program limits.
PURCHASE-PRICE LIMITS
The home must meet applicable program limits.
STANDARD MORTGAGE UNDERWRITING
DPA does not replace normal mortgage qualification.
HOMEBUYER EDUCATION
You must complete an approved homebuyer-education course.
CURRENT CLARK COUNTY LIMITS
For the Nevada Housing Division first-time-homebuyer program, the current Clark County limits effective June 15, 2026 include:
MAXIMUM HOME PURCHASE PRICE
$566,354
MAXIMUM HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Household of 2 or fewer:
$105,500
Household of 3 or more:
$121,325
Program and loan-specific requirements can affect these figures, and limits can change.
Always have a participating lender verify the current limits before relying on them.
VERY IMPORTANT:
IS THE ASSISTANCE FREE MONEY?
This is where I want first-time buyers to pay attention.
The current Nevada Housing Division first-time-buyer assistance is described as:
INTEREST-FREE
but:
NON-FORGIVABLE
and structured over:
30 YEARS.
In other words:
Do not think of it as a bag of free money.
You need to understand the second-mortgage structure and repayment terms before using the program.
Ask your lender:
When does it have to be repaid?
What happens if I sell?
What happens if I refinance?
Does it have monthly payments?
Does it have interest?
How does it affect my first mortgage?
What will I owe in the future?
SIMPLE EXAMPLE
Imagine your first mortgage is:
$400,000
and you qualify for assistance equal to:
4% of the loan amount.
4% of $400,000 would be:
$16,000
That money could potentially help with eligible:
Down payment
and/or
Closing costs
according to the program rules.
EXAMPLE ONLY
Actual assistance depends on the final loan and program eligibility.
SOUTHERN NEVADA PROGRAM #2
WISH
Another program first-time buyers should know about is:
WORKFORCE INITIATIVE SUBSIDY FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP
or:
WISH
This program can be particularly valuable for eligible lower- to moderate-income first-time buyers.
Locally, organizations such as Nevada Partners and Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada work with homebuyers and assistance resources.
HOW WISH WORKS
Current Nevada Partners information describes WISH as providing:
UP TO $30,000
in forgivable assistance for eligible:
DOWN PAYMENT
and:
CLOSING COSTS.
It currently uses a:
4-TO-1 MATCH.
That means the program can contribute multiple dollars for each eligible dollar contributed by the buyer, subject to program limits and requirements.
EXAMPLE OF A 4-TO-1 MATCH
Imagine you contribute:
$5,000
A 4-to-1 match could potentially provide:
$20,000
in assistance.
Your combined purchasing funds could therefore be:
$25,000
subject to program rules and eligibility.
EXAMPLE ONLY.
Actual matching rules, maximum assistance and available funding must be verified before relying on the program.
WHO IS WISH GENERALLY DESIGNED FOR?
Current local program information identifies requirements including:
First-time-homebuyer status
Income eligibility
Completion of homebuyer education
and other program requirements.
WISH is particularly important to investigate because funding availability can be limited.
A program existing does not necessarily mean funds are available today.
This is why early preparation matters.
SOUTHERN NEVADA PROGRAM #3
CULINARY & BARTENDERS HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
Las Vegas has something many other housing markets don’t:
A huge hospitality workforce.
And qualifying first-time buyers working in certain Culinary and Bartenders Union positions may have another significant assistance opportunity.
HOW MUCH ASSISTANCE?
Current Nevada Partners information states that eligible members of:
Culinary Union Local 226
and:
Bartenders Union Local 165
may qualify for:
UP TO $30,000
toward eligible:
Down payment
Closing costs
or:
Principal mortgage buy-down
depending on program requirements.
WHO MAY QUALIFY?
Current eligibility information includes requirements such as:
Working as an eligible Culinary or Bartender worker at a participating property.
Meeting applicable income requirements.
Purchasing and occupying the home as a primary residence.
Purchasing in:
CLARK COUNTY
or:
NYE COUNTY.
Qualifying for a first mortgage.
Making the required buyer contribution.
Additional requirements apply.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN LAS VEGAS
If you work in:
Hospitality.
Hotels.
Casinos.
Restaurants.
Bartending.
or another qualifying union position…
tell me.
Do not assume the standard Nevada Housing Division program is your only option.
Your employment may open another path worth investigating.
SOUTHERN NEVADA RESOURCE #4
NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING SERVICES OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
Another important local organization is:
Neighborhood Housing Services of Southern Nevada — NHSSN
NHSSN provides:
Homebuyer education
One-on-one counseling
Financial education
and:
Down-payment-assistance resources
for qualifying Southern Nevada households.
Their programs are particularly focused on helping low- to moderate-income households move toward homeownership.
WHY HOUSING COUNSELING CAN HELP
Sometimes the buyer isn’t ready today.
Maybe the issue is:
Credit.
Savings.
Debt.
Budgeting.
Mortgage qualification.
Understanding the process.
That’s okay.
A housing counselor can help create a roadmap.
You may discover:
“I can buy now.”
or:
“I need six months.”
or:
“I need to fix these three things first.”
All three answers are valuable.
SOUTHERN NEVADA OPTION #5
CLARK COUNTY WELCOME HOME COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
This one is different.
It isn’t simply a traditional down-payment-assistance program.
Clark County operates a:
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST — CLT
designed to make certain homes more affordable for qualifying households.
HOW DOES A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST WORK?
In a traditional home purchase, you generally purchase:
THE HOME
and:
THE LAND.
A Community Land Trust can use a different structure.
The homeowner purchases the home while the land remains within the community land trust under a long-term arrangement.
This can help reduce the cost of homeownership.
But there are also restrictions and resale requirements that buyers need to understand.
This is not the same as purchasing a traditional unrestricted property.
CURRENT CLARK COUNTY CLT REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:
Among other requirements, Clark County currently identifies:
CLARK COUNTY CONNECTION
The applicant must live or work in Clark County.
FIRST-TIME HOMEOWNER
For this particular program, Clark County uses a different definition:
No home ownership during the previous 5 years.
INCOME LIMITS
Homes are designed for qualifying households within applicable Area Median Income limits.
ASSET LIMIT
Current preliminary requirements list:
Less than $60,000 in assets.
CREDIT
Current minimum:
640
BUYER CONTRIBUTION
Clark County currently states that CLT homes require at least a:
3% DOWN PAYMENT
and that 3% must come from the buyer’s own savings or an eligible gift, although additional down-payment assistance may potentially be used.
Notice how different this is from the other programs.
That’s why you cannot assume all DPA works the same way.
“WHAT ABOUT HOME IS POSSIBLE?”
Nevada also has a broader:
HOME IS POSSIBLE
down-payment-assistance program.
Unlike the specific First-Time Homebuyer version:
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A FIRST-TIME BUYER.
The current general program can provide qualifying borrowers with assistance of up to:
5% OF THE LOAN VALUE
toward eligible down payment and/or closing costs.
So even though this page is designed specifically for first-time buyers…
a first-time buyer may still qualify for a program that isn’t limited to first-time buyers.
Sometimes the better program isn’t the one with:
“FIRST-TIME BUYER”
in its name.
WHAT ABOUT ESSENTIAL WORKERS?
Nevada also currently offers:
WORKER ADVANTAGE
for qualifying essential workers.
Current assistance is:
$20,000
structured as a:
No-interest
No-payment
Non-forgivable
30-year second mortgage.
Qualifying occupations include categories within areas such as:
Healthcare.
Education.
Public safety.
Construction.
Military-related employment.
and other eligible essential-worker fields.
The program currently requires at least one qualifying borrower to have been a Nevada resident for a minimum of six months.
It does NOT require first-time-homebuyer status.
But first-time buyers who meet the employment requirements can potentially qualify.
GOOD ENERGY TIP
YOUR JOB MATTERS.
When I’m working with a first-time buyer, I want to know what you do for work.
Why?
Because there may be programs connected to:
Teachers
Healthcare workers
Public-safety employees
Construction workers
Military / veterans
Culinary workers
Bartenders
and other eligible professions.
Don’t assume:
“DPA is just one government program.”
There may be several paths worth comparing.
CAN I COMBINE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS?
Sometimes programs, lender products, seller credits or other forms of assistance may work together.
Sometimes they cannot.
This is called:
“STACKING” ASSISTANCE.
For example, a buyer might ask whether they can combine:
A DPA program.
Seller credits.
Builder incentives.
Gift funds.
A particular first mortgage.
But compatibility depends on the specific programs and loan guidelines.
Never assume two programs can be combined simply because you qualify for both individually.
Have the lender verify it.
WHAT ABOUT SELLER CREDITS?
Seller credits are not the same thing as down-payment assistance.
But they can be very powerful when used together with the right financing.
Imagine you have assistance helping with your down payment…
and we negotiate the seller to contribute toward allowable closing costs.
That could potentially reduce your out-of-pocket expenses further.
This is where financing strategy and real-estate negotiation work together.
A REAL GOOD ENERGY EXAMPLE
I’ve personally helped buyers who originally came to Las Vegas expecting to:
RENT.
After connecting them with the right lending resources, we discovered that purchasing could actually be possible.
They ultimately used:
3.5% DOWN-PAYMENT ASSISTANCE
in that particular transaction.
And on the real-estate side, I negotiated:
$15,500 IN SELLER CREDITS.
Those credits helped cover much of their eligible closing expenses.
They came to Las Vegas looking for a rental.
They left with the keys to their own home.
That does not mean every buyer will receive the same assistance or seller credits.
Programs change.
Every negotiation is different.
Every buyer’s finances are different.
But it demonstrates why you should find out what’s possible before assuming you cannot buy.
VERY IMPORTANT:
DPA DOES NOT MEAN “FREE HOUSE.”
You still need to qualify for the mortgage.
The lender may evaluate:
Income.
Employment.
Credit.
Debt.
Assets.
Debt-to-income ratio.
Property.
Occupancy.
Loan requirements.
Program requirements.
Down-payment assistance helps with money.
It does not eliminate mortgage qualification.
AND DPA IS NOT ALWAYS “FREE MONEY.”
Assistance can be structured as:
A GRANT
Funds that generally do not require repayment if applicable program conditions are met.
A FORGIVABLE SECOND MORTGAGE
A second lien that may be forgiven over time if program conditions are satisfied.
A DEFERRED SECOND MORTGAGE
Repayment may be postponed until a future event.
A REPAYABLE SECOND MORTGAGE
Money that remains owed according to program terms.
MATCHING ASSISTANCE
The program contributes based partly on the buyer’s own contribution.
Every structure is different.
ASK THIS BEFORE ACCEPTING ANY DPA:
“WHEN DO I HAVE TO PAY THIS MONEY BACK?”
That one question can save you from a major misunderstanding.
Then ask:
Is it forgivable?
How long until it is forgiven?
Is forgiveness gradual or all at once?
Is there interest?
Are there monthly payments?
What happens when I sell?
What happens when I refinance?
What happens if I move out?
Is there a second lien on my property?
Does using this program change my first-mortgage rate?
Understand the assistance before you celebrate the assistance.
MISCONCEPTION #1
“DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE WITH BAD CREDIT.”
No.
Programs generally have minimum credit and underwriting requirements.
MISCONCEPTION #2
“DPA MEANS I DON’T NEED ANY MONEY.”
Not necessarily.
You may still need money for:
Earnest money.
Inspection.
Appraisal.
Buyer contribution.
Closing expenses.
Reserves.
Moving.
Other costs.
The exact requirement depends on your transaction.
MISCONCEPTION #3
“ALL DPA IS FREE.”
Definitely not.
Some programs are forgivable.
Others are repayable.
Others are second mortgages.
Read the terms.
MISCONCEPTION #4
“I MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY.”
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Different programs have different income limits.
Don’t disqualify yourself.
MISCONCEPTION #5
“I HAVE TO BE A FIRST-TIME BUYER FOR EVERY DPA PROGRAM.”
No.
Programs such as Nevada’s general Home Is Possible and Worker Advantage currently do not require first-time-buyer status.
MISCONCEPTION #6
“I NEED PERFECT CREDIT.”
No.
Programs have credit requirements, but perfect credit is not the standard.
MISCONCEPTION #7
“DPA IS AUTOMATICALLY THE BEST FINANCING.”
No.
This one is important.
Imagine:
LOAN A
Includes $15,000 assistance.
but has one interest-rate/cost structure.
LOAN B
Has no assistance.
but offers a different rate, payment or closing-cost structure.
You need to compare:
Cash to close
Interest rate
APR
Monthly payment
Mortgage insurance
Second mortgage
Repayment requirements
Long-term cost
The biggest assistance number does not automatically equal the best mortgage.
GOOD ENERGY RULE
DON’T SHOP FOR THE BIGGEST DPA NUMBER.
Shop for:
THE STRONGEST OVERALL FINANCIAL STRUCTURE.
Assistance is one piece of the puzzle.
WHAT IS HOMEBUYER EDUCATION?
Many first-time-buyer assistance programs require you to complete a homebuyer-education course.
This isn’t punishment.
It’s designed to teach you about:
Mortgage financing.
Budgeting.
Credit.
The buying process.
Closing.
Homeownership responsibilities.
Nevada Housing Division currently requires homebuyer education for its first-time-buyer program.
Local organizations such as NHSSN and Nevada Partners also provide homebuyer education and counseling.
I actually think this is valuable.
Your first home may be one of the largest purchases you’ve ever made.
A little education is a good thing.
HOW DO I ACTUALLY APPLY?
This is another important misconception.
You usually don’t find a house first and then say:
“Okay, now give me the DPA.”
Start earlier.
For Nevada Housing Division programs, your first step is generally to work with a participating lender.
The process may look like:
STEP 1
TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR GOALS
What are you trying to accomplish?
↓
STEP 2
CONNECT WITH A DPA-EXPERIENCED LENDER
Not every program works through every lender.
↓
STEP 3
REVIEW YOUR FINANCES
Income.
Credit.
Debt.
Savings.
Employment.
↓
STEP 4
DETERMINE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
Which assistance programs might actually fit?
↓
STEP 5
COMPLETE HOMEBUYER EDUCATION
If required.
↓
STEP 6
GET PRE-APPROVED
Now we know what financing structure we’re working with.
↓
STEP 7
FIND A QUALIFYING HOME
We search within the program and financing requirements.
↓
STEP 8
WRITE THE OFFER STRATEGICALLY
Including seller credits when appropriate.
↓
STEP 9
COMPLETE LOAN + PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
↓
STEP 10
🔑 CLOSE ON YOUR FIRST HOME
DOCUMENTS YOU MAY NEED
Exact requirements vary, but prepare for things such as:
Photo ID
Recent pay stubs
W-2s
Tax returns when applicable
Bank statements
Employment information
Asset statements
Debt information
Homebuyer-education certificate
Residency documentation if required
Other program-specific documents
➡️ [ READ: MORTGAGE & FINANCING ]
FIRST-TIME BUYER DPA CHECKLIST
Before choosing an assistance program, I want you to know:
☐ How much assistance am I receiving?
☐ Can it cover down payment?
☐ Can it cover closing costs?
☐ Is it a grant or second mortgage?
☐ Is it forgivable?
☐ If so, when?
☐ If not, when is repayment due?
☐ Is there interest?
☐ Are there monthly payments?
☐ What happens if I sell?
☐ What happens if I refinance?
☐ Is there an income limit?
☐ Is there a purchase-price limit?
☐ Is there a minimum credit score?
☐ Do I need homebuyer education?
☐ Do I need to contribute my own money?
☐ Does it change my mortgage rate?
☐ Can I combine it with seller credits?
☐ Can I combine it with another program?
☐ How much cash will I actually need to close?
If you can answer those questions, you understand your DPA.
WHICH PROGRAM IS BEST FOR ME?
There is no single answer.
YOU MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE:
NEVADA HOUSING DIVISION FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER
If you meet the three-year first-time-buyer definition and applicable income, price and underwriting requirements.
WISH
If you meet the first-time-buyer and income requirements and funding is available.
CULINARY & BARTENDERS HOUSING PARTNERSHIP
If you’re an eligible Culinary or Bartenders Union worker.
CLARK COUNTY COMMUNITY LAND TRUST
If you meet its household, income, asset and first-time-homeowner requirements and are comfortable with the CLT ownership model.
WORKER ADVANTAGE
If you’re an eligible Nevada essential worker.
GENERAL HOME IS POSSIBLE
If another Nevada Housing Division structure makes more financial sense than the first-time-buyer-specific program.
The best program isn’t necessarily the one with the biggest number.
It’s the one that best fits:
YOU.
WHAT IF I DON’T QUALIFY TODAY?
Then we make a plan.
Maybe you need to:
Improve credit.
Reduce certain debt.
Save additional money.
Establish more employment history.
Complete homebuyer education.
Wait for program funding.
Prepare for the next WISH allocation.
“Not today” does not necessarily mean “never.”
HOMEOWNERSHIP MAY BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK.
If you’ve been renting because you believe:
“I don’t have enough money to buy.”
don’t make that decision based only on an assumption.
Maybe you’re ready.
Maybe assistance could help.
Maybe seller credits could help.
Maybe your employment qualifies you for a specialized program.
Maybe you need six more months.
Let’s find out.
THE GOOD ENERGY APPROACH
I don’t want to push you into a home because a program makes the down payment possible.
The home itself still needs to make sense.
The monthly payment still needs to make sense.
The financing still needs to make sense.
And you should still have room in your life for:
Savings.
Emergencies.
Travel.
Family.
Retirement.
And actually enjoying your life.
DPA can help you get through the front door.
The goal is making sure you can comfortably stay there.
READY TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR?
You don’t need to understand all of these programs before contacting me.
That’s the point of having a team.
Tell me:
What you currently pay in rent
Approximately what you earn
What you do for work
Approximately how much you have saved
Whether you’ve owned a home during the last few years
When you’d like to purchase
From there, we can determine the appropriate next step and connect you with a lender experienced with the programs that may apply.
TOMMY XAVIER NGUYEN
The Good Energy Realtor®
Nevada Real Estate Salesperson
NV Lic. #S.0204577
Good Energy Realty LLC
📞 725.224.1720
Serving:
Las Vegas • Henderson • North Las Vegas • Boulder City • Southern Nevada
Homeownership may be more possible than you think.
[ TALK TO TOMMY ]
CONTINUE LEARNING
FIRST-TIME HOME BUYER GUIDE
Start with the complete beginner’s guide to buying your first home.
HOW MUCH CAN I AFFORD?
Understand what price and payment may fit your finances.
DOWN PAYMENT & CLOSING COSTS
Understand the difference between your down payment, closing costs, earnest money and cash to close.
[ UNDERSTAND YOUR UPFRONT COSTS → ]
MORTGAGE & FINANCING
Learn what lenders look for and what to expect during mortgage approval.
[ MORTGAGE GUIDE → ]
IMPORTANT — PROGRAMS CHANGE
Down-payment-assistance programs are subject to:
Funding availability.
Program changes.
Income limits.
Purchase-price limits.
Credit requirements.
Loan guidelines.
Property requirements.
Residency requirements.
Underwriting.
Other eligibility requirements.
Assistance should never be advertised as guaranteed.
Program information on this page should be periodically updated.
The Good Energy Realtor® and Good Energy Realty LLC do not determine DPA eligibility and are not mortgage lenders.
A participating or appropriately licensed mortgage professional should verify your current eligibility, assistance amount, interest rate, repayment obligations and financing terms before you rely on any program.
