Common questionCommon question
Do you have to be a first-time homebuyer to get down payment assistance?
Short answer
No — 757 of the 2,700-plus programs in the Hey Prescott catalog do not require first-time homebuyer status. They are recorded in 49 states and territories.
By the numbers
programs with no first-time requirement
- States and territoriesStates and territories with one
- 49
- Open nationwideOpen nationwide
- 43
- Grants or forgivableGrants or forgivable loans
- 370
- Deferred second loansDeferred second loans
- 132
- Ask for a homebuyer classAsk for a homebuyer class
- 511
- No first-time ruleNo first-time requirement
- 757
Hey Prescott catalog of 2,000+ programs. Types are as each program record labels them.
What to know
Many programs that do require it use the federal definition, which counts anyone who has not owned a principal residence in the previous three years. Some programs waive the requirement in designated target areas, or for veterans. First-time status is one eligibility rule among several, alongside income limits, purchase price caps and occupancy requirements.
Near you
See programs where you’re buying
Start with a ZIP code, then a few short questions to see every program that matches your answers. No SSN, no credit pull.
State by state
Programs with no first-time requirement, leaving out the 43 nationwide programs.49 states and territories have at least one. Each links to that state’s full directory. Counts leave out the 43 nationwide programs that count here, which apply in every state.
| State | Programs with no first-time requirement |
|---|---|
| California | 66 |
| North Carolina | 41 |
| Maryland | 36 |
| Oklahoma | 31 |
| Wisconsin | 30 |
| Texas | 25 |
| Idaho | 23 |
| Ohio | 22 |
| Colorado | 21 |
| Illinois | 20 |
Questions, answered
Where do these numbers come from?
Hey Prescott maintains a catalog of 2,000+ active down payment assistance programs across all 50 states and DC, each verified against the administering agency’s own published material and carrying the date it was last checked. The counts on this page are drawn from that catalog and refresh as it does.
Is Hey Prescott a lender?
No. Hey Prescott is an educational directory of down payment assistance programs. We list programs and link to official sources; we do not make loans or give individualized lending advice.