Deferred second loan
Greater Des Moines Habitat Homeownership: Direct (Down Payment Assistance)
First-time homebuyers · Income limits · Single Family
Down payment assistance · Polk County
Buying a home in Des Moines, IA
5 Des Moines programs, 1 county program and 9 statewide.Des Moines has 5 programs of its own, 1 more across Polk County, and 9 statewide. Here is what each one offers, what the local market looks like, and who near you can walk you through it.
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Only for Des Moines addresses
Des Moines’s own programs
Deferred second loan
Journey to Homeownership
New construction · Income limits · Single-family detached, condominium, townhouse, 1-2 unit owner-occupied
Deferred second loan
Neighborhood Reinvest Down Payment Assistance
New construction · Income limits · Single-family detached, condominium, townhouse, 1-2 unit owner-occupied
Forgivable loan
NFC Advantage Loan - Forgivable Renovation Loan & Down Payment Assistance
Income limits
Forgivable loan
NFC Closing Cost Assistance
Income limits · Single-family detached, condominium, townhouse, 1-2 unit owner-occupied
Anywhere in PolkAnywhere in Polk County
1 county program1 county program a Des Moines homebuyer can also use
1 more program is for homes in West Des Moines. See them 1 program in neighboring cities — for homes inside those cities, not Des Moines
- West Des Moines — Historic West Des Moines Housing Fund - Down Payment Program
The Des Moines marketThe Des Moines housing market
Kinds of homes hereWhat’s for sale here, and what the programs accept
Kinds of homes in Des Moines
- 61.6% single-familysingle-family
- 4% townhousetownhouse
- 5.2% 2–4 units2–4 units
- 26.5% 5+ unitscondo & apartment buildings (5+ units)
- 2.7% mobile & othermobile home & other
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25024.
When Des Moines’s homes were built
pre-19401970s2020+
70.3%
of Des Moines homes were built before 1980. Pre-1978 homes come with a federal lead-paint disclosure.of homes were built before 1980. A home built before 1978 comes with a federal lead-paint disclosure, and some programs require an inspection.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Table B25034.
$116,400
County area median income, 4 people (HUD)HUD area median income, Polk County, 4-person household (2026)
$65,932
Des Moines median household incomeMedian household income in Des Moines (Census, 2024)
16 of the 77 programs here set their income limit as a share of Polk County’s area median income, adjusted for household size. See the published limits for Polk County
Free help nearbyFree help near Des Moines
3 HUD-approved counseling agencies within 15 miles3 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies within 15 miles
6 programs here ask for a homebuyer class first. Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.All 6 local programs here ask for a homebuyer class. A HUD-approved counselor teaches it and can walk you through your options. Create a free account to see who’s near you and pick one.
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Across Iowa and nationwide
71 statewide & federal programs9 statewide programs, plus federal options
Des Moines questions
Does Des Moines have its own down payment program?
Yes, 5: Greater Des Moines Habitat Homeownership: Direct (Down Payment Assistance), Journey to Homeownership, Neighborhood Reinvest Down Payment Assistance, NFC Advantage Loan - Forgivable Renovation Loan & Down Payment Assistance and NFC Closing Cost Assistance. Each is for homes inside Des Moines.
Can I use assistance on a condo in Des Moines?
Each program sets which kinds of homes it accepts. Where the agency publishes them, the program’s page lists them; the agency confirms it for the home you choose.
What is the income limit in Polk County?
Each program sets its own. 16 of the programs here set theirs as a share of HUD’s area median income for Polk County, adjusted for household size. HUD publishes the median each year; the 2026 figure is shown above and on the published limits page.
Where can I take a homebuyer class near Des Moines?
HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach homebuyer classes, and 3 agencies are within 15 miles of Des Moines. Create a free account and take the 90-second match to see the ones near you.
ZIP codes
50301 · 50302 · 50303 · 50304 · 50305 · 50306 · 50307 · 50308 · 50309 · 50310 · 50311 · 50312 · 50313 · 50314 · 50315 · 50316 · 50317 · 50318 · 50319 · 50320 · 50321 · 50327 · 50328 · 50329 · 50330 · 50331 · 50332 · 50333 · 50334 · 50335 · 50336 · 50338 · 50339 · 50340 · 50347 · 50350 · 50359 · 50360 · 50361 · 50362 · 50363 · 50364 · 50367 · 50368 · 50369 · 50380 · 50381 · 50391 · 50392 · 50393 · 50394 · 50395 · 50396 · 50397 · 50936 · 50940 · 50947 · 50950 · 50980 · 50981
Nearby in Polk
Sources
Sources: agency sites (June–September 2026), Census ACS 2024 5-year, HUD FY2026, HUD counseling list. Hey Prescott is not a lender.Programs: Hey Prescott catalog of 2,000+ programs, each verified with its agency (June–September 2026). Market: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year (2020–2024). Income: HUD FY2026 income limits. Counselors: HUD list of approved housing counseling agencies. Hey Prescott is not a lender.