Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0)

What is Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0)?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Statewide, Massachusetts.

• MassHousing 0% deferred second mortgage DPA up to $30,000 statewide / $50,000 in Boston + 26 Gateway Cities. Workforce-tier income (up to 100% AMI non-Gateway / 135% AMI Boston-Gateway). Due-on-sale/refi/payoff. Pairs with MassHousing first. 640 FICO. Statewide.
• MassHousing's Workforce Advantage 4.0 (WFA 4.0) Deferred provides up to $30,000 statewide ($50,000 in the City of Boston and 26 designated Gateway Cities) in down payment and closing-cost assistance for first-time homebuyers using a MassHousing first mortgage. Structured as a 0% interest deferred second mortgage with NO MONTHLY PAYMENTS - the entire balance is due in full when the property is sold, refinanced, the first mortgage is paid off, the title is transferred, or the property ceases to be the borrower's primary residence. Targets MA workforce households (originally <=80% AMI, expanded under WFA 4.0 to 100% AMI non-Gateway / 135% AMI Boston+Gateway). Pairs with MassHousing 30-year fixed first mortgage (FHA, Conventional, HFA Advantage, VA, USDA). 640 minimum FICO. First-time homebuyer required. Statewide.
• Funding comes from State and Bond.

Do you have to pay it back?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) is deferred, so no payments are due until the home is sold, refinanced, or the first mortgage is paid off.

• Repayment is triggered by 0% interest deferred second mortgage. NO monthly payments. Entire balance due in full upon sale of the property, refinance of the first mortgage, payoff of the first mortgage, transfer of title, or cessation of owner-occupancy. No forgiveness schedule.
• The assistance is recorded in 2nd Lien position.
• Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) is open to first-time homebuyers and buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

What are the income limits?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) limits household income to 135% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

• MassHousing WFA 4.0 2026 income limits: up to 100% AMI in non-Gateway communities; up to 135% AMI for borrowers in the City of Boston and the 26 designated Gateway Cities (Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, Westfield, Worcester). Published ceiling approximately $131,040 (3+ person Boston/Gateway 135% AMI tier per WFA 4.0 income tables). Verify by county and household size.
• The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower&rsquo;s.
• Area median income figures are published by HUD and updated annually, so check the current table for the county before relying on a number.

What kind of home can it be used for?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) caps the purchase price as follows: MassHousing 2026 maximum purchase price approximately $838,717 (1-unit, most areas), higher in Boston/Cambridge and 2-4 unit. Verify on MassHousing limits page.

• Eligible property types include Single-family detached, 2-4 unit owner-occupied, condo (project-approved), townhouse, PUD.
• New construction is eligible.
• Manufactured homes are not eligible.

Is there eligibility for specific groups?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) names veterans, active-duty service members, reservists and National Guard members, and surviving spouses among the groups it serves.

• Being named here means the program mentions the group, not that membership alone qualifies an applicant — the rest of the eligibility rules still apply.

Where does it apply?

Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) serves buyers purchasing in Statewide, Massachusetts.

• The program targets specific areas: Federally targeted census tracts (FTHB waiver per IRS Section 143) plus the City of Boston and 26 designated Gateway Cities (higher 135% AMI income limits AND higher $50,000 DPA cap, vs. $30,000 elsewhere).

How do you apply?

Applications for Workforce Advantage 4.0 Deferred (WFA 4.0) go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site.

1. 1

   Take a homebuyer education course

   Required by the program, through MassHousing-approved homebuyer education providers (CHAPA-network counseling agencies, HUD-approved counselors). 8-hour pre-purchase course required..

2. 2

   Contact the administering agency to reserve funds

   Funds are reserved through Reserved through MassHousing eMasshousing lender portal at rate lock by approved participating lender., and are subject to availability.

3. 3

   Work with a lender who handles the program

   Hey Prescott is not a lender and does not accept applications; this page describes the program so a buyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.