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Downpayment Assistance Program

Downpayment Assistance Program is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Concord, North Carolina.

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The program asks for

  • First-time homebuyer — with exceptions: Standard FTHB requirement (no primary residence ownership in past 3 years); displaced homemaker / single-parent exceptions per HUD.
  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • On credit: Generally 640 minimum (per first-mortgage product); the City does not impose its own credit-score floor.
  • A completed homebuyer education course, through HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Prosperity Unlimited, Inc. - Kannapolis; DreamKey Partners - Charlotte; OnTrack WNC; etc.). 8-hour pre-purchase education plus 1-on-1 counseling required.
  • Residency: Property must be located within City of Concord corporate limits and serve as borrower's primary residence.
  • Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (per HUD CDBG/HOME rules).
  • First-time homebuyer (no ownership of a primary residence in past 3 years). Owner-occupied primary residence within Concord city limits. Maximum household income at or below 80% AMI for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia HMFA (1-person $55,850 to 8-person $105,300, FY2025). Maximum sales price tied to HUD HOME 95% AMSP. Property must pass HQS inspection and pre-1978 properties require lead-based-paint risk assessment. 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education completion required prior to closing. Minimum $1,000 buyer contribution. Subject to environmental review.
  • A home inside Concord city limits

It doesn’t cover

  • Manufactured homes
  • Purchases above the $329,000 price cap
  • Households above 80% of area median income
  • Homes outside Concord

These are the program's own published rules, not a decision about any individual — the administering agency and a lender determine who actually qualifies.

Income limit

80% of Cabarrus County’s area median income

HUD sets the area median income each year. The limit changes with household size, so a family of five has a higher limit than a single homebuyer.

$117,400
Area median income, 4-person household (HUD, 2026)

Where it applies

Concord’s homes

  • 72.3% single-family
  • 3.3% townhouse
  • 4% 2–4 units
  • 17.4% 5+ units
  • 3% mobile & other

A tick marks a kind of home the program’s record lists. The agency confirms it for the home you choose.

$353,700

Concord median home value

27.5%

built before 1980

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year. More about buying in Concord

How to apply

  1. Take a homebuyer education course

    Required by the program, through HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Prosperity Unlimited, Inc. - Kannapolis; DreamKey Partners - Charlotte; OnTrack WNC; etc.). 8-hour pre-purchase education plus 1-on-1 counseling required..

  2. Contact the administering agency to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved through Apply directly to City of Concord Neighborhood Development Division. Income certification, credit review, and property eligibility determination performed by City staff. Pre-purchase education certificate required., and are subject to availability.

  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 homebuyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.

Questions about this program

What is Downpayment Assistance Program?

Downpayment Assistance Program is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Concord, North Carolina. City of Concord CDBG/HOME-funded DPA: up to $10,000 deferred forgivable second for income-qualified first-time homebuyers purchasing within Concord city limits. 80% AMI cap, sales price tied to HUD HOME 95% AMSP. 5-10 year affordability period. Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing-cost assistance for income-qualified first-time homebuyers purchasing within the City of Concord. Structured as a 0% deferred / forgivable second mortgage with a 5-10 year HOME/CDBG affordability period. no monthly payments. Pairs with NCHFA, FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional first mortgages. Buyers must complete an 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education course and contribute a minimum of $1,000 of their own funds. Subject to HUD HOME 95% area median sales price limits (existing $306,000 / new $329,000 per FY2025/26 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia HMFA). Funding comes from Federal CDBG, Federal HOME, and Local Government.

How much assistance does it provide?

Downpayment Assistance Program offers up to $5,000 in assistance. Homebuyer contribution: Buyer must contribute at least $1,000 of own funds. The program can be combined with other assistance, subject to the rules of each. Amounts are the program's published maximums, not an offer — the administering agency determines any individual award.

Do you have to pay it back?

Downpayment Assistance Program is forgiven after 5 years, so a homebuyer who stays that long does not repay it. Repayment is triggered by Deferred 0% loan and balance forgiven over 5-10 year HOME/CDBG affordability period. Due on sale, transfer, refinance (cash-out), or non-owner-occupancy during affordability period. The assistance is recorded in 2 position. Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Downpayment Assistance Program is open to first-time homebuyers and homebuyers who will live in the home as their primary residence. "First-time" has exceptions here: Standard FTHB requirement (no primary residence ownership in past 3 years); displaced homemaker / single-parent exceptions per HUD. On credit, the program states: Generally 640 minimum (per first-mortgage product); the City does not impose its own credit-score floor. A homebuyer education course is required, through HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Prosperity Unlimited, Inc. - Kannapolis; DreamKey Partners - Charlotte; OnTrack WNC; etc.). 8-hour pre-purchase education plus 1-on-1 counseling required. Residency requirement: Property must be located within City of Concord corporate limits and serve as borrower's primary residence. Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (per HUD CDBG/HOME rules). First-time homebuyer (no ownership of a primary residence in past 3 years). Owner-occupied primary residence within Concord city limits. Maximum household income at or below 80% AMI for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia HMFA (1-person $55,850 to 8-person $105,300, FY2025). Maximum sales price tied to HUD HOME 95% AMSP. Property must pass HQS inspection and pre-1978 properties require lead-based-paint risk assessment. 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education completion required prior to closing. Minimum $1,000 buyer contribution. Subject to environmental review.

What are the income limits?

Downpayment Assistance Program limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size. Household income at or below 80% AMI for Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia HMFA per HUD Section 8 income limits. FY2025: 1-person $55,850 to 8-person $105,300. The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower’s. The program lists a maximum household size of 8. 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?

Downpayment Assistance Program caps the purchase price at $329,000. Eligible property types include Single-family detached, Townhome, and Condominium. New construction is eligible. Manufactured homes are not eligible.

Where does it apply?

Downpayment Assistance Program serves homebuyers purchasing in Concord, North Carolina.

How do you apply?

Applications for Downpayment Assistance Program go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site. Funds are reserved through Apply directly to City of Concord Neighborhood Development Division. Income certification, credit review, and property eligibility determination performed by City staff. Pre-purchase education certificate required. Hey Prescott is not a lender and does not accept applications; this page describes the program so a homebuyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.

Also for Concord homebuyers

Whether two programs can be combined is up to each agency. Ask before you apply.

All 69 programs for Concord

Program terms are set by the administering agency and can change; confirm on the official site before you apply.