Welcome Home Program

Welcome Home Program is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Statewide, Nebraska. NIFA flexible first-mortgage program for first-time AND repeat buyers. Higher income/purchase price limits than First Home. 640 FICO / 45% DTI; 660 FICO / 50% DTI. Statewide. The NIFA Welcome Home Program is a flexible 30-year fixed-rate first-mortgage product available to first-time AND repeat homebuyers. Income and purchase-price limits apply, with the Welcome Home tier offering higher income ($175,500 household effective 7/7/2025) and higher purchase-price limits ($485,500 for 1 unit / $607,000 for 2 units) than NIFA's First Home program. Loan-type options include Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA Rural Development. Welcome Home is the first-mortgage-only product. the companion Welcome Home Assistance (WHA) program adds an HBA-style second-mortgage DPA for buyers needing down payment or closing-cost help. Funding comes from State and Bond.

Welcome Home Program is deferred, so no payments are due until the home is sold, refinanced, or the first mortgage is paid off. Repayment is triggered by Standard 30-year fixed-rate first-mortgage amortization. The assistance is recorded in 1st Lien position. Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Welcome Home Program is open to homebuyers who will live in the home as their primary residence. On credit, the program states: 640 minimum representative mid-FICO (45% max DTI). 660+ FICO permits up to 50% DTI on conventional and government loans. Residency requirement: Property must be located in Nebraska and serve as borrower's principal residence within 60 days of closing. Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, or qualifying non-permanent resident alien per first-mortgage product overlays. Owner-occupied principal residence within 60 days of closing. Household income up to $175,500 effective 7/7/2025 (single statewide cap; not tiered by household size). Acquisition cost within NIFA Welcome Home limits ($485,500 for 1 unit / $607,000 for 2 units, effective 7/7/2025). 640 mid-FICO minimum (45% DTI); 660 FICO permits 50% DTI. $1,000 min borrower contribution. First-time homebuyer education required ONLY if borrower is a first-time homebuyer (no education required for repeat buyers).

Welcome Home Program limits household income to $175,500. The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower’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.

Welcome Home Program caps the purchase price at $485,500. Eligible property types include Single-family detached, condominium, townhouse, PUD, 2-unit per NIFA Welcome Home rules, and manufactured home on permanent foundation per servicer overlays. New construction is eligible. Manufactured homes are eligible.

Welcome Home Program 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.

Welcome Home Program serves homebuyers purchasing in Statewide, Nebraska.

Applications for Welcome Home Program go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site. Funds are reserved through Reserved by approved participating lender via NIFA's Lender Online portal at time of rate lock. 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.