hey prescott.
See what you qualify for

1stGenHomeNH

Statewide, New Hampshire

Last verified
See what you qualify forOfficial program site →
Income limit

$176,200

The household income limit the program publishes

Price cap

$950,000

Highest purchase price the program allows

Repayment

Grant

Not repaid

What is 1stGenHomeNH?

1stGenHomeNH is a grant for homebuyers in Statewide, New Hampshire.

  • NH Housing's first-generation homebuyer grant: $10,000 non-repayable grant for first-generation buyers (parents have not owned home in past 3 years or borrower aged out of foster care). Pairs with Home First or Home Flex first mortgage and Cash Assistance up to 4%. 620 FICO. Statewide.
  • 1stGenHomeNH provides a $10,000 grant (originally launched at $10,000.
  • periodically increased to up to $20,000 during expanded-funding rounds per NH Housing announcements) to qualifying first-generation homebuyers in New Hampshire. The grant is delivered as down-payment / closing-cost assistance and is non-repayable (true grant - no lien, no recapture). Pairs with NH Housing's Home First or Home Flex first-mortgage products plus the standard Cash Assistance second mortgage (up to 4% of loan amount), creating a stacked benefit of $10,000 grant + 4% Cash Assistance forgivable second on top of the bond-funded first mortgage. Designed to address inter-generational wealth gap by helping first-generation buyers (no parent has owned a home in the past 3 years, or borrower aged out of foster care) achieve homeownership.
  • Funding comes from State.

Do you have to pay it back?

1stGenHomeNH is structured as a grant, so it is not repaid.

  • Repayment is triggered by True grant - no repayment, no lien recorded against the property. Forgiven at closing.
  • The assistance is recorded in No 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?

1stGenHomeNH is open to first-time homebuyers and buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

The program requires

  • First-time homebuyer — with exceptions: First-time-homebuyer requirement waived in federally designated targeted census tracts and for qualifying veterans. First-generation requirement is the program-defining criterion (parental homeownership lookback - 3 years).
  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • On credit: 620 minimum FICO across eligible NH Housing first-mortgage products.
  • A completed homebuyer education course, through NH Housing-approved homebuyer education course (online via Framework or in-person via NH Housing-funded counseling agencies including AHEAD, NeighborWorks Southern NH, and The Way Home).
  • Residency: Property must be located in New Hampshire and be the borrower's primary residence. Statewide eligibility.
  • Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying non-permanent resident alien per first-mortgage product overlays.
  • FIRST-GENERATION HOMEBUYER REQUIREMENT: At least one borrower must qualify as a first-generation homebuyer, defined as: (a) borrower's parents have not owned a home within the past 3 years (and any prior parental homeownership ended in foreclosure / short sale), OR (b) borrower aged out of foster care. First-time-homebuyer required (no ownership of a primary residence in the past 3 years); waived in federally targeted areas. Owner-occupied primary residence. 620 minimum FICO. Maximum 45% DTI. Income at or below NH Housing limits (up to $176,200 in higher-cost counties; $125,900-$144,785 non-targeted by household size). Maximum purchase price $505,000 non-targeted up to $950,000 targeted/high-cost county. Homebuyer education required. Must be paired with NH Housing Home First or Home Flex first mortgage.

The program excludes

  • Purchases above the $950,000 price cap
  • Households above $176,200

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

What are the income limits?

1stGenHomeNH limits household income to $176,200.

  • 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.

What kind of home can it be used for?

1stGenHomeNH caps the purchase price at $950,000.

  • Eligible property types include Single-family detached, 2-4 unit owner-occupied (per first-mortgage overlays), condominium (project-approved), townhouse, PUD, modular, and manufactured home on permanent foundation.
  • New construction is eligible.
  • Manufactured homes are eligible.

Is there eligibility for specific groups?

1stGenHomeNH 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?

1stGenHomeNH serves buyers purchasing in Statewide, New Hampshire.

  • The program targets specific areas: Federally designated targeted census tracts (per IRS Section 143) where MRB first-time-homebuyer requirement is waived and higher income / acquisition-cost limits apply. Higher-cost counties (Rockingham, Strafford, Hillsborough) have higher acquisition-cost limits up to $950,000.

How do you apply?

Applications for 1stGenHomeNH go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site.

  1. Take a homebuyer education course

    Required by the program, through NH Housing-approved homebuyer education course (online via Framework or in-person via NH Housing-funded counseling agencies including AHEAD, NeighborWorks Southern NH, and The Way Home)..

  2. Contact the administering agency to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved through Reserved through NH Housing's online lender portal (Lender Online) at time of rate lock by approved participating lender. Funding subject to availability; periodically suspended/refunded per legislative appropriations., 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 buyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.

Other programs in Statewide, New Hampshire

See every program in Statewide, New Hampshire →

90-second match

Not sure which you qualify for?

Answer 9 questions and we'll match you to every program you can actually use — in about 90 seconds. No SSN, no credit pull.

Find my programs