HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Suffolk, Virginia.
The program asks for
- First-time homebuyer — with exceptions: Standard HUD HOME first-time exceptions
- The home is occupied as a primary residence
- On credit: No published SRHA minimum; first-mortgage lender overlay typically 620-640
- A completed homebuyer education course, through HUD-approved homebuyer education provider; 8-hour pre-purchase course required
- Residency: Must occupy as primary residence; property in Suffolk
- Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or qualified alien per HUD HOME
- Property must be in the City of Suffolk. Borrower at or below 80% AMI for VA Beach-Norfolk-Newport News HUD MSA. 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education and one-on-one counseling required. Minimum $1,000 buyer contribution. HUD HQS inspection.
- A home inside Suffolk city limits
It doesn’t cover
- Manufactured homes
- Households above 80% of area median income
- Homes outside Suffolk
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 Suffolk 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.
Where it applies
Suffolk’s homesSuffolk’s homes, and the ones this program accepts
- 72.2% single-familysingle-family
- 7.3% townhousetownhouse
- 4.4% 2–4 units2–4 units
- 13.8% 5+ unitscondo & apartment buildings (5+ units)
- 2.3% mobile & othermobile home & other
A tick marks a kind of home the program’s record lists. The agency confirms it for the home you choose.
$347,400
Suffolk median home value
32.3%
built before 1980
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year. More about buying in Suffolk
How to apply
How to applyThree steps, in this order
Take a homebuyer education course
Required by the program, through HUD-approved homebuyer education provider; 8-hour pre-purchase course required.
Contact the administering agency to reserve funds
Funds are reserved through First-come, first-served via SRHA, and are subject to availability.
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 HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Suffolk, Virginia. SRHA's HUD HOME-funded forgivable second-lien DPA program for first-time homebuyers in the City of Suffolk. Suffolk Redevelopment & Housing Authority's HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance Program provides up to $20,000 in HUD HOME-funded second-lien forgivable down payment and closing cost assistance to income-eligible first-time homebuyers purchasing in the City of Suffolk. Structured as a 0% interest deferred-payment second mortgage forgiven pro-rata over the 5-year HOME affordability period. Funding comes from HUD HOME Investment Partnerships Program (City of Suffolk PJ via SRHA).
Do you have to pay it back?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance is forgiven after 5 years, so a homebuyer who stays that long does not repay it. Repayment is triggered by Sale, transfer, refinance with cash-out, or loss of owner-occupancy during affordability period and pro-rata forgiveness over 5 years. 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?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance is open to first-time homebuyers and homebuyers who will live in the home as their primary residence. "First-time" has exceptions here: Standard HUD HOME first-time exceptions. On credit, the program states: No published SRHA minimum; first-mortgage lender overlay typically 620-640. A homebuyer education course is required, through HUD-approved homebuyer education provider; 8-hour pre-purchase course required. Residency requirement: Must occupy as primary residence; property in Suffolk. Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or qualified alien per HUD HOME. Property must be in the City of Suffolk. Borrower at or below 80% AMI for VA Beach-Norfolk-Newport News HUD MSA. 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education and one-on-one counseling required. Minimum $1,000 buyer contribution. HUD HQS inspection.
What are the income limits?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size. 80% AMI for VA Beach-Norfolk-Newport News HUD MSA; $56,400 (1-person) to $106,350 (8-person) for 2024. 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?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance caps the purchase price as follows: HUD HOME max after-rehab value (HUD 203(b) Norfolk-VA Beach). Eligible property types include Single-family detached, townhomes, condos (must meet HUD HQS). New construction is eligible. Manufactured homes are not eligible.
Is there eligibility for specific groups?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance names veterans, active-duty service members, reservists and National Guard members, surviving spouses, American Indian and Alaska Native homebuyers, educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, and homebuyers with disabilities 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?
HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance serves homebuyers purchasing in Suffolk, Virginia.
How do you apply?
Applications for HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site. Funds are reserved through First-come, first-served via SRHA. 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 Suffolk homebuyersOther programs open to Suffolk homebuyers
- HOMEownership Down Payment Assistance Program (VHCDC)Up to $25,000
- City of Suffolk HOME Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance ProgramUp to $14,500
- Virginia Individual Development Account (VIDA) Program (VHCDC)Up to $10,000
Whether two programs can be combined is up to each agency. Ask before you apply.
All 72 programs for SuffolkProgram terms are set by the administering agency and can change; confirm on the official site before you apply.