ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance

What is ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in King County, Washington.

• ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance is a locally funded program administered by WSHFC for buyers purchasing within ARCH member jurisdictions in East King County. It provides up to $30,000 as a deferred 2nd mortgage at 4% simple interest with no payments due for 30 years (or until sale, refinance, or transfer). Must be paired with a WSHFC first mortgage.
• Up to $30,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance for first-time homebuyers purchasing in East King County (Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Sammamish, Mercer Island, Bothell, Woodinville, Kenmore, Newcastle, Clyde Hill, Beaux Arts, Hunts Point, Medina, Yarrow Point, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Carnation, Duvall). Funded by ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing) and administered by WSHFC. Structured as a deferred-payment second mortgage at 4% simple interest, deferred for 30 years (no monthly payments). Must be paired with a Home Advantage or House Key Opportunity first mortgage from WSHFC. ARCH is funded by member city contributions to support affordable homeownership in the Eastside.
• Funding comes from ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing) member jurisdiction contributions; administered by WSHFC.

Do you have to pay it back?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance is deferred, so no payments are due until the home is sold, refinanced, or the first mortgage is paid off.

• Repayment is triggered by Due upon sale, refinance, transfer of title, or when the property is no longer the borrower's primary residence and otherwise deferred 30 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?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance is open to first-time homebuyers and buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

What are the income limits?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

• Income limits vary by underlying first mortgage program. With Home Advantage in King County: up to approximately $157,100. With House Key Opportunity in King County: $84,850 (1-2 person) to $97,575 (3+ person) in non-target areas. Limits are aligned with WSHFC's Home Advantage and Opportunity income tables and are updated periodically.
• 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?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance caps the purchase price at $660,000.

• Eligible property types include Single-family detached, townhomes, condos (must be on agency-approved list), planned-unit developments and manufactured housing per agency guidelines.
• New construction is eligible.
• Manufactured homes are eligible.

Is there eligibility for specific groups?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance names veterans, active-duty service members, reservists and National Guard members, surviving spouses, American Indian and Alaska Native buyers, educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, and buyers 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?

ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance serves buyers purchasing in King County, Washington.

• The program targets specific areas: Restricted to ARCH member jurisdictions in East King County, including Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, Woodinville, Yarrow Point, Hunts Point, Beaux Arts Village, and unincorporated East King County areas (Snoqualmie, North Bend, Carnation, Duvall).

How do you apply?

Applications for ARCH East King County Downpayment Assistance 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 WSHFC-sponsored Commission-Sponsored Homebuyer Education Seminar (5-hour course, free, available online or in-person).

2. 2

   Contact the administering agency to reserve funds

   Funds are reserved through Lender reserves DPA funds via WSHFC's online lender portal alongside the first mortgage reservation, 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.