By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 23, 2026

Sacramento CA Down Payment Assistance & Homebuyer Programs

See programs you qualify for

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See which Sacramento down payment assistance fits a $506,300 median home: CalHFA's junior loans stacked behind one first mortgage, plus the WISH savings match.

Verified Oct. 2026

Median home value
$506,300
Census ACS 2020-2024
3% down
$15,189
Before closing costs
Closing costs
$10k–$15k
Planning estimate
Assistance paths
4 programs
Plus 6 mortgage options

Start with the program that matches the property

An FHA buyer at Sacramento's $506,300 median owes about $17,721 down, and CalHFA MyHome's 3.5% junior loan covers it in full. ZIP or MyAccess then adds closing-cost money behind it, while Natomas buyers should price flood insurance first.

State

CalHFA MyHome Assistance

3.5% with FHA, 3% with other loans

A deferred junior loan of 3.5% of the price with CalHFA FHA, about $17,721 at the Sacramento median, matching the full FHA down payment.

State

CalHFA Zero Interest

2% or 3% of the first loan

A zero-interest loan equal to 2% of a CalPLUS FHA first mortgage, or 3% on some rate sheets, that goes only toward Sacramento closing costs.

Lender network

WISH Down Payment Matching Grant

Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)

Participating member banks match a lower-income first-time buyer's savings four to one, up to $32,837, until March 12, 2027.

Plan the cash

What buying in Sacramento costs

Median home value$506,300
3% down payment$15,189
Estimated closing costs$10,000–$15,000
Estimated cash before assistance$25,189–$30,189

Estimate only, not a quote. Escrow, title, lender fees, appraisal, inspection and prepaid insurance and tax reserves, roughly 2% to 3% of a $506,300 Sacramento home.

Keep cash help separate

Down payment assistance in Sacramento

WISH Down Payment Matching Grant (FHLBank San Francisco)Maximum:Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)Best fit:First-time savers within 80% of AMIRepayment / limit:Grant with a 5-year retention period; Member bank funds, rolling to Mar 2027
CalHFA MyAccess ProgramMaximum:2.5% of the first loanBest fit:CalPLUS Access FHA buyers needing a third loanRepayment / limit:Deferred, repaid on sale or refinance
CalHFA MyHome Assistance ProgramMaximum:3.5% with FHA, 3% with other loansBest fit:First-time buyers under the $245,000 county limitRepayment / limit:Deferred, repaid on sale or refinance
CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP)Maximum:2% or 3% of the first loanBest fit:CalPLUS FHA buyers who need closing-cost cashRepayment / limit:0%, deferred until sale or refinance

Mortgage options that may pair with assistance

These are financing routes, not additional cash awards. Eligibility and compatibility still depend on the lender and program rules.

HomeReady and Home Possible are conventional mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; FHA, VA and USDA loans are government-backed.

Make a decision

Find your best starting point

First-time FHA buyer

Pair CalPLUS FHA with ZIP

MyHome's 3.5% covers the FHA down payment at the median, and ZIP adds 2%, sometimes 3%, of the first loan for closing; both wait until sale or refinance.

Buyer short on both

Ask about CalPLUS Access

CalPLUS Access FHA swaps ZIP for MyAccess, a 2.5% junior loan that can pay down payment or closing costs, again recorded behind MyHome.

Lower-income saver

Add a WISH grant

Households within 80% of AMI who save through a member bank receive four grant dollars per dollar saved, and MyHome may sit alongside other grants.

Veteran

Compare VA with CalHFA VA

VA financing needs no down payment; a first-time veteran using a CalHFA VA first loan can also draw MyHome's 3% toward closing costs.

Property and geography checks

CalHFA MyHomeWhere:Statewide; Sacramento County income limitGate:Needs a CalHFA first loan; qualifying income up to $245,000 from June 30, 2026; 640 credit; education
CalHFA ZIP and MyAccessWhere:CalPLUS FHA or CalPLUS Access FHA loansGate:Both record third behind MyHome; ZIP can't touch the down payment; 660 credit if manually underwritten
FHLBank WISHWhere:Member banks in CA, AZ and NVGate:Household at or below 80% of AMI; counseling before closing; buyer puts in a quarter of the grant
FHA, VA, HomeReadyWhere:Natomas Basin (FEMA zone A99)Gate:Federally backed mortgages there still require flood insurance while levee work is incomplete

The fastest way to avoid a bad match

Check the address, property type and price cap before comparing assistance amounts.

A larger advertised benefit doesn’t help if the home or lender is outside that program’s rules.

We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Sacramento isn’t always inside city limits, so confirm with the program before you make an offer.

See the math

Three realistic purchase examples

Illustrations only. Approval, availability and program combinations depend on current rules.

Median-value home with MyHome and ZIP

Price$506,300
Down payment$17,721
Closing costs$12,500
CalHFA MyHome (3.5%)−$17,721
CalHFA ZIP (2%)−$9,772
Estimated gap$2,728

CalPLUS FHA with a $488,579 base loan. If the rate sheet offers ZIP at 3%, about $14,657, the buyer's share drops to zero.

Saver at $400,000 with a WISH grant

Price$400,000
Down payment$12,000
Closing costs$10,000
CalHFA MyHome (3%)−$12,000
WISH grant (4:1 match)−$8,000
Estimated gap$2,000

CalHFA conventional first loan with 3% down. The buyer's $2,000 is the one-quarter contribution an $8,000 WISH grant requires.

CalPLUS Access buyer at $450,000

Price$450,000
Down payment$15,750
Closing costs$11,250
CalHFA MyHome (3.5%)−$15,750
CalHFA MyAccess (2.5%)−$11,046
Estimated gap$204

MyAccess is 2.5% of the CalPLUS Access FHA total loan, about $441,849 with upfront mortgage insurance financed.

How to apply in Sacramento

  1. 1

    Book homebuyer education early

    NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center, Sacramento Region

    CalHFA requires one occupying first-time borrower to finish education before closing, and WISH requires counseling too. SHRA lists this Alhambra Boulevard agency for classes; CalHFA also accepts eHome's eight-hour online course.

    (916) 452-5356 · shra.org

  2. 2

    Choose a CalHFA-approved loan officer

    California Housing Finance Agency

    MyHome, ZIP and MyAccess come only with a CalHFA first mortgage. Ask the loan officer to price CalPLUS FHA with ZIP beside CalPLUS Access FHA with MyAccess on the same house.

    877-922-5432 · calhfa.ca.gov

  3. 3

    Confirm the county income limit

    California Housing Finance Agency

    Reservations on or after June 30, 2026 use a $245,000 limit in Sacramento County, measured on the lender's credit-qualifying income rather than the whole household.

    calhfa.ca.gov

  4. 4

    Ask an SHRA-approved lender about county loans

    Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency

    SHRA's June 2026 sheets describe two deferred loans for first-time buyers at 80% of AMI: PLHA, capped at $50,000 at 1%, and CalHome, capped at $40,000 at 3% in eligible tracts. SHRA says programs open and close often, so confirm funding first.

    (916) 440-1393 · shra.org

  5. 5

    Ask a member bank about WISH

    FHLBank San Francisco

    Only a participating FHLBank member, whether a bank or a credit union, can enroll a WISH household, through March 12, 2027, from the 13 million dollar 2026 allocation.

    fhlbsf.com

  6. 6

    Check the flood zone before an offer

    City of Sacramento Floodplain Information Line

    Call the city with the address, especially in Natomas, to learn whether lenders will require flood insurance and what the policy might add to the payment.

    916-808-5061 · cityofsacramento.gov

Free eligibility check

4 assistance programs and 6 mortgage options may be available in Sacramento. See which ones fit you.

  • Free
  • No credit check
  • Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

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Question 1 of 6
HouseBuyerGuides.comhousebuyerguides

Local details matter

Buying considerations in Sacramento

Natomas flood insurance

Natomas carries FEMA's interim A99 zone, still high risk, and owners with federally backed mortgages there must carry flood insurance until levee improvements are finished.

Supplemental tax bills

Sacramento County reappraises on sale and mails supplemental bills straight to the owner, and the county warns that a lender's impound account may not pay them.

Property tax runs about 0.76%

Census puts Sacramento's median real estate tax at $3,842 a year, roughly 0.76% of the median value; budget near $320 monthly for the tax impound.

Older housing stock

Half of Sacramento's housing was built by 1977, and 59.1% is single-family detached, so inspections and repair budgets matter on most listings.

If local funding isn't available

The City of Sacramento does not advertise a city-funded down payment program of its own. SHRA, the joint city-county housing agency, posts 2026 loan sheets without a funding status, so buyers lean on these state, bank and federal routes.

CalHFA MyHome with ZIP or MyAccess

MyHome's deferred junior loan reaches 3.5% of the price with CalHFA FHA, and ZIP or MyAccess adds another 2% to 3% behind it on CalPLUS loans.

SHRA PLHA and CalHome loans

Ask an SHRA-approved lender whether the PLHA loan, up to $50,000 at 1%, or the census-tract CalHome loan, up to $40,000 at 3%, is taking reservations for first-time buyers at 80% of AMI.

FHLBank WISH grant

Participating member banks match a first-time buyer's own savings four to one, up to $32,837, for households within 80% of AMI who finish counseling before closing.

Federal low-down loans

FHA asks 3.5% down, VA lends with nothing down to eligible veterans and service members, and HomeReady or Home Possible accept 3% from borrowers under 80% of AMI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the $245,000 CalHFA limit count everyone in my Sacramento household?+
No. CalHFA measures only the lender's credit-qualifying income for the borrowers, so a non-borrowing roommate's or adult child's pay does not count. For reservations received on or after June 30, 2026, the Sacramento County limit is $245,000 for CalHFA first mortgages and for the MyHome and MyAccess junior loans, whatever the household size. That ceiling sits far above the city's $87,321 median household income.
What would a $506,300 Sacramento home leave me to pay after CalHFA help?+
About $2,728 in this example. A CalPLUS FHA buyer owes $17,721 down and about $12,500 in closing costs, $30,221 in all. MyHome at 3.5% of the price pays all $17,721 of the down payment, while ZIP at 2% of the $488,579 first loan adds $9,772 toward closing. When the rate sheet offers ZIP at 3%, about $14,657, the gap closes entirely.
Can CalHFA ZIP pay my down payment in Sacramento?+
No. ZIP is limited to closing costs and cannot go toward the down payment or debt payoff. It is a zero-interest loan sized at 2% of a CalPLUS FHA first mortgage, or 3% when the rate sheet allows, recorded behind MyHome, and repaid on sale, refinance or payoff. Buyers who need a third loan for the down payment itself should ask about CalPLUS Access FHA, where MyAccess pays 2.5% for either purpose.
Do I need flood insurance to buy a home in Natomas?+
Yes, with a federally backed mortgage. The City of Sacramento says Natomas carries FEMA's interim A99 designation, which is still a high-risk flood zone, and owners with federally backed mortgages must keep flood insurance until the levee improvements are complete. Call the city's Floodplain Information Line at 916-808-5061 with the address, and get a quote before you set your budget.
Will I get an extra property tax bill after buying in Sacramento?+
Usually, yes. Sacramento County reappraises a home after a change in ownership and mails a Notice of Supplemental Assessment, often followed by one or more supplemental tax bills on top of the regular annual bill. The bills go to the owner, and the county warns that a lender's impound account may not pay them. The Assessor's Office answers questions at (916) 875-0700.

Buying elsewhere in California? Compare all California home buyer programs →

Sources

Last verified October 23, 2026.

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