See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 29, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Trenton, NJ (2026)

Population: 91,500 | Median home price: $280,000 | Est. closing costs: $5,500 - $8,500

Trenton, the capital city of New Jersey, sits along the Delaware River in Mercer County and offers one of the most affordable housing markets in the state with a median home price around $280,000. Homebuyers in Trenton can access an unusually strong lineup of local assistance programs, including the City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program offering up to $15,000 as a forgivable loan, the Address Yourself Trenton DPA Program providing up to $20,000 in forgivable down payment assistance through New Jersey Community Capital and the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative, and the East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program offering up to $10,000 in grants for buyers in the East Trenton neighborhood. Mercer County also operates its own First-Time Homebuyer Program. When combined with state programs like the NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance Program offering up to $15,000 and the NJCC Statewide DPA providing up to $30,000, Trenton buyers can potentially stack significant assistance to make homeownership a reality.

City Programs in Trenton

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →

City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Mercer County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Mercer County First-Time Homebuyer Program	Forgivable Loan	—	Yes	View →

Mercer County First-Time Homebuyer Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in New Jersey

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHLBNY Homebuyer Dream Program	Grant	Up to $30,000	Yes	View →
NJCC Statewide Down Payment Assistance Program	Grant	Up to $30,000	Yes	View →
NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $15,000: $15,000 in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties; $10,000 in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem, Sussex and Warren counties	Yes	View →
NJHMFA First Generation Down Payment Assistance	Forgivable Loan	$7,000	Yes	View →
NJHMFA First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Program	Government-Insured Mortgage	30-year fixed-rate FHA, VA or USDA first mortgage through NJHMFA participating lenders (rate quoted by lender); eligible for up to $15,000 NJHMFA down payment assistance	Yes	View →
NJHMFA HFA Advantage Mortgage Program	Government-Insured Mortgage	Competitive 30-year fixed-rate conventional mortgage	No	View →

FHLBNY Homebuyer Dream Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $30,000
First-time only:: Yes

NJCC Statewide Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $30,000
First-time only:: Yes

NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000: $15,000 in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union counties; $10,000 in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem, Sussex and Warren counties
First-time only:: Yes

NJHMFA First Generation Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: $7,000
First-time only:: Yes

NJHMFA First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Program

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: 30-year fixed-rate FHA, VA or USDA first mortgage through NJHMFA participating lenders (rate quoted by lender); eligible for up to $15,000 NJHMFA down payment assistance
First-time only:: Yes

NJHMFA HFA Advantage Mortgage Program

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Competitive 30-year fixed-rate conventional mortgage
First-time only:: No

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Address Yourself Trenton DPA Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000	No	View →
East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program	Grant	Up to $10,000	No	View →
Habitat for Humanity of Trenton Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	—	No	View →

Address Yourself Trenton DPA Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000
First-time only:: No

East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $10,000
First-time only:: No

Habitat for Humanity of Trenton Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

18 programs available in Trenton. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Most Trenton programs require household income at or below 80% to 100% of the Area Median Income depending on the program. The City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program requires income below 80% AMI, while the Address Yourself program allows up to 100% AMI.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. You must complete at least 4 hours of homebuyer education from a HUD-approved counseling agency. Isles, Inc. in Trenton offers HUD-approved courses locally, and the Address Yourself program will connect you with a counselor as part of enrollment.

Step 3: Contact a local housing partner. Reach the City of Trenton CDBG program staff at 609-989-3521 for the city program, or enroll in Address Yourself at addressyourself.org. For the Mercer County program, contact 609-989-6858 or email housing@mercercounty.org.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with an NJHMFA-approved lender to access state-level down payment assistance up to $15,000 (or $22,000 for first-generation buyers). Having a pre-approval letter is required before applying for most local DPA programs.

Step 5: Find a home within program guidelines. The City of Trenton program covers single-family and multi-family homes up to 4 units within city limits. The East Trenton Collaborative DPA is limited to homes in the East Trenton neighborhood.

Step 6: Submit your applications and close. Once under contract, submit your DPA applications with required documentation including your purchase contract and mortgage pre-approval. The city program requires scheduling an in-person appointment with CDBG staff. Processing times vary, so apply early in your home search process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Trenton?+

Trenton buyers can access multiple programs that stack together. The City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program offers up to $15,000 as a forgivable loan. The Address Yourself Trenton DPA Program provides up to $20,000 in forgivable assistance through New Jersey Community Capital and the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative. Buyers in the East Trenton neighborhood may also qualify for up to $10,000 in grants from the East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program. At the state level, the NJHMFA DPA provides up to $15,000, with an additional $7,000 available for first-generation buyers. The NJCC Statewide DPA can provide up to $30,000. Depending on eligibility, a Trenton buyer could potentially access over $50,000 in combined assistance.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify?+

It depends on the program. The City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program and the Mercer County First-Time Homebuyer Program both require that you have not owned a home in the past three years. However, the Address Yourself Trenton DPA Program and the East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program do not require first-time buyer status. Federal programs like FHA and VA loans also do not have first-time buyer requirements.

What is the maximum home price I can pay in Trenton?+

The City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program and the Address Yourself program do not publicly list a specific purchase price limit, though properties must be 1-4 family residential homes used as a primary residence. For FHA loans, the 2026 Mercer County FHA loan limit applies. The NJHMFA state programs have their own purchase price limits by county. Contact the individual programs for the most current limits.

What homebuyer education is required?+

The City of Trenton program requires at least 4 hours of homebuyer education or credit counseling from a HUD-certified agency. The Address Yourself program connects you with a HUD-approved counselor as part of enrollment. Isles, Inc. in Trenton is a local HUD-approved housing counseling agency that offers homebuyer education courses. The Mercer County program also requires completion of a Homebuyer Training Course.

Are there special programs for the East Trenton neighborhood?+

Yes. The East Trenton Collaborative DPA Program provides up to $10,000 in grant funding specifically for income-eligible buyers purchasing a home in the East Trenton neighborhood. This grant can be combined with other city and state programs. ITIN holders are eligible. Contact Caitlin Fair at cfair@njclf.com for details.

What are the estimated closing costs in Trenton?+

Based on the median home price of $280,000, estimated closing costs in Trenton range from approximately $5,500 to $8,500, which covers typical fees like title insurance, attorney fees, recording fees, and lender charges. Several programs including the City of Trenton First-Time Homebuyer Program allow funds to be used toward closing costs in addition to down payment.