Homebuyer Programs in Trenton, NJ (2026)
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.
Top Homebuyer 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 → |
| Mercer County First-Time Homebuyer Program | Forgivable Loan | — | Yes | View → |
| 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 → |
| FHLBA Community Partners Product | Forgivable Loan | Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | No | View → |
| FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product | Forgivable Loan | Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | Yes | View → |
| FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+ | Forgivable Loan | Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | 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 → |
| 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 → |
| NJCC Statewide Down Payment Assistance Program | Grant | Up to $30,000 | Yes | View → |
| NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance Program | Forgivable Loan | Up to $15,000 | Yes | View → |
| NJHMFA First Generation Down Payment Assistance | Forgivable Loan | $7,000 | Yes | View → |
| NJHMFA First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Program | Government-Insured Mortgage | Competitive 30-year fixed-rate mortgage | Yes | View → |
| NJHMFA HFA Advantage Mortgage Program | Government-Insured Mortgage | Competitive 30-year fixed-rate conventional mortgage | No | View → |
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- First-time only:
- Yes
- 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
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Government Property Sale Program
- Amount:
- 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
- First-time only:
- Yes
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Type:
- Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
- Amount:
- 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
- First-time only:
- No
- 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
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $20,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $30,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- $7,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Government-Insured Mortgage
- Amount:
- Competitive 30-year fixed-rate mortgage
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Government-Insured Mortgage
- Amount:
- Competitive 30-year fixed-rate conventional mortgage
- First-time only:
- No
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.