See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 8, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Dayton, OH (2026)

Population: 137,644 | Median home price: $135,000 | Est. closing costs: $2,500 - $4,000

Dayton is the sixth-largest city in Ohio and the seat of Montgomery County, located in the Miami Valley region of southwestern Ohio. With a median home price around $135,000, Dayton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the state. First-time homebuyers in Dayton can access the City of Dayton Down Payment Assistance Program, which provides up to 10% of the purchase price as a zero-interest deferred loan, as well as the Northwest Dayton Pathway to Homeownership Program through County Corp, which offers down payment assistance plus homebuyer coaching for new construction homes. Beyond local programs, Ohio state programs like the OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance (3% to 3.5% of the purchase price as a forgivable loan) and the FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program (grants of $10,000 to $20,000) can be stacked for even greater savings.

City Programs in Dayton

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Dayton Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to 10% of the purchase price toward down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →

City of Dayton Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 10% of the purchase price toward down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Montgomery County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Montgomery County OH Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to 10% of the purchase price, maximum $8,000 for down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →

Montgomery County OH Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 10% of the purchase price, maximum $8,000 for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Ohio

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Communities First Ohio Down Payment Assistance (The Port)	Grant	3%, 4%, or 5% of the purchase price as a grant toward down payment and closing costs	No	View →
FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program	Grant	Grants of $10,000 to $20,000; up to $25,000 for veterans, active-duty military, and surviving spouses	Yes	View →
OHFA Grants for Grads	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate	Yes	View →
OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit	Tax Credit	Federal tax credit of 40% of annual mortgage interest paid, up to $2,000 per year (with OHFA loan). 15-20% with other lenders.	Yes	View →
OHFA Ohio Heroes	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate	Yes	View →
OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price	Yes	View →

Communities First Ohio Down Payment Assistance (The Port)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: 3%, 4%, or 5% of the purchase price as a grant toward down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Grants of $10,000 to $20,000; up to $25,000 for veterans, active-duty military, and surviving spouses
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Grants for Grads

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit

Type:: Tax Credit
Amount:: Federal tax credit of 40% of annual mortgage interest paid, up to $2,000 per year (with OHFA loan). 15-20% with other lenders.
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Ohio Heroes

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price
First-time only:: Yes

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
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable mortgage with payments never exceeding 30% of monthly income; homes not sold for profit	No	View →
Northwest Dayton Pathway to Homeownership Program	Grant	Down payment and closing cost assistance from a variety of local, state, and federally funded sources	Yes	View →

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable mortgage with payments never exceeding 30% of monthly income; homes not sold for profit
First-time only:: No

Northwest Dayton Pathway to Homeownership Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Down payment and closing cost assistance from a variety of local, state, and federally funded sources
First-time only:: Yes

Free eligibility check

17 programs available in Dayton. See which ones you qualify for.

Free
No credit check
Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

Yes No Not sure

Question 1 of 6

housebuyerguides

How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Most Dayton programs require household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income and first-time homebuyer status. The City of Dayton DPA has a purchase price limit of $105,000 for existing homes and $195,000 for new construction.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. The HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton offers HUD-approved homebuyer education classes. Contact them at 937-853-1600 or visit their office at 130 West Second Street, Suite 1420, Dayton, OH 45402.

Step 3: Meet with a Homeownership Advisor. Schedule a one-on-one counseling session at the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton to review your finances and develop a plan.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with an OHFA-approved lender to explore state programs like Your Choice! DPA or the Welcome Home Program grants. You can find participating lenders at myohiohome.org.

Step 5: Find a home within program limits. For the City of Dayton DPA, the home must be within Dayton city limits with a value up to $105,000 (existing) or $195,000 (new construction). For the Northwest Dayton Pathway program, homes are new construction in Northwest Dayton neighborhoods.

Step 6: Submit your application. Contact the HomeOwnership Center at 937-853-1600 to apply for the City of Dayton DPA. For the Northwest Dayton Pathway program, contact County Corp at scfhome@wpcu.coop or (937) 782-5747. Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Dayton buyers can access multiple layers of assistance. The City of Dayton DPA offers up to 10% of the purchase price as a zero-interest deferred loan. The OHFA Your Choice! program adds 3% to 3.5% of the purchase price as a forgivable loan. The FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program provides grants of $10,000 to $20,000 (up to $25,000 for veterans). By combining these programs, eligible buyers could receive significant assistance that may cover most or all of their down payment and closing costs.

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

The City of Dayton DPA and the OHFA Your Choice! program both require first-time homebuyer status, which typically means you have not owned a home in the past three years. However, the FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program is open to all income-eligible buyers, not just first-time buyers. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton does not require first-time buyer status either.

What is the maximum home price I can purchase with assistance in Dayton?+

The City of Dayton DPA limits purchases to $105,000 for pre-existing homes and $195,000 for new construction. OHFA programs have county-specific purchase price limits that are generally higher. There is no set purchase price limit for the Welcome Home Program, but the home must be owner-occupied.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most programs require completion of a HUD-approved homebuyer education course. The HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton at 937-853-1600 offers these courses and is the required education provider for both the City of Dayton DPA and the Montgomery County DPA. The Northwest Dayton Pathway program includes an eight-hour homebuyer course plus individualized counseling.

Are there programs for low-income families in Dayton?+

Yes. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton serves families earning between 30% and 60% of Area Median Income, offering affordable mortgages where payments never exceed 30% of monthly income. The City of Dayton DPA serves households at or below 80% AMI. Contact Habitat at 937-586-0860 to learn more.

What happens if I sell my home after receiving assistance?+

The City of Dayton DPA is a deferred loan that must be repaid if you sell, refinance, transfer ownership, vacate, or convert the property to a rental within the retention period. You must live in the home as your primary residence for at least five years. The Welcome Home Program also has a five-year retention period with potential repayment requirements. OHFA forgivable loans are forgiven after seven years of continuous owner-occupancy.