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Get Matched Free →Homebuyer Programs in Chester, PA (2026)
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, located along the Delaware River about 15 miles southwest of Philadelphia. With a median home price around $115,000, Chester is one of the most affordable homebuying markets in the Philadelphia metro area. First-time buyers can access up to $10,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance through the Chester Homebuyers Assistance Program administered by the Chester Community Improvement Project (CCIP), which provides a forgivable five-year loan. At the state level, the PHFA K-FIT program offers up to 5% of the purchase price as a forgivable loan, and the HOMEstead program provides up to $10,000 in a forgivable second mortgage. By combining the CCIP program with state assistance, Chester buyers could potentially stack over $20,000 in total help toward their home purchase.
Top Homebuyer Programs in Chester
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Homebuyers Assistance Program (CCIP) | Forgivable Loan | Up to $10,000 | 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 → |
| Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties Homeownership Program | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable mortgage on a Habitat-built or renovated home | No | View → |
| NACA Purchase Program | Zero-Interest Loan | No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, and below-market fixed interest rate | No | View → |
| PHFA HFA Preferred Grant | Grant | $500 | No | View → |
| PHFA HOMEstead Program | Forgivable Loan | Up to $10,000 | Yes | View → |
| PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan | Zero-Interest Loan | Up to 4% of purchase price or market value, or $6,000, whichever is less | No | View → |
| PHFA Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years (K-FIT) | Forgivable Loan | 5% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value | No | View → |
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000
- 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:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Affordable mortgage on a Habitat-built or renovated home
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, and below-market fixed interest rate
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- $500
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Up to 4% of purchase price or market value, or $6,000, whichever is less
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- 5% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value
- First-time only:
- No
How to Apply
- Step 1:
Check your eligibility. The Chester Homebuyers Assistance Program requires household income at or below 80% of the Median Family Income for Delaware County, adjusted for household size. You must be a first-time homebuyer, meaning you have not owned a home in the past three years.
- Step 2:
Complete homebuyer education. Contact the Chester Community Improvement Project (CCIP) at (610) 876-8663 to schedule your required pre-purchase counseling sessions. CCIP is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and provides all required education.
- Step 3:
Apply for the Chester Homebuyers Assistance Program. Through CCIP and the Chester Economic Development Authority, eligible buyers can receive up to $10,000 in forgivable down payment and closing cost assistance. You must contribute a minimum of $1,000 toward the purchase.
- Step 4:
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Connect with a PHFA-approved lender to access state programs like K-FIT and HOMEstead. A PHFA-approved lender can combine your first mortgage with state down payment assistance.
- Step 5:
Find a home within Chester city limits. The CCIP program requires the property to be a single-family, owner-occupied home within the City of Chester. Note that the separate Delaware County Homeownership First Program does not cover Chester City properties.
- Step 6:
Submit your applications and close. Work with your CCIP counselor and lender to submit all required documentation. The CCIP assistance is structured as a 0% interest loan forgiven after five years if the property is in a Revitalization Area.