See programs you qualify for
Get Matched Free →By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 31, 2026
Homebuyer Programs in Philadelphia, PA (2026)
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and a major economic and cultural hub in the northeastern United States, with a median home price around $265,000. The city offers some of the most generous homebuyer assistance programs in the state, headlined by the Philly First Home grant of up to $10,000 and the Turn the Key program providing up to $75,000 in mortgage buydown assistance for newly constructed homes on city-owned land. Buyers can also access the PHFA Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years (K-FIT) loan for 5% of their purchase price and the Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan for up to $6,000 at 0% interest. Additional resources include the FHLBank Pittsburgh First Front Door grant of up to $15,000 for minority and first-generation buyers, the Citadel Home Help Program offering up to $18,000, and the NACA Purchase Program with no down payment and no closing costs. By combining city, state, and nonprofit programs, Philadelphia homebuyers can potentially stack tens of thousands of dollars in assistance.
City Programs in Philadelphia
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Home.Buy.Now | Grant | Dollar-for-dollar employer match up to $4,000 | No | View → |
| Philly First Home | Forgivable Loan | Up to $10,000 or 6% of purchase price, whichever is less | Yes | View → |
| Turn the Key | Forgivable Loan | Up to $75,000 mortgage buydown (soft second mortgage) plus the $10,000 Philly First Home grant, up to $85,000 total | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Dollar-for-dollar employer match up to $4,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000 or 6% of purchase price, whichever is less
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $75,000 mortgage buydown (soft second mortgage) plus the $10,000 Philly First Home grant, up to $85,000 total
- First-time only:
- Yes
State Programs in Pennsylvania
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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:
- 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
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 → |
- 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:
- 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
Nonprofit Programs
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citadel Home Help Program | Grant | Up to $18,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance | No | View → |
| FHLBank Pittsburgh First Front Door Program | Grant | Up to $15,000 grant | Yes | View → |
| Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia Homeownership Program | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable mortgage on a Habitat-built or rehabilitated 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 → |
| Urban League of Philadelphia Closing Cost Grant | Grant | $1,000 closing cost assistance grant | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $18,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000 grant
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Affordable mortgage on a Habitat-built or rehabilitated 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:
- $1,000 closing cost assistance grant
- First-time only:
- Yes
How to Apply
Step 1: Check your eligibility. Review income limits for the programs you're interested in. Philly First Home requires first-time buyer status (no homeownership in the past 3 years). Turn the Key requires household income at or below 100% AMI. The PHFA K-FIT program allows borrower income up to $196,200.
Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. Philadelphia requires City-funded homeownership counseling before signing an Agreement of Sale for most local programs. Contact the Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania (AHCOPA) at (215) 765-1221 or the Urban League of Philadelphia for approved counseling.
Step 3: Connect with a housing counseling agency. AHCOPA, HACE, Congreso, and the Urban League of Philadelphia all offer HUD-approved counseling and can help you understand which programs you qualify for and how to stack them.
Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Contact a PHFA-approved participating lender for state programs like K-FIT and Keystone Advantage. For the NACA program, attend a NACA Homebuyer Workshop and work with a NACA counselor. For the First Front Door grant, contact Philadelphia Federal Credit Union at 215-934-3505.
Step 5: Find a home within program limits. Philly First Home requires a single-family home or duplex in Philadelphia (no condos). Turn the Key homes are newly constructed on city-owned land. The PHFA K-FIT program has a $659,000 purchase price limit.
Step 6: Apply for assistance programs. Your lender and housing counselor will help you submit applications for each program you qualify for. Philly First Home funding opens annually and is first-come, first-served.
Step 7: Close on your home. Your lender coordinates the closing with all assistance programs applied. Allow extra time for processing multiple assistance layers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much down payment assistance can I get in Philadelphia?+−
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to get assistance in Philadelphia?+−
What is the maximum home price I can pay and still qualify for assistance?+−
What homebuyer education is required in Philadelphia?+−
What is the Turn the Key program and how does it work?+−
Can I combine multiple assistance programs in Philadelphia?+−
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