See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 28, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Burien, WA (2026)

Population: 50,730 | Median home price: $660,000 | Est. closing costs: $13,000 - $20,000

Burien is a South King County city of about 50,730 residents just south of Seattle, with a median home price near $660,000. Although the City of Burien does not run its own down payment assistance program, buyers here can stack significant help: the Washington State Housing Finance Commission offers Home Advantage DPA up to 5% of the loan, the HomeChoice program provides up to $15,000 for buyers with disabilities, the Veterans DPA program offers up to $10,000, and the Covenant Homeownership Program can provide up to $150,000 for buyers harmed by past racially restrictive covenants. Locally, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties just completed the 40-home Miller's Creek Community in Burien for families under 80% AMI, Homestead Community Land Trust sells homes in Burien at roughly half of market through its 99-year ground lease model, and the King County Housing Authority Homeownership Voucher Program lets eligible Section 8 households apply their voucher subsidy toward a mortgage. Credit union grants from BECU (up to $8,000) and WSECU (up to $10,000) can stack on top of state assistance to lower out-of-pocket costs at closing.

County Programs in King County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
King County Housing Authority Homeownership Voucher Program	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Monthly Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied to mortgage payment in place of rent.	Yes	View →

King County Housing Authority Homeownership Voucher Program

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Monthly Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied to mortgage payment in place of rent.
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Washington

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Covenant Homeownership Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to 20% of the purchase price (or appraised value, if lower), capped at $150,000, plus buyer-paid closing costs	Yes	View →
Home Advantage DPA	Deferred Loan	Up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount	No	View →
Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA	Deferred Loan	Up to $10,000	No	View →
HomeChoice Down Payment Assistance	Deferred Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →
Opportunity Down Payment Assistance	Deferred Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →
Veterans Down Payment Assistance	Repayable Loan	Up to $10,000	Yes	View →

Covenant Homeownership Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to 20% of the purchase price (or appraised value, if lower), capped at $150,000, plus buyer-paid closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

Home Advantage DPA

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount
First-time only:: No

Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA

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

HomeChoice Down Payment Assistance

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

Opportunity Down Payment Assistance

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

Veterans Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Repayable Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
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
BECU First-Time Homebuyer Grant	Grant	Up to $8,000 (the lesser of 3% of purchase price, 3% of appraised value, or $8,000)	Yes	View →
Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Below-market home sale with zero percent interest mortgage	Yes	View →
Homestead Community Land Trust Homeownership	Silent Second Mortgage	Homes sold 30-50% below market through community land trust model	Yes	View →
WSECU Welcome Home Grant	Grant	Up to 5% of the home sale price, not to exceed $10,000	Yes	View →

BECU First-Time Homebuyer Grant

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $8,000 (the lesser of 3% of purchase price, 3% of appraised value, or $8,000)
First-time only:: Yes

Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Below-market home sale with zero percent interest mortgage
First-time only:: Yes

Homestead Community Land Trust Homeownership

Type:: Silent Second Mortgage
Amount:: Homes sold 30-50% below market through community land trust model
First-time only:: Yes

WSECU Welcome Home Grant

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to 5% of the home sale price, not to exceed $10,000
First-time only:: Yes

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

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How to Apply

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility. Most local programs require household income at or below 80% of King County AMI, which is roughly $147,400 for a four-person household. Veteran, disability, and Covenant programs have separate criteria.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. The Washington Homeownership Resource Center, HomeSight, and Homestead Community Land Trust all offer HUD-approved courses. Most state and credit union programs require a certificate.

Step 3: Contact a local nonprofit. For Habitat homeownership, contact Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King and Kittitas Counties through habitatskc.org. For below-market CLT homes in Burien, contact Homestead Community Land Trust at (206) 323-1227. For Section 8 voucher homeownership, call the King County Housing Authority at (206) 574-1100.

Step 4: Get pre-approved through a participating WSHFC lender. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission has a network of lenders trained on Home Advantage, HomeChoice, Opportunity, Veterans DPA, and Covenant Homeownership programs. Call the Washington Homeownership Hotline at 1-877-894-4663 to find one. WSECU and BECU both originate WSHFC loans alongside their own grants.

Step 5: Find a home within program price limits. WSHFC sales price limits in King County align with conventional loan limits. Habitat and Homestead CLT homes are pre-priced below market and inventory is limited.

Step 6: Submit your loan and DPA application. State DPA is processed alongside your mortgage. Habitat and Homestead applications follow their own intake cycles, so plan ahead, especially given the multi-year waitlist at Homestead.

Step 7: Close on your home. WSHFC DPA records as a deferred second mortgage. Credit union grants apply as a credit on your closing disclosure.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Buyers can stack multiple sources. From the state, Home Advantage DPA provides up to 5% of the first mortgage, HomeChoice adds up to $15,000 for buyers with disabilities, Veterans DPA adds up to $10,000, Opportunity DPA adds up to $15,000, and Covenant Homeownership can provide up to $150,000 for eligible buyers. Locally, the WSECU Welcome Home Grant adds up to $10,000 and the BECU First-Time Homebuyer Grant adds up to $8,000. Habitat and Homestead CLT homes provide effective subsidies of tens of thousands of dollars built into the home price.

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

Most programs require it. WSHFC Home Advantage, BECU and WSECU grants, and Habitat all require no homeownership in the past three years. The Covenant Homeownership Program waives the first-time buyer requirement for eligible historically excluded buyers. Homestead Community Land Trust does not require first-time buyer status, and the Veterans DPA does not require it for active and former service members.

What is the maximum home price?+

WSHFC sales price limits in King County typically align with the conventional loan limit (well above $700,000 for 2026). King County Housing Authority voucher and Habitat homes are priced well below the Burien median of $660,000. Homestead CLT homes in Burien usually sell at roughly half the market price. Verify current limits with your lender before making an offer.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most state and nonprofit programs require a HUD-approved homebuyer education course. The Washington Homeownership Resource Center, Homestead, and HomeSight all offer qualifying classes online and in person. Plan for 5 to 8 hours of coursework plus a one-on-one counseling session for some programs.

I am a Section 8 voucher holder. Can I use my voucher to buy in Burien?+

Yes. The King County Housing Authority Homeownership Voucher Program lets eligible Housing Choice Voucher participants apply their monthly subsidy toward a mortgage payment instead of rent. You must meet KCHA employment, income, and homebuyer education requirements. Call KCHA at (206) 574-1100 to start.

I want a Homestead Community Land Trust home in Burien. How long is the waitlist?+

Homestead currently has more than 2,000 households on its interest list. New homes are released as inventory becomes available, often through dedicated lotteries. Income must be 50% to 80% of King County AMI. The earlier you join the interest list and complete your homebuyer education, the better positioned you will be when a home matches your household.

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