See programs you qualify for

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

Homebuyer Programs in Sammamish, WA (2026)

Population: 65,116 | Median home price: $1,450,000 | Est. closing costs: $29,000 - $43,500

Sammamish is a wealthy plateau community in East King County and one of Washington's most expensive housing markets, with a median home price around $1,450,000. Despite the price tag, Sammamish first-time buyers benefit from being inside ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing), the East King County partnership that includes Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, and Sammamish. ARCH operates the East King County Down Payment Assistance Loan offering up to $30,000 at 4% simple interest, plus the ARCH Affordable Homeownership Program which sells below-market homes to qualified buyers. King County Housing Authority programs, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County, and Homestead Community Land Trust extend the local options. Combined with Washington State Housing Finance Commission programs like Home Advantage DPA (up to 5% of the loan amount) and Opportunity DPA (up to $15,000), eligible Sammamish buyers can stack tens of thousands of dollars in assistance.

City Programs in Sammamish

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
ARCH Affordable Homeownership Program	Grant	Below-market home purchase; subsidy value varies by property (typically tens of thousands to $100,000+ off comparable market-rate homes).	Yes	View →
ARCH East King County Down Payment Assistance Loan	Deferred Loan	Up to $30,000	No	View →

ARCH Affordable Homeownership Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Below-market home purchase; subsidy value varies by property (typically tens of thousands to $100,000+ off comparable market-rate homes).
First-time only:: Yes

ARCH East King County Down Payment Assistance Loan

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $30,000
First-time only:: No

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
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 →

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

Free eligibility check

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

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. ARCH East King County DPA requires income at or below the published limits (roughly $72,000 for a household of 4) and use of an approved WSHFC first mortgage. Most state programs require household income at or below 80% of the King County area median.

Step 2: Complete WSHFC-sponsored homebuyer education. A free five-hour seminar is required for all WSHFC and ARCH down payment assistance programs. Find an upcoming class through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission at (800) 767-4663.

Step 3: Contact ARCH about the Affordable Homeownership Program. ARCH maintains a portfolio of below-market-rate homes available to income-qualified buyers across Sammamish and other East King County cities. Visit archhousing.org or call (425) 861-3677 to learn what is currently available.

Step 4: Get pre-approved with a WSHFC-participating lender. The state maintains a list of approved lenders who can pair WSHFC first mortgages with ARCH DPA, Home Advantage DPA, Opportunity DPA, or Veterans DPA.

Step 5: Find a home within program limits. Given Sammamish's very high prices, DPA-eligible buyers typically focus on condos, townhomes, or ARCH-restricted units rather than detached single-family homes.

Step 6: Submit your application through your lender. The DPA loan and first mortgage are processed together, and funds are delivered at closing.

Step 7: Close and move in. Most ARCH and WSHFC DPA loans are deferred or forgivable second mortgages, so there is no monthly DPA payment as long as you remain in the home.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Eligible Sammamish buyers can stack significant assistance. ARCH East King County DPA provides up to $30,000 at 4% simple interest. The state Home Advantage DPA can add up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount, and Opportunity DPA or HomeChoice DPA can layer another $15,000. Veterans qualify for an additional $10,000 through Veterans DPA. Stacked correctly, total assistance can exceed $50,000.

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

Most programs require first-time buyer status, defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years. The ARCH DPA, Opportunity DPA, HomeChoice DPA, and Home Advantage DPA all require this. Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA and Veterans DPA have more flexible rules in some cases. Buying in a federally designated target area can also waive the first-time buyer requirement.

Is it really possible to use DPA in Sammamish given the home prices?+

Yes, but most DPA-eligible buyers in Sammamish focus on condos, townhomes, or ARCH-restricted homes rather than detached single-family homes. The ARCH Affordable Homeownership Program is particularly valuable here, since it sells below-market-rate homes to income-qualified buyers at significant discounts to the Sammamish market median.

What homebuyer education is required?+

All WSHFC and ARCH down payment assistance programs require completion of a free five-hour WSHFC-sponsored homebuyer education seminar within the past two years. Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County also requires its own homeownership classes for applicants to its program.

How does ARCH's Affordable Homeownership Program work?+

ARCH operates a portfolio of approximately 900 below-market-rate homes across East King County, including Sammamish. These homes were created through inclusionary zoning at new developments, then sold to income-qualified first-time buyers at significant discounts to market. Resale prices are restricted so the homes stay affordable for future buyers. Visit archhousing.org to see current availability.

What is Homestead Community Land Trust?+

Homestead Community Land Trust is a Seattle-area nonprofit that uses a community land trust model to keep homes permanently affordable. Buyers purchase the home itself (typically 30-50% below market) while the underlying land stays in trust. Homestead serves Sammamish and other King County cities. Resale restrictions preserve affordability for future buyers.