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Get Matched Free →Homebuyer Programs in Parkersburg, WV (2026)
Parkersburg, situated along the Ohio River in northwestern West Virginia, offers one of the most affordable housing markets in the state with a median home price around $150,000. The standout local program is the Parkersburg/Wood County Down Payment Assistance Program, which provides first-time buyers with up to $15,000 in forgivable loan assistance for down payment and closing costs on homes priced up to $250,000. The Parkersburg Housing Authority also runs the P.R.I.D.E. lease-to-purchase program for low-income families. At the state level, the WVHDF Homeownership Program offers first-time buyers 100% financing plus up to $10,000 in additional help, while the Movin' Up Program serves repeat buyers with up to $8,000. By combining the city's $15,000 forgivable loan with a WVHDF mortgage, qualified Parkersburg buyers could access up to $25,000 in total assistance.
Top Homebuyer Programs in Parkersburg
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg Housing Authority P.R.I.D.E. Program | Repayable Loan | Two-year lease-to-purchase homeownership opportunity on selected housing | No | View → |
| Parkersburg/Wood County Down Payment Assistance Program | Forgivable Loan | Up to $15,000 for down payment and closing costs | 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 the Mid-Ohio Valley Homeownership | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable home purchase with zero-interest mortgage and sweat equity partnership | No | View → |
| WVHDF Homeownership Program | Repayable Loan | Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance via the Low Down Home Loan; 30-year fixed-rate mortgage financing up to 100% of purchase price | Yes | View → |
| WVHDF Movin' Up Program | Repayable Loan | Up to $8,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance via the Low Down Home Loan; 30-year fixed-rate mortgage | No | View → |
- Type:
- Repayable Loan
- Amount:
- Two-year lease-to-purchase homeownership opportunity on selected housing
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000 for down payment and closing costs
- 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 home purchase with zero-interest mortgage and sweat equity partnership
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Repayable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance via the Low Down Home Loan; 30-year fixed-rate mortgage financing up to 100% of purchase price
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Repayable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $8,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance via the Low Down Home Loan; 30-year fixed-rate mortgage
- First-time only:
- No
How to Apply
- Step 1:
Check your eligibility. The Parkersburg/Wood County DPAP requires income at or below 80% of Area Median Income for Wood County (approximately $56,800 for a family of four) and a purchase price of $250,000 or less. You must invest a minimum of $500 toward the purchase.
- Step 2:
Complete homebuyer education. Community Resources Inc. (CRI) offers HUD-certified 8-hour homebuyer education classes for SHOP loan borrowers in Parkersburg. Contact CRI at (304) 485-5525 at 1218 Market Street, Parkersburg.
- Step 3:
Contact the City Development Department. Call (304) 424-8519 or email housing@parkersburgwv.gov to learn about the Down Payment Assistance Program. Download the DPAP application from the city website, complete it, and return it to the Development Department.
- Step 4:
Explore additional local programs. Contact Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley at habitatmov.com for their affordable homeownership program. The Parkersburg Housing Authority at (304) 428-6753 offers the P.R.I.D.E. lease-to-purchase program for low-income families.
- Step 5:
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Contact a WVHDF-approved lender or call 800-933-8511 to explore the Homeownership Program (up to $10,000 DPA) or Movin' Up Program (up to $8,000 DPA).
- Step 6:
Find a home within program limits. For the city DPAP, the purchase price must not exceed $250,000 and the home must be a single-family residence in Wood County.
- Step 7:
Submit your applications and close. Work with your lender and housing counselor to submit all program applications. The DPAP forgivable loan has no monthly payments and is forgiven after 5 to 7 years of owner-occupancy.