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Get Matched Free →Homebuyer Programs in Eau Claire, WI (2026)
Eau Claire is a vibrant college city in western Wisconsin at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers, home to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. With a median home price around $290,000, the city offers accessible homeownership in one of Wisconsin's most livable communities. The City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program provides up to $6,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time buyers, and Western Dairyland offers an additional $2,500 grant. At the state level, WHEDA Easy Close DPA provides up to 6% of the purchase price and WHEDA Capital Access DPA offers up to $7,500. Additional support is available through the Downpayment Plus Program (up to $6,000 grant), the WORTH Down Payment Assistance Program (up to $8,000 grant), and the Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity. By combining city, state, and federal programs, Eau Claire buyers can stack $15,000 or more in total assistance.
City Programs in Eau Claire
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program | Deferred Loan | Up to $6,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance plus rehabilitated home at affordable price | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $6,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance plus rehabilitated home at affordable price
- First-time only:
- Yes
County Programs in Eau Claire County
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire County HCRI Down Payment Assistance | Deferred Loan | Down payment and closing cost assistance (second mortgage) | No | View → |
| WORTH Down Payment Assistance Program | Grant | Up to $8,000 | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Down payment and closing cost assistance (second mortgage)
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $8,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
State Programs in Wisconsin
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHEDA Advantage Conventional Loan | Government-Insured Mortgage | Low down payment first mortgage (as low as 3% down) | Yes | View → |
| WHEDA Advantage FHA Loan | Government-Insured Mortgage | Low down payment first mortgage (3.5% down) | Yes | View → |
| WHEDA Capital Access DPA | Deferred Loan | Up to $7,500 (between $3,050 and 3% of purchase price) | Yes | View → |
| WHEDA Easy Close DPA | Repayable Loan | Up to 6% of purchase price | Yes | View → |
| WHEDA Tax Advantage (Mortgage Credit Certificate) | Tax Credit | Up to $2,000 per year in federal tax credits | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Government-Insured Mortgage
- Amount:
- Low down payment first mortgage (as low as 3% down)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Government-Insured Mortgage
- Amount:
- Low down payment first mortgage (3.5% down)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $7,500 (between $3,050 and 3% of purchase price)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Repayable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to 6% of purchase price
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Tax Credit
- Amount:
- Up to $2,000 per year in federal tax credits
- 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 → |
| 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 → |
- 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
Nonprofit Programs
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable home with conventional mortgage, no down payment required, closing costs no more than $2,000 | No | View → |
| Downpayment Plus Program (FHLBank Chicago) | Grant | Up to $6,000 (3:1 match of buyer contribution, max $6,000) | No | View → |
| NACA Purchase Program | Zero-Interest Loan | No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate | No | View → |
| Western Dairyland Down Payment Assistance | Grant | Up to $2,500 | No | View → |
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Affordable home with conventional mortgage, no down payment required, closing costs no more than $2,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $6,000 (3:1 match of buyer contribution, max $6,000)
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $2,500
- First-time only:
- No
How to Apply
Check your eligibility. Most programs require household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income. WHEDA income limits for Eau Claire County are $104,800 for 1-2 person households and $120,520 for 3+ person households. The City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program requires first-time buyer status and federal income eligibility.
Complete homebuyer education. The City of Eau Claire Housing Division provides homebuyer counseling and education. Contact them at (715) 514-5440. A homebuyer education course is required for most assistance programs including WHEDA DPA and Western Dairyland.
Apply for the City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program. Contact the Housing Division at (715) 514-5440. The city purchases and rehabilitates homes, then sells them to qualifying first-time buyers at affordable prices with up to $6,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a WHEDA-approved lender to explore WHEDA first mortgage programs and DPA options like Easy Close (up to 6% of purchase price) and Capital Access (up to $7,500). Ask about the Downpayment Plus grant (up to $6,000).
Explore additional assistance. Contact Western Dairyland at their Eau Claire office (418 Wisconsin Street, Eau Claire, WI 54703) about their $2,500 down payment assistance grant. Also contact the Eau Claire County Housing Authority at (715) 839-6240 for county-level programs if purchasing outside city limits.
Find a home and close. Your lender and housing counselor will help layer multiple programs together. Allow 30-60 days for program processing in addition to your standard mortgage timeline.