See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 9, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Eau Claire, WI (2026)

Population: 73,000 | Median home price: $290,000 | Est. closing costs: $6,000 - $8,500

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 →

City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program

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 →

Eau Claire County HCRI Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Down payment and closing cost assistance (second mortgage)
First-time only:: No

WORTH Down Payment Assistance Program

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	$7,500 (0% interest, deferred second mortgage)	No	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 →

WHEDA Advantage Conventional Loan

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Low down payment first mortgage (as low as 3% down)
First-time only:: Yes

WHEDA Advantage FHA Loan

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Low down payment first mortgage (3.5% down)
First-time only:: Yes

WHEDA Capital Access DPA

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: $7,500 (0% interest, deferred second mortgage)
First-time only:: No

WHEDA Easy Close DPA

Type:: Repayable Loan
Amount:: Up to 6% of purchase price
First-time only:: Yes

WHEDA Tax Advantage (Mortgage Credit Certificate)

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 →
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
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, and below-market fixed interest rate	No	View →
Western Dairyland Down Payment Assistance	Grant	Up to $2,500	No	View →

Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program

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

Downpayment Plus Program (FHLBank Chicago)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $6,000 (3:1 match of buyer contribution, max $6,000)
First-time only:: No

NACA Purchase Program

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

Western Dairyland Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $2,500
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

19 programs available in Eau Claire. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: 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.

Step 2: 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.

Step 3: 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.

Step 4: 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).

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Eau Claire?+

Eau Claire buyers can access significant assistance by stacking programs. The City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program provides up to $6,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance. Western Dairyland offers up to $2,500 in grant assistance. WHEDA Easy Close DPA provides up to 6% of the purchase price (about $17,400 on a $290,000 home). WHEDA Capital Access DPA offers up to $7,500. The WORTH program provides grants up to $8,000, and the Downpayment Plus Program offers up to $6,000. Combined, eligible buyers could potentially receive $15,000 or more in total assistance.

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

The City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program requires first-time buyer status. WHEDA programs generally require first-time buyer status (not having owned a home in the past 3 years), with exceptions for veterans and targeted area purchases. The Western Dairyland grant and Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity do not strictly require first-time buyer status, though they serve income-eligible households.

What is the maximum home price I can pay using these programs?+

The City of Eau Claire Homeownership Program does not list a specific purchase price limit but assists with city-rehabilitated homes at affordable prices. WHEDA programs have purchase price limits that vary by county. Most buyers in Eau Claire will fall within these limits. Contact the Housing Division at (715) 514-5440 for current details on available homes.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most programs require completion of a homebuyer education course. The City of Eau Claire Housing Division provides homebuyer counseling and education directly. Western Dairyland also requires participation in a homebuyer education class. Contact the City of Eau Claire Housing Division at (715) 514-5440 to learn about available courses.

Are there programs for buyers outside Eau Claire city limits?+

Yes. The Eau Claire County HCRI Down Payment Assistance provides a 0% interest deferred payment second mortgage for low-income buyers purchasing homes in Eau Claire County outside city limits. Contact the Eau Claire County Housing Authority at (715) 839-6240. Additionally, Western Dairyland DPA covers all of Eau Claire County, and WHEDA state programs apply throughout the county.

Does Habitat for Humanity build homes in the Eau Claire area?+

Yes. Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity serves Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire counties. They offer affordable homes with conventional mortgages at reduced prices, no down payment required, and closing costs capped at $2,000. Applicants must complete 200-500 hours of sweat equity and earn at or below 80% of County AMI. Contact them at (715) 833-8993 or visit their office at 1119 Regis Court, Suite 105B, Eau Claire, WI 54701.