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Get Matched Free →Homebuyer Programs in Milwaukee, WI (2026)
Milwaukee is Wisconsin's largest city and a major cultural and economic hub on the western shore of Lake Michigan, with a median home price of around $220,000. First-time buyers in Milwaukee can access the city's Home Down Payment Assistance Program offering forgivable grants of up to $7,000 in CDBG target areas, the WORTH Down Payment Assistance Program providing up to $8,000 in grants for Milwaukee County buyers, and the Downpayment Plus Program from FHLBank Chicago offering up to $6,000 in matching grants. At the state level, WHEDA's Capital Access DPA provides up to $7,500 as a deferred zero-interest loan, the Easy Close DPA offers up to 6% of the purchase price, and the Tax Advantage Mortgage Credit Certificate saves buyers up to $2,000 per year in federal taxes. By stacking city, county, state, and federal programs, eligible Milwaukee buyers could access over $20,000 in combined assistance.
City Programs in Milwaukee
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee $35,000 Homebuyer Assistance Program | Forgivable Loan | Up to $35,000 | No | View → |
| Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program | Grant | Up to $5,000 (or up to $7,000 in CDBG target areas) | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $35,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to $5,000 (or up to $7,000 in CDBG target areas)
- First-time only:
- Yes
County Programs in Milwaukee County
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WORTH Down Payment Assistance Program | Grant | Up to $8,000 | Yes | View → |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downpayment Plus Program (FHLBank Chicago) | Grant | Up to $6,000 (3:1 match of buyer contribution, max $6,000) | No | View → |
| Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable new-construction home with low or no down payment and average mortgage under $950/month | Yes | View → |
| NACA Purchase Program | Zero-Interest Loan | No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate | No | View → |
- 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:
- Affordable new-construction home with low or no down payment and average mortgage under $950/month
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate
- First-time only:
- No
How to Apply
Check your eligibility. Most Milwaukee programs require household income at or below 80% AMI (approximately $65,600 for a family of four). The WORTH program has separate tiers at 60% and 100% AMI.
Complete homebuyer education. All Milwaukee programs require 8 hours of HUD-approved homebuyer counseling. Contact ACTS Housing at (414) 933-2215, Housing Resources Inc. at (414) 461-6330, or United Community Center at (414) 384-3100 to enroll.
Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a WHEDA-approved lender to explore WHEDA Advantage Conventional or FHA loans, which can be paired with state DPA programs.
Apply for down payment assistance. Your counseling agency will help you apply for city, county, and other grant programs. You can work with only one counseling agency, so choose carefully.
Find a home within program guidelines. Work with a real estate agent to find an eligible property within Milwaukee city limits. If interested in the $35,000 Homebuyer Assistance Program, look specifically at city-owned foreclosed properties.
Close on your home. Your lender and counseling agency will coordinate all DPA funds to be applied at closing. Expect the process to take 60-90 days from pre-approval to closing.