See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 8, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Milwaukee, WI (2026)

Population: 590,000 | Median home price: $220,000 | Est. closing costs: $4,500 - $6,500

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 →

Milwaukee $35,000 Homebuyer Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $35,000
First-time only:: No

Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program

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 →

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
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, and below-market fixed interest rate	No	View →

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

Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program

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

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

Free eligibility check

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

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How to Apply

Step 1: 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.

Step 2: 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.

Step 3: 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.

Step 4: 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.

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Milwaukee buyers can potentially stack multiple programs for significant assistance. The city's Home DPA Program offers up to $7,000 in CDBG areas, the WORTH program provides up to $8,000, and the Downpayment Plus Program adds up to $6,000 in matching grants. At the state level, WHEDA's Capital Access DPA offers up to $7,500 and the Easy Close DPA provides up to 6% of the purchase price. Combined, eligible buyers could access over $20,000 in assistance.

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

Most programs require first-time buyer status, defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years. However, the Milwaukee $35,000 Homebuyer Assistance Program for city-owned foreclosed homes has no first-time buyer requirement, and the Downpayment Plus Program is also open to repeat buyers. WHEDA programs may waive the first-time buyer requirement if you purchase in a targeted area.

What is the maximum home price I can pay?+

The city and county DPA programs do not publish specific purchase price limits, but WHEDA programs have purchase price limits that vary by county. Contact a WHEDA-approved lender for the current Milwaukee County limits. Generally, with a median home price of $220,000 in Milwaukee, most homes fall well within program limits.

What homebuyer education is required?+

All Milwaukee DPA programs require 8 hours of HUD-approved homebuyer counseling. Three agencies serve Milwaukee: ACTS Housing at (414) 933-2215, Housing Resources Inc. at (414) 461-6330, and United Community Center at (414) 384-3100. You can only work with one counseling agency when applying for grant funds, so choose the one that best fits your needs.

Can I buy a duplex or multi-family property with these programs?+

Yes, several programs allow multi-unit purchases. The WHEDA Advantage FHA Loan allows purchases of 1-2 unit properties. The Milwaukee $35,000 Homebuyer Assistance Program covers 1-2 unit city-owned foreclosed homes. The WORTH program covers single-family homes, duplexes, and condos. You must owner-occupy the property as your primary residence.

What if I have a low credit score or non-traditional credit history?+

WHEDA's Way Home program uses flexible credit criteria designed for buyers who have a reliable payment history but may not meet traditional credit score requirements. Additionally, NACA's Purchase Program offers below-market-rate mortgages with no down payment and no credit score minimum, relying instead on your demonstrated ability to save and pay bills on time. Contact NACA at naca.com or attend one of their Milwaukee workshops.