By Tyler Thompson · NC-Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated November 2, 2026
Laramie WY Down Payment Assistance & Homebuyer Programs
See programs you qualify for
Get Matched Free →Free to you. We may earn a referral fee from an agent you’re matched with.
Most Laramie households rent. This page shows which down payment assistance a Laramie buyer can use, what a $319,500 home costs, and who to call.
Verified Nov. 2026
Quick answer
Laramie buyers most often use the state's Homestretch. It is a 0% loan of as much as $15,000, repaid only when you sell or refinance. Welcome Home Wyoming, from the Cheyenne Housing Authority, gives 3% or 4% of your mortgage. It is forgiven after 30 years. Albany County's first-time income line is $123,050 for 3 or more people.
- Median home value
- $319,500
- Census ACS 2020-2024
- 3% down payment
- $9,585
- At the median value
- Closing costs
- $8,000–$11,200
- 2.5% to 3.5% of price
- Main programs
- 3
- Plus 8 options for some buyers
Forgivable means you repay nothing if you live in the home for the full term. Sell or move out early and you may owe some or all of it back.
Which program fits your Laramie home?
Find the row that describes you, then check the catch before you count on the money.
| If you are | Start with | What you get | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-time buyer, family of 3 or more | Start with:WCDA Homestretch | You get:$15,000 at most, 0%, no monthly bill | Catch:Albany first-time income up to $123,050 (3+) or $107,000 (1-2); 620 credit |
| Earning above the first-time line | Start with:Welcome Home Wyoming | You get:3% or 4% of the note, forgiven in year 30 | Catch:Income up to $140,140; a sale before year 30 repays the whole amount |
| Already owned a home | Start with:WCDA Amortizing loan | You get:$15,000 at most, paid off within 10 years | Catch:A second monthly payment; works only with the state Advantage loan |
| Veteran or reservist | Start with:VA loan | You get:Nothing down | Catch:Needs a VA eligibility certificate; funding fee unless exempt |
| Buying on the edge of town | Start with:USDA loan | You get:No down payment | Catch:Address must be on USDA's eligible map; household income limit applies |
Limits: WCDA table (June 22, 2026). Welcome Home Wyoming guide (Nov. 2, 2026; income limits May 12, 2026).
We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Laramie isn’t always inside city limits, so confirm with the program before you make an offer.
How much cash you need in Laramie
| Median home value (Census ACS 2020-2024) | $319,500 |
|---|---|
| 3% down payment (conventional loan) | $9,585 |
| 3.5% down payment (FHA loan) | $11,183 |
| Closing costs, 2.5% to 3.5% of price | $8,000–$11,200 |
| Cash needed with 3% down, before any help | $17,585–$20,785 |
| Cash needed after WCDA Homestretch | $2,585–$5,785 |
Lender and title charges, Albany County recording, the appraisal, and the first deposit for taxes and insurance, taken as 2.5% through 3.5% of $319,500. Estimate only, not a quote.
Compare Laramie's main programs
| Program | Who runs it | Help | Paid back? | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WCDA Homestretch | Runs it:Wyoming Community Development | Help:$15,000 maximum | Paid back?Interest-free; settled at sale, refinance or the 30-year mark | Who:State first-time or Edge borrowers |
| Welcome Home Wyoming | Runs it:Cheyenne Housing Authority | Help:3% or 4% of loan amount | Paid back?Wiped out after month 360; owed in full if you leave sooner | Who:New and returning owners alike |
| WCDA Amortizing loan | Runs it:Wyoming Community Development | Help:$15,000 maximum | Paid back?Monthly installments, 10-year limit | Who:State Advantage borrowers |
Can you combine them? Pick one. Homestretch rides on a state first-time or Edge mortgage, the amortizing loan on the state Advantage mortgage, and Welcome Home Wyoming on its own. A Home$tart grant may be layered on any of them if a member lender has funds.
Other help for some Laramie buyers
- FHLBank Des Moines Home$tart: A member bank or credit union can reserve a $15,000 grant for a first-time buyer under 80% of the area median. Five years in the home forgives it. All October 2026 funds are reserved, so ask whether any were released back.
- HUD Good Neighbor Next Door: Teachers, police officers, firefighters and EMTs may get 50% off a HUD-listed Laramie home. It must be in a revitalization area, and you live there 3 years.
- HUD $100 down: When HUD itself sells a Laramie home, an owner-occupant using FHA can close with $100 down.
Loan types that work with this help
Expect 3.5% down on FHA. HomeReady and Home Possible take 3% from buyers under their income caps. VA lets eligible veterans skip the down payment. USDA's zero-down loan works only where its map says so. Check the address before you shop outside the core.
Three Laramie examples
Examples only, not quotes. Closing costs use 3% of the price, the middle of the range above.
$319,500 median house, Homestretch
| Price | $319,500 |
|---|---|
| Down payment | $11,183 |
| Closing costs | $9,585 |
| WCDA Homestretch | −$15,000 |
| You bring | $5,768 |
An FHA first-time loan with 3.5% down. A family of 3 must earn no more than $123,050 to use the state first-time loan in Albany County.
$275,000 townhome, Welcome Home 4%
| Price | $275,000 |
|---|---|
| Down payment | $8,250 |
| Closing costs | $8,250 |
| Welcome Home Wyoming 4% | −$10,670 |
| You bring | $5,830 |
A 3% down conventional loan of $266,750, so 4% comes to $10,670. Townhomes and condos must meet the lender's project rules.
Returning owner, $340,000 house
| Price | $340,000 |
|---|---|
| Down payment | $11,900 |
| Closing costs | $10,200 |
| WCDA Amortizing loan | −$15,000 |
| You bring | $7,100 |
Figured with 3.5% down on the state Advantage loan. Owning a home before is allowed, with income no higher than $140,140; ask the lender which loan types it pairs with.
How to apply in Laramie
- 1
Finish homebuyer education first
Wyoming Housing Network
Take the class first. The state first-time loan and Welcome Home Wyoming each require it before closing. The network's online course costs $75. A one-on-one meeting follows.
307-233-8518, education@whninc.org · whninc.org
- 2
Talk to a Laramie loan officer
WCDA participating lenders
Use the state's lender list. It names Laramie loan officers at Union Home Mortgage, The Mortgage Source and Fairway. UniWyo and Stage Point credit unions take part too. Ask about Welcome Home as well.
- 3
Match income to Albany County limits
Wyoming Community Development Authority
Count every adult's income. Albany County allows $107,000 for 1 or 2 people and $123,050 for 3 or more on the first-time loan (June 22, 2026). The price cap is $566,354.
- 4
Sign, then reserve the assistance
Your lender
Sign the purchase contract first. The lender then reserves the first mortgage, and the second comes with it. Have it price Homestretch and Welcome Home Wyoming on that house.
State agency: 307-265-0603 · Loan review: 307-253-1084 · Housing network: 307-233-8518 · FHLBank Des Moines: 800-544-3452 · ehousingplus.com
Before you make an offer in Laramie
A renter-heavy, attached market
Only 43.3% of Laramie housing units are detached houses, and 44.1% are owner-occupied (Census ACS 2020-2024). Confirm a condo or townhome project meets FHA or lender approval before you offer.
Homestead filing after you move in
File the owner-occupied affidavit after you move in. Wyoming then removes 25% of the home's value, on up to $1 million. Laramie's median owner pays $1,864 in property tax each year (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Inspect homes from the late 1970s
Laramie's median home was built in 1977 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Ask the inspector to look closely at the furnace, windows and roof, which take hard winters at this altitude.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Laramie or Albany County fund its own down payment help?+−
Can a two-income household in Laramie earn too much for Homestretch?+−
How much cash does a $319,500 Laramie house need with Homestretch?+−
Is a Laramie condo near campus a problem for these programs?+−
Could a home just outside Laramie qualify for a USDA loan?+−
Buying elsewhere in Wyoming? Compare all Wyoming home buyer programs →
Sources
Last verified November 2, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau: Laramie city, Wyoming profile (ACS 2020-2024)
- Wyoming Community Development Authority: Homebuyer programs
- WCDA: 2026 purchase price and income limits (June 22, 2026)
- Wyoming Community Development Authority: Participating lenders
- eHousingPlus: Welcome Home Wyoming program page
- Cheyenne Housing Authority: Welcome Home Wyoming guidelines (Nov. 2, 2026)
- Wyoming Housing Network: Homebuyer education
- Wyoming Department of Revenue: Homeowner property tax exemption
- USDA Rural Development: Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program
- FHLBank Des Moines: Home$tart (October 2026 release)