Houston & Harris County Down Payment Assistance
Houston buyers have more down payment help than almost anywhere in Texas: two statewide programs (TDHCA and TSAHC) plus regional SETH assistance. Here is how they work across Harris County and the greater Houston area.
How down payment assistance works in Houston
Houston is one of the best-served markets in Texas for down payment help, because all three layers are available here: the two statewide programs and a strong regional one. TDHCA runs My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home; TSAHC runs Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes. Both provide 2% to 5% of the loan amount as a zero-percent second mortgage, and both offer a version that is forgiven after three years. On top of that, greater Houston buyers can look at SETH, the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation. A 620 credit score opens the door to all of them.
Buying across Harris County and greater Houston
The Houston HMFA spans Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers, Liberty, and Waller counties, so the eligible map is huge. Inside the Loop and the older neighborhoods, condos and townhomes fit. The growth is on the edges: Cypress and the northwest, Katy and the energy corridor, Pearland and Fort Bend to the south, Spring and The Woodlands to the north, and Baytown to the east. Much of that newer construction sits under the TDHCA price cap. Because Houston prices stay moderate for a metro its size, the 2%–5% assistance covers a real share of a typical purchase.
Homes for Texas Heroes in a big first-responder city
Houston has one of the largest concentrations of teachers, nurses, police, and firefighters in the state, which makes TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes especially relevant here. If you are a professional K-12 educator, a peace officer, a firefighter or EMS worker, a corrections officer, a veteran, or work in allied health, you qualify for the Heroes track, which carries higher income limits than the general Home Sweet Texas program. See our Homes for Texas Heroes page for the full profession list.
TDHCA income and purchase-price limits vary by county/MSA and are current per the TDHCA limits page; TSAHC limits are on tsahc.org. Figures change; confirm your county before relying on one. See our eligibility page.
Common questions
What down payment assistance is available in Houston?
Houston buyers can use two statewide programs, TDHCA (My First / My Choice Texas Home) and TSAHC (Home Sweet Texas, Homes for Texas Heroes), each providing 2% to 5% of the loan as a 0% deferred second that is repayable or forgiven after three years. Greater Houston also has a separate regional program, SETH, with its own terms.
What is the minimum credit score for down payment assistance in Houston?
Both TDHCA and TSAHC require a 620 minimum credit score (640 on FHA manual underwriting). The programs pair with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgages.
Is Houston down payment assistance forgivable?
It can be. Both TDHCA and TSAHC offer a 3-year deferred forgivable second lien (no interest, no payment, forgiven after 36 months), alongside a repayable option that is due when you sell or refinance.
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