Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program

The Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP) is administered by the city’s Neighborhood Services Department. It helps low-to-moderate income buyers purchase their first home in Ft. Worth. 

The program offers relatively substantial and flexible assistance that can help you make a larger down payment and cover closing costs.

Eligibility requirements

To qualify for the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program, you must meet the following eligibility requirements.

1. You must be either a first-time homebuyer who has not owned or purchased a home within the past three years. (Some displaced homeowners may also qualify.)
2. The property must be within Ft. Worth city limits.
3. Your total income must be at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI). 
4. You must have two months’ worth of mortgage payments in reserve. 
5. The home’s total purchase price must be at or below $290,000 for existing homes and $305,000 or less for new construction.
6. You must attend eight hours of homeownership training. 

*For all DPA programs, income and purchase price limits are regularly reviewed and updated. These amounts were correct at publication but may change with time.

Type of loan

The City of Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program provides down payment assistance in the form of a forgivable loan. This means you won’t have to repay the money if you live in the home without selling, refinancing, moving, or renting it out for a period of either five or ten years, depending on how much money you receive from the program.

If you receive $14,999 or less, your loan is eligible for forgiveness after five years. If you get more than $14,999, your loan can be forgiven after 10 years. 

To be eligible for loan forgiveness, you must also consistently make your mortgage payments on time during the forgiveness period. 

Amount of down payment assistance

With the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program, you can receive as much as $20,000. The actual amount of assistance you receive depends on your home’s sale price as well as your mortgage loan amount. 

The program gives you the flexibility to choose how you use your assistance. 

Up to 3% of your assistance can be used to pay closing costs, as long as you use the remainder of the money for your down payment. Or, you can choose to use all of the money to make a larger down payment, if you wish. 

Minimum borrower contribution

The minimum borrower contribution is $1,000 or 2% of the total purchase price, whichever is less. The amount you contribute can be used to cover appraisal fees, credit report fees, and other upfront costs that you aren’t allowed to pay for using the assistance funds. 

Purchase price limits

The purchase price limit for the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program is $290,000 for existing homes and $305,000 for newly constructed homes. The median home price in Fort Worth is currently $305,461, so many of the houses for sale in the area are eligible under these guidelines.

Income limits

The income limit for this program is 80% or less of the area median income (AMI). 80% AMI in Ft. Worth is currently between $53,600 and $101,050, depending on the size of your household. 

The program’s income and purchase price limits are frequently adjusted to account for housing market and economic changes. To see if your income qualifies you for this program, use our free down payment assistance finder.

How to qualify for the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program

To be eligible for this program, you have to meet the eligibility requirements we’ve outlined above. Use our free down payment assistance finder to confirm your eligibility.

How to apply for the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program

To get assistance through the Ft. Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program, you must apply through an approved and participating lender. The City of Fort Worth doesn’t accept direct applications. Our free down payment assistance finder helps you easily connect with a participating lender who can help you apply.