Home Buyer Down Payment Help for Single Mothers in Pennsylvania

Where to start

Step 1: Talk with a housing counselor. Search the PHFA counseling list or the HUD counselor finder. PHFA offers free counseling through its approved agencies. Borrowers with a FICO score below 680 must finish an in-person education course before a PHFA loan closes. Other programs, such as Keystone Flex, may also require education.

Step 2: Find a PHFA lender. Use the participating lender list. PHFA does not take your mortgage application. An approved lender does that and checks which assistance you can use. Not every lender offers FHA, USDA or VA loans.

Step 3: Compare the whole cost. Ask for the monthly mortgage payment, taxes, home insurance, possible mortgage insurance, repairs, second-loan payments and total cash needed at closing. A down payment award is not a promise that the mortgage will be affordable.

Quick reference

Statewide PHFA down payment help

PHFA’s purchase assistance programs cover more than one kind of aid. The first mortgage and the second loan must fit together. The rates below are assistance terms, not first-mortgage interest rates. Your lender must check funds, limits and whether you may combine benefits.

K-FIT: loan forgiven over time

The K-FIT program can cover 5% of the lower purchase price or appraised value, with no stated dollar cap. Each full year, 10% of the second loan is forgiven over 10 years. All borrowers need a credit score of at least 660. Liquid assets after closing generally cannot exceed $50,000.

K-FIT can work with a Keystone Home Loan and also appears in PHFA’s Keystone Flex options. The matching first mortgage matters. K-FIT cannot be paired with most other PHFA aid, other than the specified ACCESS Home Modification option. Ask how much you would owe if you sold, moved or paid off the loan before forgiveness ends.

Keystone Advantage: help you repay monthly

Advantage gives up to 4% of the purchase price or value, capped at $6,000 for most eligible buyers. It is a second mortgage with 0% interest, paid over 10 years. All borrowers need at least 660 credit. Liquid assets after closing generally must be $50,000 or less. PHFA lists HFA Preferred (Lo MI), Keystone Government and Keystone Home as eligible first-loan choices.

Monthly repayment makes it different from a grant. Ask for the exact second-loan payment and add it to your housing budget. PHFA says Advantage may pair with the $500 PHFA Grant under the proper first mortgage.

K-DATE: no monthly second-loan payment

Under K-DATE program rules, a qualified buyer with a first mortgage of $150,000 or less may receive 8% of the lower price or appraised value, if that amount is available. A first mortgage of $150,001 or more may receive 5%. K-DATE is a 0% second mortgage with a 30-year term and no monthly payments.

The debt is not forgiven just because you make no monthly payment. It becomes due on sale, refinance or first-mortgage payoff. Eligible Keystone Flex buyers generally need at least 660 credit, education and a required buyer contribution on some loan types. Keystone Flex with K-DATE does not require first-time buyer status. Ask whether your property and income fit the current limits.

HOMEstead: help for some areas and homes

HOMEstead can provide up to $10,000 under PHFA’s published homebuyer information for eligible first-time buyers. It uses a no-interest second loan, usually forgiven by 20% per full year over five years. Funding is first come, first served. Not every county or city qualifies, since some places receive their own federal HOME funds. There are also income, purchase-price and home-condition limits. HOMEstead is tied to an eligible Keystone Home Loan and cannot be used with Keystone Government, HFA Preferred or Keystone Flex first loans.

Older houses need special care: many homes built before 1978 are not eligible due to lead-paint rules, though PHFA’s guide lists narrow exceptions. Ask your lender to check the exact address and needed inspections before paying for an appraisal or signing a contract. Selling, renting or moving too soon may trigger repayment.

ACCESS: help for a household with a disability

The PHFA ACCESS programs can help some eligible buyers with a disability or a disabled household member. ACCESS Downpayment and Closing Cost Assistance can reach $15,000 in a no-interest loan. Buyers must also use ACCESS Home Modification assistance, meet first-mortgage rules and stay within the program’s income limit, based on 80% of statewide family median income.

The ACCESS down payment loan cannot be combined with other PHFA down payment or closing cost loans. This is different from the ACCESS home modification loan, which may be allowed alongside certain other PHFA programs. Ask the lender to check both loans, the needed modifications and exactly when any debt comes due. An accessible home may also need repairs after closing.

Employer help

Some employers offer a home purchase benefit. Under PHFA’s employer housing program, workers at participating employers may qualify for up to $8,000 in Keystone Advantage assistance, paid back at 0% over 10 years, if they meet the loan rules. Ask your employer what it gives, whether you must keep your job for a set time and what would happen if you leave.

City and county homebuyer help

Local money can run out or pause without much warning. Many programs require you to finish counseling before a sales agreement. Ask the program and your lender about the right order before making an offer.

Philadelphia: Philly First Home

Philly First Home offers a grant of up to $10,000, or 6% of the purchase price, whichever is less, while funding lasts. You must be a first-time buyer or have owned no home for at least three years. The home must be a single-family house or duplex in Philadelphia. Condos are not eligible.

The city requires City-funded counseling before both buyer and seller sign the agreement of sale. Income limits also apply. If you move or refinance before you have lived there 15 years, the grant must be repaid. Ask the counselor how funding is reserved and what happens if closing is delayed.

Pittsburgh: URA help

The Pittsburgh URA program offers eligible first-time buyers up to $7,500 at 0% interest as a five-year deferred loan below 80% of area median income (AMI), or up to $5,000 at 0% as a ten-year deferred loan for income from 80% to 115% AMI. Payments may be deferred if residency terms are met. It is not a simple cash grant.

Your lender files the application. URA must get it at least 21 business days before the planned close. Buyers need approved counseling, must not hold more than $20,000 in liquid assets after closing, and must pay a closing fee of 2% of the URA loan. Confirm how a sale, move or other event affects repayment.

Montgomery County

The county homebuyer program can help with up to 10% of an affordable sales price, capped at $10,000. Buyers must meet first-time status or a three-year gap in ownership, income and loan rules. You must live or work full time in Montgomery County when applying and closing.

Finish counseling and pass the income and loan check before a sales agreement or deposit. The program generally requires at least $3,000 in liquid assets at application and your own 3% down payment; you may not use a gift for that first 3%. The application fee is $25. The county’s May 2026 program brochure also calls for two months of mortgage payment reserves and a home warranty. Ask the county when you must show these. The help has 0% interest, but selling, leaving the home during the 15-year period, or using it as an investment can trigger repayment.

Delaware County

Delaware County’s Homeownership First program offers counseling and up to $10,000 in down payment and closing cost help to eligible low- and moderate-income first-time buyers. The aid is a 0% loan due at sale or transfer. It may be forgiven after five years only if the property is in a county-designated revitalization area.

Residents of Chester City, Haverford Township and Upper Darby Township should ask their local offices about separate programs and service areas. Check counseling and grant funds before making an offer; completing a class does not reserve funding.

Chester County

Chester County’s homebuyer program offers education and direct assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income buyers, generally within 80% of area median income. Financial counseling and homebuyer training are required. The county refers buyers to the Housing Partnership of Chester County, which offers an application, required homebuyer classes and one-on-one counseling. Ask about the current loan amount, borrower cash share, loan terms and whether you must finish counseling before a contract; do not rely on an old dollar figure.

Other mortgages and funding choices

These loans may reduce how much cash you need up front, but they are mortgages, not grants. A lender can say which ones can work with PHFA or local help.

• FHA: HUD says the down payment can be as low as 3.5% for eligible buyers. Check FHA loan basics for the rules. Mortgage insurance and lender checks still apply.
• USDA Direct: The USDA Direct program is for eligible low- and very-low-income buyers in eligible rural areas. Payment help may be available.
• USDA Guaranteed: The USDA Guaranteed program works through approved lenders, with home and income limits.
• VA: If you have eligible military service, check VA home loan eligibility. Ask about a Certificate of Eligibility, the VA funding fee, and other closing costs.

FHLBank Pittsburgh: The First Front Door program can help qualifying buyers through participating bank or credit-union members. But its official page now says the 2026 First Front Door and Keys rounds are closed and tells buyers to check again in early 2027. Do not plan a 2026 closing around that award. Ask your lender if it has other help now.

Steps to apply

1. Set a safe budget. List pay, support income that a lender may count, benefits, monthly debts, food, child care, transport, taxes, insurance, utilities and a repair fund. Do not use every dollar of savings.
2. Meet a counselor first. Ask whether any program needs counseling or approval before you sign or pay a deposit.
3. Talk to a participating lender. Ask for a side-by-side written comparison of K-FIT, Keystone Advantage, K-DATE, HOMEstead and any local or employer aid for your case.
4. Check the address. Ask whether your ZIP code, county, city, home type and property condition fit each program. Have the lender check first-time buyer rules too.
5. Compare written estimates. Use the CFPB Loan Estimate guide to check your mortgage rate, total monthly cost, cash to close and fees. Ask how a second loan affects those figures.
6. Check later repayment. Ask what happens if you sell, move, rent the property, refinance, pay off the first loan, or leave your job. Keep the written answer.
7. Review closing papers. The CFPB Closing Disclosure guide explains the form most first-mortgage borrowers receive at least three business days before closing. Certain assistance loans use different disclosures. Ask for second-loan papers too.

Ask who will hold your grant or assistance reservation, for how long, and what you must do if the seller changes the closing date.

Papers to gather

Your counselor or lender may need more than this list. If a document is missing, ask what else the program accepts. Keep copies, dates and upload receipts.

If you are self-employed, bring business income records and ask the lender which earnings it can count. The Pennsylvania business resources guide lists other work and income supports; these are not mortgage approval programs.

If the loan or assistance is denied or delayed

If a lender says no: Ask for the specific reason in writing and what credit report or score it used. The CFPB’s mortgage denial advice explains your right to information and a way to check for errors. Show the notice to a housing counselor. The next step may be fixing a report, reducing debt, building savings, trying another loan, or buying at a lower price.

If the assistance is delayed: Ask which document is missing, who must send it, whether your closing date is still safe and whether the award is reserved. If a program denies you, ask for its written reason and whether any review or appeal process applies. Deadlines can vary by program.

If treatment seems unfair: The CFPB explains mortgage discrimination protections. A creditor cannot reject you just because you receive public assistance income; it can review whether income is likely to continue. You may also report housing discrimination. The Pennsylvania legal help guide can help you find civil legal aid.

This section gives general information, not personal legal or financial advice. An advocate or lawyer can assess your own case.

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