Down payment assistanceWashington, DC
DC Open Doors (DCHFA)
3% of the price (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA) as a 0% deferred second, covering your minimum down payment
DC Open Doors pairs a 30-year fixed first mortgage through a DCHFA participating lender with a Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL). The DPAL is a 0% second lien with no monthly payment. It is not forgiven. You repay it when you sell, transfer, move out, refinance the first mortgage, or at the 30-year mark, whichever comes first.
Funding was available the last time we checked.
Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- 3% of the price (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA) as a 0% deferred second, covering your minimum down payment
- Type of help
- Deferred loan
- Where
- Washington, DC
- Run by
- District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA)
- First-time buyer
- Repeat buyers welcome
- Income limit
- Yes, see below
- Price limit
- Yes, see below
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- Homebuyer education
- Required
How the deferred loan works
A second loan with no interest and no payment. You repay it when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage.
- Interest: 0%
- Monthly payment: None
- When you would repay: Due in full at the earliest of 30 years from closing, sale or any transfer of the home, the home no longer being your principal residence, or refinancing the first mortgage.
Who qualifies
- Repeat buyers welcome. Open to first-time and repeat buyers. You may not own another home at closing if your first mortgage program requires that, but DCHFA itself does not require first-time status.
- Income. Borrower income up to $275,400 (170% of area median income) as shown on the loan application and used to qualify. DCHFA counts the borrower's qualifying income only, not the whole household, and uses one citywide limit regardless of household size (checked 2026-09-23).
- Price. No maximum sales price. The first mortgage is capped at $1,249,125 (checked 2026-09-23).
- Property types: Single-family, Townhouse, Condo, 2-4 units. Must be your primary residence.
- You do not have to live in DC now. Residents and non-residents qualify as long as the home is in the District and becomes your principal residence within 60 days of closing.
- Maximum debt-to-income ratio is 50%. FHA loans are limited to 45% unless your credit score is 680 or higher.
- Homebuyer education is required when every borrower on a conventional loan is a first-time buyer. FHA loans follow FHA rules.
- Manufactured homes and co-op units are not eligible. Condos and 2 to 4 unit properties must meet the investor's guidelines.
- Co-signers are not allowed. Non-occupant co-borrowers may be allowed on conventional loans.
| Area | 1+ people |
|---|---|
| Washington, DC | $275,400 |
How to apply
- 1Pick a lender from DCHFA's participating lender list. DCHFA does not take applications directly, and only these lenders can reserve DC Open Doors funds.
- 2Get pre-approved for a 30-year fixed FHA or conventional first mortgage under the program. Ask for the option with the DPAL if you need help with the down payment.
- 3If you are a first-time buyer on a conventional loan, complete an approved homebuyer education course. The certificate goes in with the loan file.
- 4Find a home in DC, go under contract, and your lender reserves the first mortgage and the DPAL in DCHFA's system. That reservation is your rate lock.
- 5DCHFA wires the DPAL to the title company at closing. Your lender should submit the file at least five business days before settlement.
Watch out for
- The DPAL is not forgiven. It is repaid at sale, transfer, move-out, refinance, or 30 years. Treat it as part of what you owe on the house.
- DCHFA will not subordinate the DPAL when you refinance. To refinance the first mortgage you pay the DPAL off.
- The rate on a DC Open Doors first mortgage is set by DCHFA and posted on its site. The version with the DPAL may carry a higher rate than the version without, so compare both with your lender.
- Funds are first come, first served through participating lenders. The program has been continuously available, but a reservation only holds when the lender locks it.
- The only fee allowed on the DPAL is the cost to record the deed of trust. Your lender can charge up to a 1% origination fee on the first mortgage.
- If you also use HPAP, DCHFA takes third lien position behind the HPAP loan.
My go-to for DC buyers who earn too much for HPAP or who have owned before. No first-time rule, no residency rule, and it covers the minimum down payment.
Straight answers
Do I have to be a first-time buyer or a DC resident?
No to both. DC Open Doors is open to first-time and repeat buyers, and to people who live outside the District today. The home has to be in DC and become your principal residence.
How much down payment help do I get?
The DPAL equals 3% of the sales price on a conventional loan or 3.5% of the sales price on an FHA loan, which matches the minimum down payment for each. It can also go toward closing costs or prepaids. It is a 0% loan with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, move out, or at 30 years.
Whose income counts?
Only the income of the borrowers on the loan, as used to qualify. A partner or roommate who is not on the loan does not count toward the $275,400 limit. That is different from HPAP and HomeAdvantage DC, which count the whole household.
Can I combine DC Open Doors with HPAP?
Yes. DCHFA is one of the HPAP administrators and allows its DPAL to sit in third position behind an HPAP loan. Your lender must be approved for both.
Sources
- DCHFA, DC Open Doors program page (read Sep 23, 2026)
- DCHFA, DC Open Doors Lender Manual (revised February 2026, PDF) (read Sep 23, 2026)
- DCHFA, Loan Disclosure for Down Payment Assistance (DPAL terms, PDF) (read Sep 23, 2026)
- DCHFA, Fees by Program effective 05-26-2026 (PDF) (read Sep 23, 2026)
- DCHFA, Find a Lender (read Sep 23, 2026)
Program details are summarized from public sources and change without notice. Funding badges reflect the last time we checked, not a guarantee of availability. This is buyer education from a real estate agent, not a loan pre-approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is decided by each program administrator and your lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Programs are the easy part. Timing is the hard part.
Most buyers lose assistance on a deadline, not on eligibility. Sean helps you map out the counseling, the lender conversation, and the contract dates so nothing slips.