Citi Lender Paid Assistance and HomeRun Mortgage
Lender credit up to $7,500 toward closing costs, including points, on a Citi purchase mortgage
Citi's Lender Paid Assistance is a non-repayable lender credit of up to $7,500. It is applied first to eligible non-recurring closing costs, and any remainder can be used to buy down your rate. It cannot pay any part of the down payment, interim interest, or escrow prepaids, you cannot receive cash back, and it cannot be combined with any other Citi incentive, offer, or promotion. It is offered only on purchases of a primary residence in markets with Citibank branches, plus specific census tracts in a handful of other metro areas. It often pairs with Citi's HomeRun mortgage, which allows 3% down with no mortgage insurance.
Funding was available the last time we checked.
Last verified Nov 2, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- Lender credit up to $7,500 toward closing costs, including points, on a Citi purchase mortgage
- Type of help
- Grant
- Where
- Nationwide
- Run by
- Citibank, N.A., Mortgage
- First-time buyer
- Repeat buyers welcome
- Income limit
- Yes, see below
- Homebuyer education
- Not required
How the grant works
Money you do not pay back, as long as you meet the program's stay-in-the-home terms.
- Monthly payment: None
Who qualifies
- Repeat buyers welcome.
- Income. Citi says property, income, and other eligibility requirements apply to the credit. For HomeRun, Citi's mortgage site says you may be eligible if the property is in a Citi-identified region or your income is no more than 20% above the area median income, with a loan limit of $832,750 in most regions and up to $1,249,125 in higher-cost areas (checked 2026-10-21). Ask Citi for the caps for the property's location.
- Property types: Primary residence financed with a Citi purchase mortgage. Must be your primary residence.
- You must get the mortgage from Citi. The credit is for purchase transactions only.
- Available in markets with Citibank branches, which includes the Washington area, and in specific census tracts in the Atlanta, Austin, Cambridge, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Philadelphia metro areas.
- The credit cannot be combined with any other Citi incentive, offer, or promotion.
How to apply
- 1Ask a Citi mortgage representative whether the property qualifies for Lender Paid Assistance and for HomeRun, and what the income limit is for that location. Sean does not steer buyers to any lender; this is only the path if you choose this bank.
- 2Get pre-approved and have Citi show the credit on your Loan Estimate, applied first to eligible closing costs and then to points.
- 3Line up your down payment separately. The credit cannot be used for it.
- 4Compare the Citi package, including any HomeRun no-PMI savings, against another lender's quote before you commit.
Watch out for
- The credit is closing costs only. If your closing costs are less than $7,500, the rest goes to discount points, not to your down payment or your pocket.
- Citi's branch footprint drives eligibility. Confirm the specific address, since the bank's rules also add income and property requirements.
- You cannot stack this credit with other Citi promotions, though it can sit alongside outside down payment assistance if the loan product allows.
- Citi's Lender Paid Assistance page did not load fully when we checked on 2026-10-21, so we relied on the disclosures on Citi's purchase rates page and its Mortgage.com HomeRun page. Confirm every number with Citi in writing.
Closing cost credits like this one pair well with a state or county program that covers the down payment. If Citi is on your short list, ask for the credit and HomeRun in the same conversation.
Straight answers
Can the credit go toward my down payment?
No. Citi limits Lender Paid Assistance to non-recurring closing costs and discount points. The down payment has to come from your funds, gifts, or a separate assistance program.
Is the Washington area eligible?
Citi offers the credit in markets where it has branches, and the Washington area has Citibank branches. Income, property, and other requirements still apply, so confirm the specific home with Citi.
What is HomeRun?
Citi's HomeRun mortgage allows as little as 3% down with no private mortgage insurance in Citi-identified regions, subject to income limits. It is often paired with the Lender Paid Assistance credit.
Sources
- Citi, Closing Cost Assistance (Lender Paid Assistance) (read Sep 23, 2026)
- Citi, HomeRun Mortgages (read Sep 23, 2026)
- Mortgage.com (Citi), Citi HomeRun Mortgage Loans (read Oct 21, 2026)
- Citi, Purchase Mortgage Rates (Lender Paid Assistance and HomeRun disclosures) (read Oct 21, 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.