Loudoun County Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Purchase Program

At a glance

Amount

New and resale townhomes and condos sold at county-regulated prices to first-time buyers between 30% and 70% of area median income

Type of help

Other help

Where

Loudoun County

Run by

Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development

First-time buyer

First-time buyers, with exceptions

Income limit

Yes, see below

Price limit

Yes, see below

Homebuyer education

Required

How the other help works

A special purchase path, discount, or loan type that lowers what you need at closing.

• Monthly payment: Yes

Who qualifies

• First-time buyers, with exceptions. No ownership interest in a home or land anywhere in the last 3 years, including co-signing or inheriting. Exceptions: displaced homemakers who lost a home through divorce or a spouse's death, and buyers 55 and over purchasing in an age-restricted community.
• Income. Total household income must be more than 30% and less than 70% of area median income for your household size. Using Loudoun's July 2026 income guidelines, that is $34,900 to $81,450 for 1 person, $39,900 to $93,050 for 2, $44,900 to $104,700 for 3, $49,850 to $116,300 for 4, $53,850 to $125,650 for 5, $57,850 to $134,950 for 6. Income of everyone 18 and over counts, except full-time student dependents.
• Price. Prices are set unit by unit under the county's ADU pricing methodology. There is no buyer-side price cap; you must be pre-approved for at least the ADU sales price.
• Property types: Townhouse, Condo. Must be your primary residence.
• A lender pre-approval is required at application. Loudoun's DPCC forgivable loan can be used to buy an ADU.
• Applicants are placed on a waitlist by priority. Priority 1: you live in Loudoun and at least one applicant works in Loudoun. Priority 2: at least one applicant works in Loudoun. Priority 3: you live in Loudoun. Priority 4: neither.
• Certificates of eligibility last 16 months and can be renewed. You must report household changes while on the list.
• Virginia Housing's homebuyer education certificate is required at your intake session.
• Available units are posted on the county sales site. Certificate holders are not notified individually and must watch the listings. New units open to Priority 1 for 48 hours, then each lower priority in turn.
• If you use a real estate agent, the county needs a copy of your buyer representation agreement before you write a contract.

How to apply

1. 1Complete the ADU Purchase Self-Screening Questionnaire on the county page to confirm income, first-time status, and legal presence.
2. 2Complete Virginia Housing's free homebuyer education class.
3. 3Get a mortgage pre-approval from a lender.
4. 4Gather the documents on the ADU Purchase Checklist, submit the online application, and mail hard copies within 10 days. The application portal is moving to Neighborly; the county expects it to close in mid-October 2026 for about 13 days and reopen in early November 2026.
5. 5Attend the intake session, receive your certificate of eligibility, and take your place on the waitlist by priority and date.
6. 6Watch the county's ADU sales listings. When a unit you can afford is posted, respond within the 48-hour window for your priority group and work with the builder or seller under the county's ADU sales contract addendum.

Watch out for

• Wait times are long. The county reports roughly 3 to 4 years for Priority 1 households as of 2026-09-23. Lower priorities wait longer.
• Resale is capped for 15 years by a CPI-based formula. You build equity slowly and cannot sell at market until the control period ends.
• The 30% floor matters. A household below 30% of AMI does not qualify, and income is re-verified at certificate renewal and again before contract.
• Builder options added to an ADU beyond $10,000 are handled outside the controlled price and can raise your cash needs. Read the addendum.
• Application intake pauses in October and November 2026 during the software change. Do not wait until then to start.

Straight answers

Sources

• Loudoun County ADU Purchase Program page (priorities, wait times, application steps, Neighborly transition) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Loudoun County ADU Purchase Program Standard Operating Procedures (Last Updated 2025-03-17) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Loudoun County ADU Purchase Program 2025 Income Eligibility Limits and Requirements (PDF) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Loudoun County Income Guidelines for Housing Programs (updated July 2026) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Loudoun County Affordable Dwelling Unit Program overview (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.