With paying rent every month, how in the world could I ever save money for a down payment on my first home? I've read that coming up with the money for a conventional down payment, which is 20% of the purchase price, is the largest hurdle for first time home buyers (myself included!) Fortunately, I found that there is help available in the form of down payment assistance. Many states and counties have set up agencies to provide special programs to help potential 1st time buyers overcome the obstacles in buying their first house. At the top of that list is down payment assistance.

Many states offer outright cash grants for the down payment, while others will provide a low or zero interest loan to cover the down payment. Some of those loans will automatically convert into grants and never have to be repaid if you live in the home for a length of time. This is typically 5 years. That's not bad at all! If a state agency is going to give me 15 grand for a down payment, I'll live in the home for 5 years so that I don't have to pay the money back. That seems like a great deal in my book.

After a short while searching, I found information in each state which has contact details for obtaining down payment assistance. In most instances, these down payment assistance programs make it possible for first time home buyers to afford a mortgage when they would not be able to do so the conventional way. In many states, the programs provide substantial or even total down payment assistance. Without these programs, tens of thousands of people who get first time home buyer loans annually would not be able to do so.