Although there are hundreds of millions of dollars available for down payment assistance, 70 percent of U.S. adults are unaware of these programs for middle-income home buyers in their community, according to findings from the second annual America at Home survey commissioned by NeighborWorks America.
NeighborWorks organizations provided 6,000 people with more than $100 million in such assistance last year, and expect to make even more available this year.
Down payment assistance is especially helpful for home buyers who are unsure about affordability because of student loan debt.
The California Association of REALTORS® (C.A.R.) offers a resource to help buyers find down payment assistance programs. In California alone, there are more than 300 homeownership programs available, including direct down payment and closing costs assistance as well as mortgage credits of up to $2,000 for the life of the loan. See if you qualify for one of these down payment assistance programs at downpayment.car.