Updated 1/23/2026

These programs can only be handled by approved lenders. If you would like help from a local realtor familiar with the programs and lenders, fill out this form here and I will connect you with one.

I've included all of the links and contact info needed to do this on your own, the form is meant to make it easier.

Connect with a DPA team

How Down Payment Assistance Works

I need to give a quick overview of how down payment assistance works. After that, the programs are listed.

With down payment assistance, you'll run into two different types:

  • A grant

  • A loan

A Grant

If we meet the qualifications up front, then it's money that does not need to be repaid.

A Loan

If the down payment assistance comes in the form of a loan, then pay attention to the three different types:

  • Repayable

  • Deferred

  • Forgivable

Repayable is just as most imagine. It charges interest over a certain amount of time, with monthly payments until it's paid off.

Deferred loans usually don't require a monthly payment, and typically don't charge interest. It's due in full when you refinance, sell the home, or when it ceases to be your primary residence.

Forgivable loans will disappear if you meet the criteria, which usually comes down to keeping the home as your primary residence for a specific amount of time.

Okay with that, here are the programs!

Nevada

Home Is Possible (HIP) For First-Time Homebuyers

  • What It Offers: Provides up to 4% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs.

  • Who Qualifies: First-time homebuyers (or those who haven't owned in 3 years) and qualified veterans.

  • Income Limits: Qualifying income must be below $105,000 (varies by county/loan type).

  • Repayment: Terms have been updated for recent cycles; often structured as a 30-year fixed-rate second mortgage (some options may be non-forgivable, unlike previous years).

  • Website: https://homeispossiblenv.org

Home Is Possible for Teachers

  • What It Offers: Provides $7,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance.

  • Who Qualifies: Licensed K-12 public school teachers in Nevada.

  • Repayment: Forgivable after five years of occupancy.

  • Website: https://homeispossiblenv.org

Home At Last™ Program (Nevada Rural Housing)

  • Rural Rocks $20K: Provides $20,000 in assistance for down payment and closing costs.

  • Launchpad: Provides 2%, 3%, 4%, or 5% of the loan amount as assistance.

  • Eligibility: Designed for homebuyers in rural areas (includes most of Nevada except designated parts of Reno, Henderson, and Las Vegas).

  • More Information: https://nvrural.org/programs/homeownership/down-payment-assistance/

Middle-Income Down Payment Assistance Grants

WISH Grant (Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership)

  • Assistance: Provides a 4-to-1 match of up to $30,806 (or $32,000+ depending on the year's limit) for down payment/closing costs.

  • Eligibility: First-time buyers at or below 80% AMI. Administered through member banks (like Greater Nevada Mortgage) usually starting in Spring.

  • https://www.fhlbsf.com/products/community-programs-grants/wish

Washoe County (Reno & Sparks)

  • Assistance: Often administered via partners like the Rural Nevada Development Corporation (RNDC), providing deferred loans (e.g., up to $30,000) for income-eligible buyers in the region.

  • Eligibility: Low-income first-time homebuyers.

  • Website: https://rndcnv.org/down-payment-assistance/

Updated 1/23/2026

These programs can only be handled by approved lenders. If you would like help from a local realtor familiar with the programs and lenders, fill out this form here and I will connect you with one.

I've included all of the links and contact info needed to do this on your own, the form is meant to make it easier.