Buying a first home in Greensboro often comes with the same quiet question: Is there help with the down payment—and how do I actually use it?
Housing Connect GSO is the City of Greensboro’s homebuyer down payment assistance program. It is designed for eligible buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence inside Greensboro city limits. This article is a plain-language walkthrough—not a credit decision, not a funds guarantee, and not a promise that every buyer will qualify.
Jill Burgess, VP NC Mortgage Production Manager at Ameris Bank (Mortgages By Jill), works with Triad first-time buyers every week. She appears on Housing Consultants Group’s public Participating Lender List for City of Greensboro / High Point homebuyer assistance—the certification path buyers commonly use with Housing Connect. Lender lists and certifications renew, so it is wise to confirm the current list before you shop.
Learn more on her Housing Connect page: Housing Connect Greensboro — https://www.mortgagesbyjill.com/housing-connect-greensboro
What Housing Connect is (and is not)
At a high level, Housing Connect helps qualifying buyers with down payment assistance when they meet city rules. Program materials have described tiers that can include low-to-moderate income buyers, Public Service Heroes, and #100Homes. Tier names, income limits, and assistance amounts are set by the City of Greensboro and can change.
Soft note on dollars: Do not rely on blog figures or old social posts for Housing Connect amounts. Confirm current assistance amounts and income limits with the City and with your loan officer before you build a budget around any number.
Official city program page (always the source of truth for amounts and rules): https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/housing-neighborhood-development/housing-services/homeowners-renters/housing-connect-gso/homebuyer-down-payment-assistance-program
Who may be in the right ballpark
You may be a good fit to explore Housing Connect if:
• You meet the city’s first-time / “haven’t owned recently” rule (commonly described as a 3-year lookback—confirm the exact definition for your situation)
• The home will be your primary residence
• The property is within Greensboro city limits
• You complete required HUD-approved homebuyer education
• You work with a Greensboro-approved / participating lender
• You meet income, credit, and other city requirements for the tier you apply under
This is educational only. Final approval rests with the City and lender underwriting.
The practical path: education, lender, then shopping
Most Housing Connect buyers follow a sequence that looks like this:
Homebuyer education. The city requires HUD-approved education. Housing Consultants Group is named in program materials. Confirm current class options and contacts directly with the education provider before you register.
Participating lender. Housing Connect requires an approved / participating lender. Jill Burgess at Ameris Bank is listed on HCG’s public Participating Lender List—ask her to confirm the live list for your timeline, because certifications update.
Pre-approval. A clear pre-approval helps you understand budget, which assistance paths may fit, and what to tell your realtor before you write offers.
Shop inside city limits. Housing Connect is tied to Greensboro city limits. City materials have also named redevelopment / reinvestment neighborhoods in connection with the program (lists can change)—examples historically include Dudley Heights, Eastside Park, Glenwood, Kings Forest, Mill District, Ole Asheboro, Random Woods, and Willow Oaks. Verify any neighborhood-related benefits on the current city page.
Closing coordination. Your lender and the city coordinate documentation; assistance is typically applied at closing per city rules. Timing and funds availability can vary.
City help and state help—sometimes both
Many Greensboro first-time buyers also ask about North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) options such as NC Home Advantage / NC 1st Home Advantage. In some cases, city and state assistance can work together when each program’s rules are met. Stacking is not automatic and is not guaranteed. Jill’s role is to map what may fit your file against current guidelines—without overselling.
More first-time buyer context: First-time home buyers — https://www.mortgagesbyjill.com/first-time-home-buyers and NC Home Advantage — https://www.mortgagesbyjill.com/nc-home-advantage-mortgage
Why a local loan officer matters here
City DPA programs reward careful sequencing. Education before shopping. An approved lender before you assume assistance will be there. Property and occupancy rules before you fall in love with a house outside city limits.
Jill Burgess works from Winston-Salem (main office) with Greensboro appointments available, and she was named a 2025 NCHFA Top Loan Officer (“Burgess, Jill Ameris Bank on NCHFA’s lender awards page). Awards do not replace underwriting—but they do signal day-to-day work with North Carolina homebuyer programs.
FAQ
Do I have to take a class for Housing Connect?
Yes. The city requires HUD-approved homebuyer education. Confirm current providers and schedules before you register.
Do I have to use an approved lender?
Yes. Housing Connect requires a Greensboro-approved / HCG-participating lender. Jill Burgess (Ameris Bank) appears on HCG’s public Participating Lender Listconfirm the current list before you shop.
How much down payment help does Housing Connect give?
Amounts and income limits are set by the City of Greensboro. Confirm with the city and with Jill before relying on any figure.
Can I use Housing Connect and NC 1st Home Advantage together?
Sometimes, when both programs’ rules are met. Stacking depends on current guidelines; Jill will check your file against both.
Does the home have to be in Greensboro?
Yes—primary residence within Greensboro city limits for Housing Connect.
If you are a first-time buyer exploring Housing Connect in Greensboro, start with a calm conversation—education steps, participating-lender status, and what to confirm with the city before you shop: Housing Connect Greensboro — https://www.mortgagesbyjill.com/housing-connect-greensboro
Jill Burgess | NMLS #100425 | Ameris Bank | Equal Housing Lender. This article is general information only—not a commitment to lend, not a credit decision, and not a guarantee of program approval or funds. All loans subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Housing Connect amounts, tiers, and lender lists can change; confirm current terms with the City of Greensboro and your loan officer.
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