# NCHFA NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment Assistance is available up to $15,000

By Pat Price (@patprice) · Published 2026-08-26

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As of April 1, 2023, the [NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment](https://www.nchfa.com/home-buyers/buy-home/nc-1st-home-advantage-down-payment) has increased from $8,000 to $15,000 for qualified home buyers.

**Details on the program through NCHFA:**

-   You are purchasing a home in North Carolina.
    
-   You occupy the home as your principal residence within 60 days of closing.
    
-   Your annual income doesn’t exceed $158,000. Maximum is $132,000 for 1-2 people in household and $158,000 for 3+ in Wake County. [Here is the income lookup tool.](https://www.nchfa.com/home-buyers/income-limits)
    
-   Sales price limit (and loan amount limit) is $525,000.
    
-   Your credit score is 640 or higher.
    
-   Maximum [debt to income ratio](https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-debt-to-income-ratio-en-1791/) is at or under 45%
    
-   You are a legal resident of the United States.
    
-   You are a first-time home buyer or military veteran. A first-time homebuyer is considered someone who hasn’t owned a home in the last three years.
    
-   The down payment help is a 0%, deferred second mortgage, which is forgiven 20% per year at the end of years 11-15, with complete forgiveness at the end of year 15.
    
-   [Interest rates are posted daily here](https://www.nchfa.com/home-buyers/interest-rates)
    

Have more questions or want to get pre-approved? [Click this link to get Pre-Approved](https://movement.com/lo/pat-price)!