Washington offers at least eight down payment assistance programs, and the single most common reason buyers don't use them is the assumption that they earn too much to qualify. The statewide Home Advantage program's income limit is $215,000. East King County runs its own program worth up to $30,000. A first-time buyer in Bellevue earning $150,000 is comfortably inside the limits on several of these.
Most of these are 0% or 1% interest loans with payment deferred until you sell, refinance or pay off the home — not grants, but not a monthly obligation either. Below is every major program with the actual numbers.
Every Washington down payment assistance program in 2026
| Program | What you get | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Home Advantage DPA | 3%, 4% or 5% of your first mortgage, at 0% | Income up to $215,000 statewide; homebuyer education class |
| Home Advantage Needs-Based | Up to $10,000 at 1% simple | Income up to $164,400 in King/Snohomish; needs assessment plus education class |
| House Key Opportunity | Up to $15,000 at 1% simple | Income $67,450–$116,650 by county and household size; first-time buyer or Target Area purchase |
| Covenant Homeownership | Up to 20% of price (max $150,000) plus closing costs, at 0% | Income up to 120% of area median; see eligibility below |
| HomeChoice | Up to $15,000; confirm the rate with your lender | Income up to $164,400 in King/Snohomish; borrower or household member with a disability |
| Veterans DPA | Up to $10,000 at 3% | Income up to $164,400 in King/Snohomish; honorably discharged veteran |
| ARCH (East King County) | Up to $30,000 at 4% simple | Income $81,700–$154,000 by household size; ARCH member city; 2% borrower contribution |
| Bellingham DPA | Up to $40,000 at 3% simple | Income $66,720–$125,850 by household size; Bellingham city limits; first-time buyer |
Every one of these is a second mortgage behind your primary loan. You don't make monthly payments on it. It comes due when you sell, refinance or pay off the house.
The one most Eastside buyers should look at first
ARCH — A Regional Coalition for Housing — serves East King County member cities including Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond. It offers up to $30,000, the largest amount available in this area outside the Covenant program.
The terms: 4% simple interest, payment deferred until you sell or refinance, income limits between $81,700 and $154,000 depending on household size. You'll need a homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling, and a 2% contribution from your own funds.
The catch worth knowing up front is that ARCH programs are tied to specific properties and price caps, not just to buyers. Confirm with ARCH directly which cities and which price points are currently eligible before you build a search around it.
What is the Covenant Homeownership Program?
Covenant is Washington's largest assistance program by dollar amount — up to 20% of the purchase price, capped at $150,000, plus closing costs, at 0% interest with payment deferred. Loan forgiveness may become available after five years for qualifying households.
It was created to address the effects of racially restrictive covenants and discriminatory lending that operated in Washington before 1968. Eligibility requires all of the following:
- You, a parent or a grandparent lived in Washington state before 1968
- That person is Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or a member of another group identified in the state's Covenant study
- Both you and your spouse, if applicable, are first-time buyers — generally meaning no home ownership in the past three years, with specific exceptions
- Household income is at or below 120% of the area median income for the county where you're buying
The process changed in April 2026. You now work with a Commission-trained lender, submit your full documentation package up front — pre-approval, family history documentation, homebuyer education certificate — and wait for written authorization from the Commission before going under contract. Going under contract first can disqualify the purchase.
If you think you may qualify, start this months before you plan to buy, not weeks. The Washington Homeownership Resource Center hotline is 877-894-4663.
How do these programs work with a regular mortgage?
Down payment assistance sits behind a primary mortgage — usually an FHA, VA, USDA or conventional loan originated through a participating lender. You can't get the assistance on its own.
The sequence:
- Take a homebuyer education class. Nearly every program requires one. The Commission-sponsored class is free and available online. Do this first, because the certificate is a prerequisite for everything else.
- Find a participating lender. Not every lender is approved for every program, and this is where most buyers lose time. Ask specifically which programs a lender is approved to originate before you start.
- Get pre-approved with the assistance layered in. Your pre-approval letter should reflect the program, so sellers see a complete picture.
- Confirm the property qualifies. Some programs carry purchase price caps, occupancy requirements, or property type restrictions. A Bellevue condo with high HOA dues may not work under a program that a Bothell townhome would.
Do these programs make me a weaker buyer?
This is the real question, and the honest answer is: sometimes, and it's manageable.
In a market where Bellevue homes are selling in about eight days, sellers weigh certainty heavily. An offer with layered financing can read as more complicated than one without. Two things reduce that friction:
Get fully underwritten, not just pre-qualified. An underwritten pre-approval with the assistance already incorporated removes most of the doubt.
Have your agent call the listing agent before you write. A ninety-second conversation explaining that the financing is already approved does more than any wording in the offer itself.
The alternative — waiting three more years to save another $30,000 while prices and rates move — is not obviously the safer choice. Run both scenarios before you assume waiting wins.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for down payment assistance in Washington? It varies by program. The Home Advantage program's limit is $215,000 statewide, which is the highest. Needs-based programs are lower — $164,400 in King and Snohomish counties for several of them, and $67,450–$116,650 for House Key Opportunity depending on county and household size. Most buyers who assume they earn too much have only looked at the needs-based figures.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer? For some programs, yes. Home Advantage does not require first-time buyer status; House Key Opportunity and Covenant do. "First-time buyer" generally means you haven't owned a home in the past three years, and there are specific exceptions for displaced homemakers and some single-parent households.
Is down payment assistance a grant or a loan? In Washington, these are almost always loans — second mortgages at 0% to 4% interest with payment deferred until you sell, refinance or pay off the home. You will owe the money back. The Covenant program is the exception where forgiveness may become available after five years for qualifying households.
Can I use down payment assistance on a condo? Usually, but the condo project itself has to be approved by your primary loan program, and some assistance programs carry price caps or property restrictions. Check the specific building before you get attached to it — condo project approval is a common late-stage surprise.
How long does the process take? Plan for the education class and lender selection to add two to four weeks before you start shopping. The Covenant program requires written authorization before you go under contract, which adds more. Start the paperwork months ahead of when you want to buy.
Where do I apply? Through a participating lender, not directly with the state. The Washington Homeownership Resource Center hotline — 877-894-4663 — can point you to trained lenders, and WSHFC publishes current program terms at heretohome.org.
We'll help you figure out which ones you actually qualify for
Eight programs with different income limits, different repayment terms and different property restrictions is a lot to sort through alone — and the answer changes depending on which city you're buying in.
We work with lenders across the Eastside who originate these programs regularly. Tell us your situation and we'll tell you honestly whether assistance is worth pursuing in your case or whether it's more friction than benefit.
Schedule a buyer consultation →
Tribeca NW Real Estate serves buyers and sellers across Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Bothell and the greater Seattle metro. 1,675 homes closed and $1B+ in transaction volume. 500+ five-star Google reviews and 375+ five-star Zillow reviews.
This article is general information, not lending or legal advice. Program terms, amounts and income limits change. Confirm current details with a participating lender or the Washington State Housing Finance Commission before making decisions.
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