Pennsylvania down payment assistance with PHFA
Choose your Pennsylvania county, income and price: what K-FIT and Keystone Advantage would lend, the monthly cost, and the cash still needed.
Help you may get in Philadelphia County
$14,000
PHFA K-FIT (Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years): forgivable loan, 10 years. 0 programs likely fit, 2 to check.
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 72% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $88,350 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $9,800 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
| Monthly payment, no help | $1,871 |
| Monthly payment, with the help | $1,871 |
| FHA limit · conforming limit | $630,200 · $832,750 |
Programs read on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) pages; HUD FY 2026 limits; payment = principal and interest over 30 years at 7.4% (Freddie Mac, October 15, 2026). The approved lender confirms eligibility.
| Program | Fit | Amount | Form | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHFA K-FIT (Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years) | Check with the agency | $14,000 | Forgivable loan, 10 years | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table; price limit by county: see the agency table |
| PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan | Check with the agency | $6,000 | Monthly-payment loan, 10 years at 0% | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table; price limit by county: see the agency table |
Prepared by Radif Partners · Method · updated: HUD 2026 limits effective May 1, 2026 · Freddie Mac rate of October 15, 2026 · programs read on October 21, 2026
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) offers two kinds of help. K-FIT, short for Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years, pays 5% of the lesser of the price or appraised value, with no dollar cap, as a second loan with no payment that is forgiven 10% a year over ten years. It goes with a PHFA first mortgage, whose first-time rule it follows: the Keystone Home Loan requires that you have not owned a main residence in three years. The Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan pays 4% of the price or $6,000, whichever is less, at 0% interest, repaid monthly over ten years, with any first mortgage type and no first-time rule, but liquid assets capped at $50,000 after closing. Both ask for a 660 credit score and a homebuyer course. In Philadelphia, a household of three earning $80,000 buying at $280,000 could get $14,000 from K-FIT, more than the $9,800 FHA minimum down payment.
PHFA's two programs
| Program | Amount | Repayment (agency wording) | First-time only | Min. credit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHFA K-FIT (Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years) | 5% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value, no maximum dollar limit | forgiven 10% a year over ten years; no monthly payment | depends | 660 | open |
| PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan | 4% of the purchase price or market value, or $6,000, whichever is less | second mortgage at 0% interest repaid monthly over ten years | no | 660 | open |
K-FIT is the larger and cheaper of the two: 5% of the price is more than the FHA minimum down payment, so it reaches into closing costs, and it costs nothing if you stay ten years. Its catch is the first mortgage: the rate of a PHFA loan carrying K-FIT is set by the agency and is not always the lowest available. Keystone Advantage is a modest loan that any first mortgage can carry; its cap of $6,000 is reached at a price of $150,000. PHFA's site refuses scripted connections; the terms come from the indexed text of its official pages.
Pennsylvania's counties
| County | HUD median (4 people) | HUD 80% limit (3 people) | FHA limit | Conforming limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | $122,700 | $88,350 | $630,200 | $832,750 |
| Allegheny County | $110,400 | $79,500 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Montgomery County | $122,700 | $88,350 | $630,200 | $832,750 |
| Bucks County | $122,700 | $88,350 | $630,200 | $832,750 |
| Delaware County | $122,700 | $88,350 | $630,200 | $832,750 |
| Chester County | $122,700 | $88,350 | $630,200 | $832,750 |
| Lancaster County | $109,200 | $78,650 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| York County | $105,900 | $76,250 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Berks County | $102,100 | $73,550 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Lehigh County | $104,400 | $75,150 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Dauphin County | $109,300 | $78,750 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Erie County | $88,600 | $63,850 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
The Philadelphia area counties share a HUD median of $122,700 and an FHA limit of $630,200; Allegheny, home to Pittsburgh, is at $110,400 and the floor; Lancaster at $109,200. PHFA's income and purchase price limits, in Appendix A of its seller's guide, vary by county; we link them, and the calculator marks them to confirm.
Your Pennsylvania county
Help you may get in Allegheny County
$11,500
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 75% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $79,500 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $8,050 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
Philadelphia, worked through
| Program | Result | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHFA K-FIT (Keystone Forgivable in Ten Years) | Check with the agency | $14,000 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table; price limit by county: see the agency table |
| PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan | Check with the agency | $6,000 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table; price limit by county: see the agency table |
K-FIT leaves $4,200 after the down payment for closing costs. Keystone Advantage at $6,000 covers most of the down payment and adds about $50 a month for ten years. In Allegheny County, at $230,000, K-FIT is $11,500 and the FHA minimum $8,050.
The asset rule of Keystone Advantage deserves a look before you apply: liquid assets above $50,000 left after closing rule it out, which can surprise buyers who sold stock or received an inheritance. K-FIT's forgiveness, on the other hand, rewards time in the home, so a buyer expecting a job move within three or four years should count the balance that would still be owed.
Applying in Pennsylvania
PHFA works through participating lenders and requires homebuyer education before closing. The credit floor of 660 is higher than in most states on this site, so check your score before you shop. Philadelphia and several counties add their own grants, which PHFA lenders often combine with Keystone loans; ask the lender which ones it handles for your address, and get the K-FIT quote side by side with a plain FHA quote.