Washington down payment assistance, from King to Spokane
Choose your Washington county and household: the Commission programs that fit, how much they lend, and your monthly payment with and without them.
Help you may get in Spokane County
$76,000
Covenant Homeownership Program: deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance. 2 programs likely fit, 3 to check.
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 90% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $79,600 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $13,300 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
| Monthly payment, no help | $2,539 |
| Monthly payment, with the help | $2,539 |
| FHA limit · conforming limit | $541,287 · $832,750 |
Programs read on the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (Here to Home) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covenant Homeownership Program | Likely fits | $76,000 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | income, price and buyer fit |
| Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance | Likely fits | $18,335 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | income, price and buyer fit |
| House Key Opportunity DPA | Check with the agency | $15,000 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
| Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA | Check with the agency | $10,000 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
| Veterans Downpayment Assistance Program | Check with the agency | $10,000 | Deferred loan, repaid when you sell or refinance | county income limit not transcribed: 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
In Washington the statewide help comes from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, which markets its programs as Here to Home. The broadest is Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance: 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage at 0% interest, no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance or move out, with a single income cap of $215,000 in every county and no first-time rule. House Key Opportunity lends up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest to first-time buyers, with lower limits by county group. Covenant Homeownership can reach 20% of the price, up to $150,000, for people affected by housing discrimination before 1968 and their descendants. A household of three earning $90,000 buying at $380,000 in Spokane County can draw $76,000, cutting the cash for the down payment from $13,300 to $0. Every Washington loan here is deferred: none is a grant.
The Commission programs and their terms
| Program | Amount | Repayment (agency wording) | First-time only | Min. credit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance | 3%, 4% or 5% of the first-mortgage loan amount at 0% interest | no monthly payments; due when you sell, refinance or transfer, stop living there, or pay off the home (at 30 years or before) | no | open | |
| Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA | up to $10,000 at 1% simple interest, for homes under $250,000 | deferred, due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff | no | open | |
| House Key Opportunity DPA | up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest | deferred, due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff | yes | open | |
| Covenant Homeownership Program | up to 20% of the cost of the home, up to $150,000, plus closing costs | depends | open | ||
| Veterans Downpayment Assistance Program | up to $10,000 at 3% interest | depends | open |
Two features stand out against other states. The main loan has no first-time requirement and a statewide income ceiling high enough for most two-earner households, so it is the default for repeat buyers too. And the interest on the smaller loans is simple, not compounded: $15,000 at 1% for ten years adds about $1,500 to the payoff, not more.
Where Washington prices meet the limits
| County | HUD median (4 people) | HUD 80% limit (3 people) | FHA limit | Conforming limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King County | $164,400 | $105,000 | $1,063,750 | $1,063,750 |
| Snohomish County | $164,400 | $105,000 | $1,063,750 | $1,063,750 |
| Pierce County | $127,300 | $91,700 | $1,063,750 | $1,063,750 |
| Clark County | $128,300 | $92,400 | $701,500 | $832,750 |
| Spokane County | $110,500 | $79,600 | $541,287 | $832,750 |
| Thurston County | $122,800 | $88,450 | $586,500 | $832,750 |
| Whatcom County | $123,300 | $85,850 | $664,700 | $832,750 |
| Kitsap County | $129,600 | $93,350 | $616,400 | $832,750 |
King and Snohomish share one HUD area, which is why House Key and the veterans loan use a higher limit there. Spokane sits at the FHA floor, while the Seattle metro FHA limit is $1,063,750. For a buyer in Seattle the binding limit is often not income but the price: the needs-based loan only applies to homes under $250,000, a rare figure in the metro.
Your Washington county
Help you may get in King County
$140,000
| Your income vs. area median for 3 people | 101% |
| HUD 80% income limit, 3 people | $105,000 |
| Down payment at 3.5% | $24,500 |
| Cash still needed with the help | $0 |
Spokane example
| Program | Result | Amount | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Covenant Homeownership Program | Likely fits | $76,000 | |
| Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance | Likely fits | $18,335 | |
| House Key Opportunity DPA | Check with the agency | $15,000 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
| Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA | Check with the agency | $10,000 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
| Veterans Downpayment Assistance Program | Check with the agency | $10,000 | county income limit not transcribed: see the agency table |
In King County a household of three at $150,000 buying at $700,000 still fits Home Advantage, worth $140,000, because the statewide cap of $215,000 is far above it. House Key is out of reach at that income.
City and regional loans
ARCH (East King County): up to $30,000 at 4% simple interest; price limits $660,000 new / $646,000 existing; 4-person income limit $116,650; buyer contributes 2%. Bellingham DPA: up to $40,000 at 3% simple interest; single-unit price limit $667,850; 4-person income limit $95,350. These local loans can be combined with a Commission first mortgage in their area, and their price limits are close to what a modest home costs there. They are not in the calculator; the Commission page links to each.
Applying in Washington
Every program goes through a lender approved by the Commission, not through the Commission itself. Home Advantage, the needs-based loan and House Key all require a homebuyer education seminar before closing; the Covenant and veterans pages we read do not state it, so ask the lender. Take the seminar before you shop, since its certificate is among the first documents the lender asks for. Then ask for the rate on the Commission first mortgage with and without the assistance: the help itself is the same with every lender, the first loan is priced by each.