Massachusetts first-time home buyer programs
MassHousing lists 4 programs that help buyers in Massachusetts with the down payment or closing costs. Amounts and terms are shown as the agency publishes them.
- Programs from the agency
- 4
- Biggest amount listed
- $30,000
- First-time buyers only
- 3 of 4 programs
- Income caps
- 60% to 135% of area median
Down payment assistance programs in Massachusetts
| Program | Amount | Grant or loan | Income limit | First-time buyers only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down Payment Assistance (DPA Option 1). With a MassHousing Mortgage loan; homebuyer course. | Up to $30,000 | Deferred loan: 0% loan. You repay all of it when you sell, refinance or pay off your main home loan. | Your income can be up to 60% of the area median income (AMI). | Yes |
| Down Payment Assistance (DPA Option 2). With an affordable MassHousing Mortgage loan (Conventional or FHA); homebuyer course. | Up to $25,000 | Repayable loan: 2% loan paid monthly over 15 years. If you sell or refinance, what is left is due at once. | Your income can be up to 80% of area median income (AMI). | Yes |
| Down Payment Assistance (Option 3 DPA). With a MassHousing Mortgage loan; homebuyer course. | Up to $25,000 | Repayable loan: Monthly payments over 15 years at 3%. What is left is due if you sell, refinance or pay off your main home loan. | Your income must be between 80% and 135% of area median income (AMI). | Yes |
| $2,500 Closing Credit for Veterans and Service Members. Only for Members of the National Guard or Reserves, active-duty military, veterans, or Gold Star Families. | Up to $2,500 | Grant | Ask the agency | No |
Usually, "first-time buyers only" means you haven't owned a home during the past three years, though every program sets a rule of its own. The name of each program links to a MassHousing page that says whether applications are open right now. The agency also maintains its own list of participating lenders. Compare down payment assistance programs across all states, or ask a lender that works with Massachusetts's programs.
How do you repay Massachusetts's programs?
- Deferred loan: nothing to pay each month, but the full amount comes due when you sell, refinance or pay the first mortgage off.
- Repayable loan: a small second mortgage you pay back monthly, usually along with your first mortgage payment.
- Grant: money you never pay back, used for the down payment or closing costs.
How does your income compare with Massachusetts's caps?
Every program has its own income cap, which the table shows, and the exact chart is on that program's agency page. Use the HUD income limits lookup (FY2026) to find the figure for your county and household size. If a program relies on its own county chart or Freddie Mac's, the result can differ from HUD's number, and the agency's chart decides.
Talk to a lender that works with Massachusetts programs
These programs are paid out through the agency's approved lenders, so the lender is your next step. Tell us where you're buying and a lender that works with Massachusetts's programs can explain which ones fit you.
Rather not call? Send your details and the lender will reach you.
Are you buying near a state border?
Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont or programs for all 50 states plus DC.