Futures Home Assistance Program
Loan Assistance Programs Canceled in 2008
Elimination of Nonprofit Down Payment Assistance: On July 30, 2008, President Bush signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 which prohibits seller-funded DPA (Down Payment Assistance) for loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Prior to this bill, the seller could contribute up to 6% to the buyer to cover either a down payment or closing costs on an FHA loan. The changes took effect on Oct. 1, 2008. We provide this information for reference only. These grants are no longer available.
NEW: Down Payment Assistance Programs for 2024
Futures Home Assistance is a non-profit charity group offering a free down payment gift up to 6% of the closing costs of a home purchased with an FHA loan. The mission statement of Futures Home Assistance includes the belief that people who dream of owning a home should not be hindered because of a lack of down payment funds.
The application process for the Futures Home Assistance program is similar to many other charity groups offering down payment assistance:
- Apply for an FHA home loan or pre-approval for an FHA loan.
- Find a home and make an offer.
- The seller must agree to participate in the Futures Home Assistance program.
- Once the offer is approved, contact your loan officer.
- Your loan officer applies on your behalf for the Futures Home Assistance down payment assistance.
For those with approved FHA home loans, Futures Home Assistance usually responds to your loan officer's request within 24 hours. Once you are notified of approval your loan officer will tell you how long until your down payment gift funds are available. In some cases, more than the standard 6% down payment assistance amount may be available. Ask your loan officer whether you are eligible to receive more than 6% through this program.
Down payment assistance programs generally require the seller to pay a fee to participate. This fee is considered a payment for services rendered and not a tax-deductible charitable contribution.
Since this program is no longer available, we recommend that you get pre-approved for a low down payment FHA home loan.
Discontinued Down Payment Grant Programs:
SEE YOUR CREDIT SCORES From All 3 Bureaus
Do you know what's on your credit report?
Learn what your score means.
FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
April 24, 2024 - Finding or building your dream home means paying attention to many important details. Is the house you want large enough to live in for 5 to 10 years without outgrowing it? Is your house close enough to essential services like child care or school?
April 21, 2024 - Are home loans riskier in 2024 due to elevated potential for scams and fraud? Fraud prevention company Funding Shield reports high fraud vulnerability in roughly half of all portfolio loans, including residential mortgages, in the first three months of 2024.
April 19, 2024 - We write about many details of FHA home loans, and if you are on the path to homeownership for the first time, it helps to know some of the facts and fiction surrounding these home loans before you start looking for a home, a lender, or applying for pre-qualification.
April 17, 2024 - There is plenty of bad information about home loans in general and FHA loans specifically. You may encounter some of these in the wild when searching for a lender and a home to buy with an FHA mortgage.
April 16, 2024 - Home loans have many similar features. They require down payments, have appraisal standards, and may have rules on how you can use the property you buy. How do home loans compare to one another? We examine some of the major issues in this article.