First-time home buyer programs in Farmington Hills, Michigan — down payment assistance

Farmington Hills Down Payment Assistance

First-Time Home Buyer Programs & Down Payment Assistance in Farmington Hills, Michigan

A Farmington Hills, MI buyer using the first-time home buyer programs on this page can cover the FHA minimum down payment with assistance — a grant with nothing to repay — and, on the larger option, closing costs and prepaids as well, at credit floors that start in the low six hundreds and with no income limit on the second-lien options.

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Current Program Snapshot

Current down payment assistance guidelines, updated from one source.

The current program figures below are refreshed from Lendmire’s down payment assistance standards source at each visit, so the options shown for Farmington Hills, MI are the options in force.

Down Payment Help

Up to 5%

Of the purchase price

The largest option is a repayable second lien that covers your down payment and can reach closing costs and prepaids too; the smaller options cover the 3.5% FHA minimum down payment, in whole or, on the lowest tier, in part.

Nothing to Repay

3.5%

Covers the FHA down payment, in whole or in part

The FHA minimum down payment is 3.5%, and this option covers it in whole or, on its lower tier, in part with nothing to pay back — no lien, no payment, no interest — for buyers at or below the area income limit or in a qualifying category.

Income Limit

None

On the forgivable and repayable options

Most of the options carry no income limit, so a higher-earning household qualifies the same as anyone else; only the nothing-to-repay option looks at income, at 140% of the area median, or at a qualifying category.

Credit

620

Credit score to start

The score that opens the nothing-to-repay option; the forgivable options start a step higher and the repayable options higher still. Two-borrower files may use a blended score on the second-lien options.

Assistance options offered in Michigan — how much, what it costs to carry, and the credit it takes
Option	Assistance	What you repay	Credit · mortgage · units
Grant-style assistance — nothing to repay	2% or 3.5% of the price	Nothing — released at closing	620+ · FHA 203(b), FHA repair escrow, FHA Limited 203(k), FHA Standard 203(k) · 1–4 units
Forgivable second lien — three-year	3.5% of the price	Nothing after 36 on-time mortgage payments	640+ · FHA 203(b), FHA Limited 203(k), HUD-184, USDA · 1–2 units
Forgivable second lien — five-year	3.5% of the price	Nothing after 60 on-time mortgage payments	640+ · FHA 203(b), FHA Limited 203(k), HUD-184, USDA · 1–2 units
Repayable second lien — thirty-year amortization, ten-year balloon	3.5% or 5% of the price	Second lien, 30-year amortization, balloon in year 10	660+ · FHA 203(b), FHA Limited 203(k), HUD-184, USDA · 1–2 units
Closing-cost repayable second lien	3.5% or 5% of the price	Second lien, 30-year amortization, balloon in year 10	660+ · FHA 203(b) · 1–2 units
Refinance-cost second lien (repayable)	1% to 3.5% of the balance	Second lien, repaid	660+ · FHA 203(b) · 1–4 units

Current down payment assistance snapshot · updated September 7, 2026 · six options offered in Michigan · no option requires a first-time buyer · no option combines with another assistance program · owner-occupied primary residences only.

Program Notice

Nothing on this page is a Loan Estimate, an approval, a quote, or a commitment to lend. Down payment assistance eligibility, amounts, and terms depend on the first-lien program, the option, the property, the buyer’s credit and category, and full underwriting through select wholesale lenders licensed in sixteen states; the calculator’s rate is an editable benchmark and its payment an estimate. Lendmire is a mortgage broker and is never the lender, and is not affiliated with or acting on behalf of FHA, VA, USDA, HUD, or the federal government. Lendmire, LLC — NMLS #2371349. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Farmington Hills Down Payment Assistance Guide

What down payment assistance is — and how the options differ.

For Farmington Hills, MI buyers, the first-time home buyer programs come down to three parts: the first lien carries most of the price, the assistance covers the minimum investment, and the shape of the assistance — nothing to repay, forgivable, or repayable — decides what it costs to carry.

For the program overview, see Lendmire’s down payment assistance program, or the statewide guide at Down Payment Assistance in Michigan.

01.

Assistance covers the FHA down payment

In Farmington Hills, MI, the assistance attaches to the first lien at closing and covers the buyer’s required investment; on the larger option, what remains after the minimum investment goes toward closing costs.

02.

Four shapes: grant, forgivable, repayable, refinance

Nothing to repay, forgiven over time, or repaid with a balloon: the three purchase shapes in Farmington Hills, MI cover the same minimum investment and differ in what the buyer owes afterward, and a fourth, the refinance-cost option, serves an existing FHA loan.

03.

Credit floors, mortgage programs, and unit counts

A Farmington Hills file is placed by three things — the credit tier, the first-lien program, and the property — and the options table on this page shows the floor, the first liens, and the unit limit for every option offered in Michigan.

04.

Eligibility without a first-time-buyer rule

In Farmington Hills, MI, the question is not whether this is a first home; it is which option fits the credit, the first lien, and the property — and, for the nothing-to-repay option, which qualifying category applies.

The Core Calculation

Purchase price × the FHA minimum down payment = your down payment; assistance covers it, and the larger option covers closing costs too

The calculator below runs this math on a price you enter. Choose an assistance option offered in Michigan and add any cash of your own; it sizes the minimum investment, the assistance, what is left for closing costs, the FHA loan with its mortgage insurance, and the payment at an editable market benchmark rate.

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Farmington Hills Market Context

Where Farmington Hills’ first-time and moderate-income buyers shop — and how the assistance fits.

The share of Farmington Hills, MI households that rent, the median home value, and the median household income together sketch the gap the assistance closes for a first purchase.

These are context figures, not underwriting inputs. The higher the median value, the larger the minimum investment in dollars; that is why the assistance is sized as a percentage of the price rather than a fixed sum, and why the larger option matters more in expensive markets.

83,515Population (ACS 2020–2024)

$354,500Median owner-occupied home value (ACS 2020–2024)

35.3%Households that rent (ACS 2020–2024)

$104,836Median household income (ACS 2020–2024)

Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2024) housing and population estimates, including tenure, home values, gross rents, and household income.

Farmington Hills Submarkets

Distinct Farmington Hills submarkets, distinct property rules.

Where a Farmington Hills home sits changes which option can attach and what the property review asks; the submarkets below are the map most assistance files are read against.

01.

Older neighborhoods and renovation loans

The older streets of Farmington Hills are full of homes that need work, and the assistance pairs with a renovation first lien: the assistance is figured on the purchase price, while the loan itself covers price plus repairs. Median household income in Farmington Hills sits near $104,836 on the latest Census estimate.

203(k) with the assistance attached

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

02.

Manufactured homes on owned land

In Farmington Hills, a manufactured home on a fee-simple lot pairs with the program; leaseholds do not, and the home’s width decides which option carries it. On a home at Farmington Hills’ median value, the FHA minimum investment comes to about $12,400 — the figure the assistance is built to cover.

Width and title decide the option

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

03.

Townhomes and attached homes

In Farmington Hills, a townhome in a planned development pairs cleanly with the program; the association’s rules and dues are read alongside the first lien, and the assistance covers the down payment. Farmington Hills itself counts a population near 84K; it sits within the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI area.

PUD review, lower price points

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

04.

Small multi-unit homes, owner-occupied

In Farmington Hills, owner-occupied small multi-unit buildings qualify for assistance when the buyer lives in one of the units, up to four units on a purchase; the unit count decides which option applies. Median gross rent in Farmington Hills is about $1,551 a month — the payment many renters already carry.

Live in one unit, rent the others

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

05.

Condominiums close to work

Buyers in Farmington Hills’ condominium buildings use the program to bridge the down payment, with the building’s approval status settled early so the closing is not held up. The median owner-occupied home value in Farmington Hills runs near $354,500 on the latest Census estimate.

FHA project approval decides the file

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

06.

New construction and infill

Infill and new-build homes in Farmington Hills pair with the assistance as long as the property is the buyer’s primary residence and the first lien is a government program. About 35% of Farmington Hills’ households rent — roughly 12,538 renter households, the pool the program exists for.

Builder timelines and appraisal

Market data: U.S. Census Bureau — Farmington Hills.

These are patterns, not promises: each Farmington Hills purchase is underwritten on its own appraisal, its own credit, and its own option.

How Farmington Hills Buyers Use the Program

Four ways Farmington Hills buyers put down payment assistance to work.

From a first home to an FHA refinance, down payment assistance in Farmington Hills, MI solves a specific set of problems, and the cards below take up the ones that come up most.

First purchase

Buy a first home with the down payment covered

For a first purchase in Farmington Hills, the assistance closes the down payment gap; the option is chosen by credit and first lien, and by eligibility category where the nothing-to-repay option is in play, and the rest of the file is an ordinary FHA purchase.

Refinance

Cover the costs of an FHA refinance

A Farmington Hills homeowner refinancing an existing FHA loan can use the refinance-cost option, a repayable second lien sized on the balance, to cover closing costs and keep the first lien inside FHA limits.

Closing costs

Cover closing costs too on the larger option

When the minimum investment is covered but closing costs and prepaids remain the hurdle, the repayable option in Farmington Hills, MI reaches both; the balance above the minimum investment goes toward the closing.

Small multi-unit

Buy a small multi-unit home and live in one unit

An owner-occupied building of up to four units in Farmington Hills qualifies on the nothing-to-repay option, which reaches four units, and the buyer lives in one unit while the assistance covers the minimum investment on the whole building.

Assistance Sizer

Size the assistance on a Farmington Hills price before requesting a quote.

This tool applies the program to a Farmington Hills scenario: the price sets the minimum investment, the option and your cash set the down payment, and the FHA loan, mortgage insurance, and payment follow at the benchmark rate shown. Every field is editable; the rate is a market reference, not a quote.

Editable FHA scenario with assistance

Farmington Hills FHA payment with assistance

Starting assumptions reflect Farmington Hills’ home values; change any field and the loan, the mortgage insurance, and the payment are recalculated.

Purchase price

Assistance option

Your own cash toward the down payment (% of price)

Term

Rate (%) — editable benchmark

Editable benchmark: 7.28% as of October 1, 2026 · Freddie Mac 30-year average via FRED®. A conventional market reference, not an FHA loan quote.

Property taxes (per year)

Homeowners insurance (per year)

Association dues (per month)

Gross monthly household income (optional)

Other monthly debt payments

—FHA minimum investment on this price.

—Annual mortgage insurance rate applied, and for how long.

Illustrative starting assumptions: a $355,000 price near Farmington Hills’ median owner-occupied home value, the strongest assistance option offered in Michigan applied against the FHA minimum investment, a thirty-year term at the current Freddie Mac benchmark, property taxes and insurance estimated for Michigan (U.S. Census Bureau). Every field is editable.

Estimated total monthly housing payment

—

Principal and interest, FHA mortgage insurance, taxes, insurance and dues, on the total loan with the upfront premium financed.

—Total down payment (your cash plus assistance)

—Assistance applied to the down payment

—Assistance left toward closing costs and prepaids

—Your cash toward the down payment

—Base loan amount

—Upfront mortgage insurance premium, financed

—Total loan amount

—Principal and interest

—Monthly FHA mortgage insurance

—Taxes, insurance and dues

—Housing and total debt ratios (with income entered)

—Where the file lands

See my offer Call 828-256-2183

Illustrative estimate only — not a Loan Estimate, approval, quote, or commitment to lend. The rate field carries the weekly Freddie Mac thirty-year conventional benchmark, a market reference and not an FHA loan quote; your rate is set by the lender at lock. FHA mortgage insurance follows HUD’s published schedule for the term, leverage and loan size entered; taxes, insurance and dues are editable estimates; closing costs are not included; a repayable second lien adds its own payment, which is not shown here. Consumer mortgage lending licensed in sixteen states. Lendmire is not affiliated with or acting on behalf of FHA, USDA, HUD, or the federal government.

Down Payment Assistance vs. the Alternatives

Same buyer, three very different closings.

Same Farmington Hills buyer, three closings: assistance on an FHA loan, the buyer’s own minimum investment, or assistance on a USDA or HUD-184 loan.

Structure Comparison

Assistance on an FHA loan, your own down payment, or assistance on a USDA or HUD-184 loan.

FHA with down payment assistance

Assistance that closes with the first lien: it covers the minimum investment; its shape is chosen by the credit tier and the first lien, with the eligibility category where the nothing-to-repay option is in play, and the second-lien options stay open to repeat buyers with no income limit.

FHA with your own minimum investment

Paying the minimum investment yourself keeps the closing simplest — no second lien, no category, no course; the trade is the months or years of saving that the assistance replaces. For the first lien itself, see Lendmire’s FHA loan program.

USDA or HUD-184 with assistance

USDA and HUD-184 first liens pair with the forgivable options and the ten-year repayable option on a Farmington Hills, MI file; the separate closing-cost option is FHA only. For the USDA first lien, see the USDA loan program.

Where each one fits

Assistance fits the buyer short of cash to close; the plain purchase fits the buyer with savings; the USDA and HUD-184 pairing fits eligible properties and borrowers — Lendmire places the Farmington Hills, MI file where it reads best.

Typical File Components

What to prepare for a Farmington Hills scenario review.

The documents a lender reads first on an assistance file.

Assets and reservesStatements showing the buyer’s own funds for anything the assistance does not cover, plus any reserves the first lien itself requires.

Eligibility categoryNothing-to-repay option: proof of one qualifying category (occupation, first-time buyer, census tract, or area income; any one of them), plus the signed application.

Property detailUnit count, condominium approval status, manufactured-home width and title, USDA eligibility, and any association documents on file.

Mortgage programFHA, USDA, or HUD-184 — with the county loan limit checked against the price, since only the repayable options carry a high-balance first lien.

Assistance (second-lien) disclosuresOn the forgivable and repayable options, the second lien is a separate loan with its own number and disclosures; the repayable option carries a balloon disclosure.

Credit reportA tri-merge report with a score for every borrower; the option’s floor and the first lien’s rules both apply, and a blended score may apply on the second-lien options.

This is a general preparation guide, not a universal checklist. The selected lender may request additional information based on the mortgage, the assistance option, the property, and the eligibility category. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.

Farmington Hills File Considerations

Local details that can change the loan.

The assistance is the easy part; the rules around it are where Farmington Hills, MI files stall. These are the ones that most often change a file’s shape.

Before You Move Forward

Use these checks to keep the Farmington Hills file clean and fundable.

Settle the option, the first lien, the property’s eligibility, and the category before the appraisal is ordered; a Farmington Hills file that clears these reads cleanly.

Know the option: confirm the option is offered in the state.
Confirm the category: settle which category applies before the application is signed.
Do not stack: choose one assistance program.

The option decides what you owe afterward

Choose the shape before the amount: the forgivable options cover the minimum investment and cost nothing to carry when the first lien stays current; the repayable option covers more and is repaid; where it is offered, a nothing-to-repay option released at closing costs nothing at all.

ii.

The eligibility category for the nothing-to-repay option

For a Farmington Hills buyer, the category question is worth answering early: a buyer inside the income limit or in a qualifying occupation reaches the nothing-to-repay option; a buyer outside every category uses the forgivable or repayable second liens, which carry no income limit.

iii.

No stacking with other assistance

No option may be combined with another down payment assistance program in Farmington Hills, MI, and the nothing-to-repay and forgivable options do not combine with a high-balance first lien; one assistance option, one first lien, one closing.

iv.

The mortgage and the county loan limit

In Farmington Hills, MI, the first-lien program is chosen with the property: USDA where the address is eligible, HUD-184 where the buyer qualifies, FHA everywhere. The county loan limit then decides whether a larger first lien can still carry an assistance option.

Blended scores for two-borrower files

A Farmington Hills, MI couple where one score is strong and the other is not may reach an option through the blended score, which applies only when the primary wage earner also holds the higher score and the file carries an automated approval; there is no manual underwriting on a blended file.

A Clear Process

From a Farmington Hills pre-approval to keys with the assistance in place.

The path from a Farmington Hills pre-approval to keys with the assistance in place runs through the option first and the paperwork second.

Pick the option

Lendmire reads the Farmington Hills scenario against the options offered in Michigan: the credit tier, the first lien, the unit count, the category, and whether the help must reach closing costs.

ii.

Get the mortgage approved

The first lien’s approval carries the file; the assistance is arranged alongside it, with the eligibility category and the education certificate in hand where they apply.

iii.

Clear the property

The appraisal, the condominium approval where one applies, the manufactured-home title, and the county loan limit are settled; small repairs go into an escrow holdback where the option allows it.

iv.

Close both loans together

Final underwriting reads the whole Farmington Hills, MI file against the first lien’s rules and the option’s; the loan funds with the assistance in place and the second lien, where there is one, recorded behind it.

Why Lendmire

A brokerage that pairs the assistance to the loan.

Pairing the right assistance to the right first lien for a Farmington Hills buyer means knowing which option the credit opens, which the property allows, and what each costs to carry — before the contract is signed.

The option, matched to the buyer

Lendmire reads the options offered in Michigan against a Farmington Hills buyer’s credit, first lien, property, and category before anything is ordered, and names the fit by cost to carry.

ii.

The mortgage, matched to the property

FHA, USDA, or HUD-184 is chosen with the Farmington Hills property — its address, its unit count, its type — so the assistance option that pairs with it is the one that attaches.

iii.

The right wholesale program

Not every wholesale lender carries down payment assistance, and the ones that do differ on shape, floors, and states; Lendmire knows which is which.

Client Experiences

Trusted by first-time buyers & families alike.

Verified Google Reviews

    
 
 
          Joseph Edwards 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly recommend, Cori was awesome to work with and had great communication. She was very helpful and got us through everything to close.
  
 
         K Star Real Estate LLC 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Cori on the Lendmire team was phenomenal! She was two steps ahead through the entire process of purchasing an investment property.  She was solving problems before anyone knew there could have been a problem.  Great communication,  great availability,  all around a great person to work with.  She is the reason our deal closed.  We look forward to working with her again in the very near future!
  
 
         Tristen Mosley 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Alayna Pack is very knowledgeable, helpful, communicative, and transparent. Highly recommend.
  
 
         J Mills 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Leigh is absolutely the best! Professional yet personable, diligent, and incredibly responsive. She was with us throughout the process and helped us secure a competitive rate. Leigh went above and beyond to make sure all of our questions were answered, and offered deep explanations for questions that arose. We felt supported through the entire process and trust her expertise completely. 5 stars!
  
 
         Tyjuana Atkinson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Awesome experience!!!!!!! Leigh had our best interest at heart from beginning to the end.
  
 
         Anna Hernandez 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Curt Galbraith was a Great Loan Originator and goes above and beyond for his clients, working with him on this transaction was so easy. I would recommend him for any Buyers looking to Buyer or Refinance. Great Service all around
  
 
         RustynKelli Shelton 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brenda is absolutely one of the most professional hardworking lenders we have ever dealt with; she’s helped clients of ours and now us personally. Her communication is top notch, you never feel like you’re forgotten or left to figure things out on your own, great to answer questions and explain each step. Definitely recommend Brenda to walk along beside you in your purchase process!
  
 
         Isaac Alonzo 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. As a first time home buyer Curt Galbraith was a wonderful man, he explained everything i had questions about and took time out of his day to meet up late at nights after my night shift, to explain things to me .Over all  Curt was really helpful all through closing and always there when you needed him. Thank you so much Curt for helping me through out the whole process.
  
 
         Jason Fleck 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Brenda, Samantha and the Lendmire team were absolutely fantastic to work with. We had to jump through some major hurdles to get this home done, which most lenders would have gave up, they kept pushing to get this home done for us. I would absolutely recommend Brenda and team to anybody. Thank you so much for your commitment, communication, perseverance through the whole process.

Jason & Brooke

Questions Farmington Hills Buyers Ask

Farmington Hills down payment assistance FAQs

Plain answers to the questions Farmington Hills buyers ask most about down payment assistance, before you request a review. Every file is underwritten individually; nothing here is a commitment.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?

You do not. Every option is open to repeat buyers; the file is placed on the price, the credit score, the mortgage program, and the home — having owned before closes nothing, and a first purchase is only one of the categories that opens the nothing-to-repay option.

Is there an income limit?

Only on the nothing-to-repay option, and only when no other category applies: household income at or below the area-median-income ceiling in the snapshot, measured where the property sits. The forgivable and repayable second-lien options carry no income limit beyond the mortgage’s own rules.

What first-time home buyer programs are available in Farmington Hills?

Four shapes paired with a government mortgage: a nothing-to-repay option released at closing; forgivable second liens with no interest and no payment, released after an on-time payment period; a repayable second lien with a balloon that also reaches closing costs and prepaids; and a refinance-cost option for an existing FHA loan. The options table on this page shows what is offered in Michigan.

Do I have to pay the assistance back?

For a Farmington Hills buyer, the nothing-to-repay option where offered, otherwise a forgivable second lien; the options table on this page shows what each costs to carry.

What credit score do I need?

Each option has its own floor, starting in the low six hundreds on the nothing-to-repay option and stepping up on the forgivable and repayable second liens; every borrower needs a score, and two-borrower files may qualify on a blended score on the second-lien options. The snapshot shows the floors in force.

Do I need a homebuyer education course?

Required on one option, optional on the rest; schedule it early if the nothing-to-repay option is the plan.

What does Lendmire do on a Farmington Hills first-time home buyer file?

Lendmire matches the option to the buyer and the first lien to the property, then runs both through approval and closing; it brokers the loan through its wholesale network and is never the lender.

What is the repayable option and when does it make sense?

The repayable second lien covers the minimum investment and closing costs, and it makes sense when the help has to reach closing costs or the first lien is high balance; plan around its balloon and read its disclosures as the loan it is.

Can the assistance cover closing costs too?

Yes, on the larger repayable option, which covers the minimum investment and a further share of the price for closing costs and prepaid items, including costs paid outside closing. The nothing-to-repay and forgivable options cover the minimum investment only.

What is the rate on the mortgage and on the assistance?

A scenario review produces the actual terms; the calculator here shows an estimate at a benchmark rate you can change, with the assistance sized on the price you enter.

Get Started

Bring the price. We will find the option.

Request a scenario review with the price and the first lien in mind; Lendmire answers with the option, the floor, and what the file will need.

See my offer Size My Down Payment

Continue Exploring

This guide covers Farmington Hills — for the statewide options, categories, and property rules, see Down Payment Assistance in Michigan, part of Lendmire’s down payment assistance program.

Nearby markets in Michigan: Novi · Southfield · Livonia · Dearborn Heights · Royal Oak · Westland · Pontiac · Troy

Related programs: FHA Loans · USDA Loans · FHA 203(k) Rehab Loans