Current down payment assistance guidelines, updated from one source.
These figures are read from Lendmire’s centralized down payment assistance standards source and update automatically when the programs change. Every state and city guide in this series reads the same source.
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.
Covers the whole FHA down payment
This covers the full 3.5% FHA minimum down payment as a second lien with no payment and no interest, forgiven once you have made 36 on-time payments on the first mortgage.
On every option offered here
None of the options offered in Washington caps your income: a higher-earning household qualifies the same as anyone else, and the assistance is measured on the purchase price alone.
Credit score to start
This is the lowest score that opens an option here — the forgivable second liens; the repayable options start a little higher, so a stronger score opens more choices.
| Option | Assistance | What you repay | Credit · mortgage · 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 · five options offered in Washington · no option requires a first-time buyer · no option combines with another assistance program · owner-occupied primary residences only.
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.
What down payment assistance is — and how the options differ.
The first-time home buyer programs in Port Orchard, WA answer the most common reason a qualified buyer does not close — the cash to close — with assistance measured on the price and shaped to the buyer’s situation.
For the program overview, see Lendmire’s down payment assistance program, or the statewide guide at Down Payment Assistance in Washington.
Assistance covers the FHA down payment
The gap the program closes for a Port Orchard buyer is the minimum investment: the assistance covers that share of the price, the first lien carries the rest, and the buyer’s own savings stay for the move.
Four shapes: grant, forgivable, repayable, refinance
For a Port Orchard buyer the choice is about cost to carry. The forgivable options cost nothing if the first lien stays current through the forgiveness period; the repayable option is a second loan with its own disclosure and a balloon that reaches closing costs.
Credit floors, mortgage programs, and unit counts
Two-borrower files can qualify on a blended score on the second-lien options when the higher earner has the higher score and an automated approval is in hand; every borrower still needs a score of their own.
Eligibility without a first-time-buyer rule
No option requires a first-time buyer, and no option carries an income limit beyond the first lien’s own rules; a Port Orchard buyer who has owned before qualifies on credit, first lien, and property alone.
The assistance is measured on the price, so the calculator starts there. It then applies the option you choose, your own cash, and an editable benchmark rate to show the loan, the mortgage insurance, and the payment.
Where Port Orchard’s first-time and moderate-income buyers shop — and how the assistance fits.
Where Port Orchard, WA’s renters live, what a median home costs, and what a median household earns — Census estimates give the backdrop for a down payment assistance file.
Citywide figures provide general market context, not an appraisal or an income calculation. A large renter share signals demand for the program; a moderate median value signals that the minimum investment is within the assistance’s reach; the two together describe where the program closes most files.
Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2024) housing and population estimates, including tenure, home values, gross rents, and household income.
Distinct Port Orchard submarkets, distinct property rules.
The metropolitan market around Port Orchard splits into distinct pockets; a lender underwrites the home in front of it, but the pocket sets the expectations.
Manufactured homes on owned land
In Port Orchard, 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 Port Orchard’s median value, the FHA minimum investment comes to about $18,900 — the figure the assistance is built to cover.
Townhomes and attached homes
In Port Orchard, 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. Median gross rent in Port Orchard is about $1,797 a month — the payment many renters already carry.
Two-to-four-unit homes, owner-occupied
A buyer who lives in one unit of a Port Orchard duplex or triplex can use the program on the whole building; the option that allows up to four units makes a house-hacking purchase reachable with the minimum investment covered. Median household income in Port Orchard sits near $89,795 on the latest Census estimate.
Older neighborhoods and renovation loans
The older streets of Port Orchard 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. Port Orchard counts a population near 17K within the Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA area.
New construction and infill
Infill and new-build homes in Port Orchard pair with the assistance as long as the property is the buyer’s primary residence and the first lien is a government program. About 38% of Port Orchard’s households rent — roughly 2,644 renter households, the pool the program exists for.
Condominiums close to work
Buyers in Port Orchard’s 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 Port Orchard runs near $539,700 on the latest Census estimate.
Market context only. The option for a Port Orchard file comes from the credit tier, the first lien, the property, and the eligibility category, never from the submarket.
Four ways Port Orchard buyers put down payment assistance to work.
The same assistance serves several purposes in Port Orchard, WA; four of the most common are below.
Cover the costs of an FHA refinance
Owners in Port Orchard with an FHA loan and little cash for a refinance use the refinance-cost option, subject to its own credit floor and combined-leverage limit.
Pair the assistance with a USDA or HUD-184 mortgage
Where the first lien is USDA or HUD-184, the second-lien assistance options carry the file in Port Orchard, forgivable or repayable by the buyer’s choice and credit.
Cover closing costs too on the larger option
The larger option exists for the Port Orchard, WA closing where the down payment is only half the problem: it carries the minimum investment and a further share for costs.
Buy a home that needs work with a renovation mortgage
A Port Orchard buyer taking on a fixer pairs a limited or standard renovation first lien with the assistance; the help is figured on the purchase price, and the loan covers price plus repairs.
Size the assistance on a Port Orchard price before requesting a quote.
This tool applies the program to a Port Orchard 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.
Port Orchard FHA payment with assistance
Seeded with Port Orchard’s median home value; every field is editable, and the estimate updates as you change the price, the option, your cash, or the rate.
Editable benchmark: 6.71% as of September 3, 2026 · Freddie Mac 30-year average via FRED®. A conventional market reference, not an FHA loan quote.
Illustrative starting assumptions: a $540,000 price near Port Orchard’s median owner-occupied home value (kept where an FHA first lien is realistic), the strongest assistance option offered in Washington applied against the FHA minimum investment, a thirty-year term at the current Freddie Mac benchmark, property taxes and insurance estimated for Washington (U.S. Census Bureau). Every field is editable.
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.
Same buyer, four very different closings.
Down payment assistance is one of four ways a Port Orchard buyer covers the minimum investment; each has a different cost after closing.
Assistance on a government loan, saving the minimum, or a gift.
The structure for a Port Orchard buyer who qualifies for the payment but not the cash to close — the help is sized on the price and the option decides what, if anything, is owed afterward.
For a Port Orchard, WA buyer with the cash in hand, the plain FHA purchase is the cleaner file; the assistance exists for the buyer who does not have it yet. For the first lien itself, see Lendmire’s FHA loan program.
USDA and HUD-184 first liens pair with the forgivable and repayable options, which then cover closing costs and prepaids rather than a down payment the first lien does not require. For the USDA first lien, see the USDA loan program.
Choose by what you have: cash for the minimum investment, family who can gift it, a USDA-eligible property, or none of those — the assistance is for the last case, and the most common one.
What to prepare for a Port Orchard scenario review.
What a down payment assistance review usually starts with.
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.
Local details that can change the loan.
The assistance is the easy part; the rules around it are where Port Orchard, WA files stall. These are the ones that most often change a file’s shape.
Use these checks to keep the Port Orchard file clean and fundable.
A clean Port Orchard file starts with the option chosen, the first lien matched to the property, and the homebuyer education course completed where it is required.
- Know the option: confirm the option is offered in the state.
- Understand the clock: keep the first lien current through the forgiveness period.
- Plan for the balloon: treat the tenth-year balloon as a planning date.
The option decides what you owe afterward
The same minimum investment can be covered two ways in Port Orchard, WA, and the difference is entirely in what happens after closing: nothing if the first lien stays current, or a second loan that comes due; the options table shows what is offered.
The forgiveness clock on the forgivable options
The clock starts at closing and runs with the first lien’s payments; a Port Orchard buyer who plans to sell or refinance inside the period should expect the second lien to be paid at that point, since it is not resubordinated.
The balloon on the repayable option
The repayable option is the only purchase option that carries a payment; in exchange it covers the most and pairs with a high-balance first lien. Its terms are set by the program, never by this page.
No stacking with other assistance
The rule is one assistance program per file; a Port Orchard, WA buyer comparing programs compares them whole, not in combination, and chooses the one that costs least to carry and reaches furthest.
Escrow holdbacks for minor repairs
A Port Orchard home with a small repair list does not have to wait for the work before closing; the escrow holdback carries it, within the program’s cap and timeline, with an inspection when the work is done.
From a Port Orchard pre-approval to keys with the assistance in place.
The process for a Port Orchard, WA purchase with assistance is deliberate, because the details around the assistance are what stall closings.
Pick the option
Every Port Orchard file starts with the option and the first lien; the category, the education course, and the property rules are then settled around them, in that order.
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.
Clear the property
Property review runs in parallel with the first lien; the Port Orchard home is checked against the option’s rules and the first lien’s, from the unit count to the association package.
Close both loans together
Final underwriting reads the whole Port Orchard, WA 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.
A brokerage that pairs the assistance to the loan.
An assistance file rewards preparation, and preparation is what a brokerage built for first-time and moderate-income buyers provides.
The option, matched to the buyer
Lendmire reads the options offered in Washington against a Port Orchard buyer’s credit, first lien, property, and category before anything is ordered, and names the fit by cost to carry.
The mortgage, matched to the property
FHA, USDA, or HUD-184 is chosen with the Port Orchard property — its address, its unit count, its type — so the assistance option that pairs with it is the one that attaches.
The right wholesale program
A Port Orchard file is matched to the wholesale program whose option fits the buyer, and Lendmire manages the first lien and the assistance together through closing.
Trusted by first-time buyers & families alike.
Port Orchard down payment assistance FAQs
The questions a Port Orchard, WA buyer asks before requesting an assistance review, answered plainly.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
No. None of the options requires a first-time buyer; a Port Orchard buyer who has owned before qualifies on credit, first lien, and property alone.
Is there an income limit?
There is no income limit on the forgivable or repayable options; the first lien’s rules are the only income test a Port Orchard buyer meets.
What first-time home buyer programs are available in Port Orchard?
Three shapes paired with a government first lien: 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 Washington.
Do I have to pay the assistance back?
For a Port Orchard buyer, a forgivable second lien — it costs nothing to carry as long as the first lien stays current through the period; the options table on this page shows what each option costs to carry.
What credit score do I need?
A Port Orchard buyer’s credit tier decides which options are open — the options table on this page shows the floor for every option offered in Washington.
Can the assistance cover closing costs too?
Closing-cost coverage lives on the repayable second lien; on a USDA first lien, which needs no down payment, the second-lien options cover closing costs and prepaids instead.
How does a forgivable second lien work — the small second loan behind the mortgage?
You do not pay it as long as the first lien stays current through the period; after the period it is forgiven. A sale or refinance inside the period pays it off.
What property types are eligible?
Most primary-residence property types, with the condominium’s approval, the manufactured home’s width and title, and the unit count deciding which option attaches.
Can I combine this with another assistance program?
The options do not stack with each other or with local, state, or employer programs; a Port Orchard buyer eligible for more than one chooses the one that fits best.
What does Lendmire do on a Port Orchard first-time home buyer file?
The structural work: option, first lien, property, category, education, disclosures, closing. A Port Orchard buyer brings the contract; Lendmire brings the fit.
Talk through a Port Orchard assistance file before the contract is signed.
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.
This guide covers Port Orchard — for the statewide options, categories, and property rules, see Down Payment Assistance in Washington, part of Lendmire’s down payment assistance program.
Also in Washington: Federal Way · Bremerton · Walla Walla · Wenatchee · FHA Loans · USDA Loans