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 Reston, VA are the options in force.
Of the purchase price
Up to this share of the price can come from assistance: the largest option reaches closing costs as well as the down payment, while the smaller options cover the 3.5% FHA minimum, in whole or, on the lowest tier, in part.
Covers the FHA down payment, in whole or in part
This covers the 3.5% FHA minimum down payment in whole or, on its lower tier, in part, and is forgiven at closing: no lien on the home, no monthly payment, no interest. It opens on the area income limit or on a qualifying category.
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 score to start
This is the lowest score that opens an option here — the nothing-to-repay option; the forgivable second liens start a little higher and the repayable options higher still, so a stronger score opens more choices.
| 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 Virginia · no option requires a first-time buyer · no option combines with another assistance program · owner-occupied primary residences only.
Program figures are refreshed from one guideline source and change when it changes. The nothing-to-repay option is not offered in every state; the forgivable and repayable options are second liens; no option combines with another assistance program; all are for owner-occupied primary residences. The rate in the calculator is an editable market benchmark, not a quote, and the payment shown is an illustrative estimate; no fee or lender identity appears on this page. Lendmire is the broker, not the lender, and is not affiliated with FHA, USDA, HUD, or the federal government. Lendmire, LLC — NMLS #2371349. Equal Housing Opportunity.
What down payment assistance is — and how the options differ.
First-time home buyer programs are not one program; they are a family of down payment assistance options paired with a government-backed first lien, and the right one for a Reston, VA buyer depends on credit, the first lien, the property, and whether the help needs to reach closing costs.
For the program overview, see Lendmire’s down payment assistance program, or the statewide guide at Down Payment Assistance in Virginia.
Assistance covers the FHA down payment
In Reston, VA, 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.
Four shapes: grant, forgivable, repayable, refinance
Nothing to repay, forgiven over time, or repaid with a balloon: the three purchase shapes in Reston, VA 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.
Credit floors, mortgage programs, and unit counts
Credit decides which options are open; the first lien decides which options attach; the property’s unit count and type decide which option carries it. The options table shows all three side by side.
Eligibility without a first-time-buyer rule
In Reston, VA, 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.
Enter a price, choose an option, and add your own cash. The calculator sizes the minimum investment, splits the assistance between the down payment and closing costs, and estimates the FHA payment with mortgage insurance, taxes, insurance, and dues.
Where Reston’s first-time and moderate-income buyers shop — and how the assistance fits.
These Reston, VA figures describe the market, not a borrower; the first lien’s approval and the option’s rules carry the file, and the numbers here only explain the neighborhood it sits in.
These are context figures, not underwriting inputs. Value and income rarely move at the same pace; the market figures below show what a Reston home costs and how many households rent, and the calculator shows what that means for the minimum investment.
Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year (2024) housing and population estimates, including tenure, home values, gross rents, and household income.
Distinct Reston submarkets, distinct property rules.
Across Reston’s condominiums, townhomes, and older neighborhoods close to work, the same program produces different closings because prices, property types, and first liens differ block by block.
Townhomes and attached homes
Attached homes and townhomes in Reston sit at price points where the minimum investment is smaller in dollars but no easier to save; the assistance closes that gap, and the association’s documents are reviewed with the file. Median household income in Reston sits near $148,710 on the latest Census estimate.
Condominiums close to work
Condominiums are often the entry point in Reston, and the assistance follows the first lien: the building needs FHA approval, or a single-unit approval, before the down payment help can attach to it. The median owner-occupied home value in Reston runs near $642,000 on the latest Census estimate.
Manufactured homes on owned land
For Reston buyers looking at manufactured housing, the assistance is available on owned land, with single-width homes reaching only the option that accepts them. On a home at Reston’s median value, the FHA minimum investment comes to about $22,500 — the figure the assistance is built to cover.
Small multi-unit homes, owner-occupied
In Reston, 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. About 39% of Reston’s households rent — roughly 11,306 renter households, the pool the program exists for.
Older neighborhoods and renovation loans
In Reston’s established neighborhoods, a buyer can use the program with a limited renovation loan or, on the nothing-to-repay option, a standard one, so the down payment help and the repair budget close together. Median gross rent in Reston is about $2,231 a month — the payment many renters already carry.
New construction and infill
New construction in Reston works with the program; the appraisal and the builder’s timeline set the pace, and the assistance closes with the first lien like any other purchase. Reston itself counts a population near 64K; it sits within the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area.
These are patterns, not promises: each Reston purchase is underwritten on its own appraisal, its own credit, and its own option.
Four ways Reston buyers put down payment assistance to work.
How Reston buyers put the program to work depends on the first lien, the property, and what the help needs to cover; these four paths cover most files.
Cover the costs of an FHA refinance
Owners in Reston with an FHA loan and little cash for a refinance use the refinance-cost option, subject to its own credit floor and the combined-leverage limit it carries.
Buy a home that needs work with a renovation mortgage
Renovation purchases in Reston, VA qualify for the assistance on the price before repairs, so the down payment help and the repair budget close together at one table.
Buy a small multi-unit home and live in one unit
House-hacking in Reston, VA pairs with the program when the buyer occupies a unit; the unit count decides which option applies, and the first lien carries the building.
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 Reston, VA reaches both; the balance above the minimum investment goes toward the closing.
Size the assistance on a Reston price before requesting a quote.
The calculator does what a loan officer’s first pass does for a Reston file — sizes the minimum investment, applies the option, builds the FHA loan with mortgage insurance, and estimates the payment — using the current program figures and an editable benchmark rate.
Reston FHA payment with assistance
Starting assumptions reflect Reston’s home values; change any field and the loan, the mortgage insurance, and the payment are recalculated.
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.
Illustrative starting assumptions: a $600,000 price near Reston’s median owner-occupied home value, the strongest assistance option offered in Virginia applied against the FHA minimum investment, a thirty-year term at the current Freddie Mac benchmark, property taxes and insurance estimated for Virginia (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, three very different closings.
The right structure for a Reston, VA buyer depends on savings, credit, the first lien, and whether the help needs to reach closing costs.
Assistance on an FHA loan, your own down payment, or assistance on a USDA or HUD-184 loan.
The structure for a Reston 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 Reston, VA 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 options and the ten-year repayable option on a Reston, VA file; the separate closing-cost option is FHA only. For the USDA first lien, see the USDA loan program.
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 Reston, VA file where it reads best.
What to prepare for a Reston scenario review.
A typical starting file for a first purchase with assistance.
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.
Every Reston file is underwritten individually, but the same handful of considerations recur; they are worth settling before the contract is signed.
Use these checks to keep the Reston file clean and fundable.
The checks below keep a Reston assistance file on track, and each one comes from the option’s own terms rather than from a lender’s preference.
- Know the option: read the second lien as the loan it is.
- Confirm the category: identify the category that opens the nothing-to-repay option.
- 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 three ways on a purchase in Reston, VA, and the difference is entirely in what happens after closing: nothing, nothing if the first lien stays current, or a second loan that comes due; the options table shows what is offered.
The eligibility category for the nothing-to-repay option
The category is checked at application on the nothing-to-repay option, together with the signed assistance application and the education certificate; no option requires a first-time buyer, and the second-lien options carry no income limit.
The balloon on the repayable option
A Reston buyer choosing the larger option should read the balloon as a planning date: the second lien is settled by sale, refinance, or payoff before it, and the first lien continues on its own schedule.
The mortgage and the county loan limit
A Reston buyer near the county loan limit should settle the first lien’s size first; a high-balance first lien narrows the options to the repayable ones, and the choice of USDA or HUD-184 narrows them further.
Escrow holdbacks for minor repairs
A Reston 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 Reston pre-approval to keys with the assistance in place.
The path from a Reston pre-approval to keys with the assistance in place runs through the option first and the paperwork second.
Pick the option
The first step is the option: which ones the credit opens, which the first lien allows, and which costs the least to carry for a Reston, VA buyer — settled before anything is ordered.
Get the mortgage approved
The FHA, USDA, or HUD-184 first lien runs through automated underwriting, with the assistance attached as its own loan where a second lien applies; a Reston buyer’s income, credit, and reserves are read the way the first lien requires.
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.
Close both loans together
Final underwriting reads the whole Reston, VA 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.
Pairing the right assistance to the right first lien for a Reston 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 Virginia against a Reston 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
A Reston file is matched to the first-lien program that carries the property — FHA everywhere, USDA or HUD-184 where they fit — and the assistance option follows that choice.
The right wholesale program
Assistance programs differ across wholesale lenders in what they offer and where; Lendmire places a Reston, VA file where its credit, its first lien, and its property read best, subject to lender program eligibility.
Trusted by first-time buyers & families alike.
Reston down payment assistance FAQs
Straight answers for Reston buyers weighing down payment assistance; the mortgage approval and the option’s rules decide every actual figure.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
No. None of the options requires a first-time buyer. Being a first-time buyer is one of four categories that opens the nothing-to-repay option; the second-lien options have no first-time-buyer rule and no income limit at all.
Is there an income limit?
For most of the options, no. The forgivable and repayable second liens carry no income limit at all. The nothing-to-repay option is the one that looks at income, and even there a qualifying occupation, a first purchase, or an underserved census tract opens it as an alternative to the income test.
What first-time home buyer programs are available in Reston?
Think of it as one program with several ways to receive the help: forgiven at closing, forgiven after a run of on-time payments, or repaid over time. The options table on this page shows exactly which ones are offered in Virginia and what each costs to carry.
Do I have to pay the assistance back?
It depends on the shape you choose. Grant-style help is released at closing and never repaid; a forgivable second lien is forgiven after the on-time period; a repayable second lien is a real second loan with a balloon. A Reston buyer chooses by what they want to carry after closing.
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.
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 is the rate on the mortgage and on the assistance?
It depends on the first lien, the option, and the file; the rate shown in the calculator is an editable market benchmark, not a quote, and the payment it produces is an illustrative estimate. A scenario review produces the terms.
Can the assistance cover closing costs too?
The larger repayable option reaches closing costs; the others stop at the down payment. A Reston buyer short on both uses the larger option.
What does Lendmire do on a Reston 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 property types are eligible?
A Reston home that the first lien accepts and the option’s property rules allow; the property side is checked before the option is confirmed.
From a pre-approval to keys — with the assistance in place.
No credit pull, no commitment: an initial review places your Reston purchase on the right option and tells you what to gather.
This guide covers Reston — for the statewide options, categories, and property rules, see Down Payment Assistance in Virginia, part of Lendmire’s down payment assistance program.
Nearby markets in Virginia: McLean · Arlington · Alexandria · Winchester · Luray · Massanutten · Charlottesville · Harrisonburg
Related programs: FHA Loans · USDA Loans · FHA 203(k) Rehab Loans