Georgia Dream Homeownership Program

Open

Georgia Department of Community Affairs – Georgia DreamGAFirst-Time Homeowner

Funding: Standard Georgia Dream down payment assistance provides up to 10,000 dollars, with enhanced PEN and CHOICE options offering up to 12,500 dollars for eligible public service workers or households that include a person with a disability, structured as a second loan with no monthly payments that becomes due when the home is sold, refinanced, or no longer the buyer's primary residence.Georgia Department of Community Affairs statewide housing finance agency program that offers affordable 30 year fixed rate first mortgages paired with second loan down payment and closing cost assistance for eligible buyers.RollingDeadline: Scope: Statewidestate

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Summary

Statewide first-time homebuyer program providing affordable 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with layered down payment and closing cost assistance for Georgia residents.

Benefits

down payment assistanceclosing cost assistancesecond mortgageno monthly paymentaffordable mortgagestate HFA loanhomebuyer education required

Who Can Apply

homebuyerfirst-time homebuyerveteran homebuyerlow-income homebuyerGeorgia resident

Eligible Locations

Primarily first time homebuyers in Georgia, and certain veterans or buyers in target areas, who have not owned a home in the last three years, meet statewide and county specific income and purchase price limits, satisfy minimum credit score and debt to income requirements, complete homebuyer education, and use a Georgia Dream participating lender to purchase an owner occupied primary residence in Georgia.

Eligibility

Primarily first-time homebuyers in Georgia (or those who have not owned a home in the last three years), plus certain exceptions for veterans and purchases in target areas; must meet statewide and county-specific income and purchase price limits, minimum credit score requirements, complete homebuyer education, and use a Georgia Dream participating lender to purchase a primary residence in Georgia

Full Description

The Georgia Dream Homeownership Program offers affordable 30-year fixed-rate mortgages paired with down payment and closing cost assistance to help low- and moderate-income buyers become homeowners in Georgia. Borrowers can qualify for a standard assistance option of up to $10,000, or for higher amounts (such as PEN and CHOICE tiers up to $12,500) if they work in eligible public service occupations or have a household member with a disability. The assistance is structured as a second loan with no monthly payments that becomes due upon sale, refinance, or if the home ceases to be the primary residence. To qualify, homebuyers must meet Georgia Dream’s income and purchase price limits, complete pre-purchase homebuyer education, and work with an approved lender to buy a one- to four-unit home, condo, or townhome they will occupy as their primary residence.

Verification & Details

Status: Open

Source: dca.georgia.gov

Official source → dca.georgia.gov

Apply on official siteUpdated Dec 6, 2025

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More statewide programs

Explore additional grants available throughout Georgia that complement this opportunity.

Warner Robins First-Time Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program

Open

City of Warner Robins – Community & Economic DevelopmentGAFirst-Time HomeownerCity of Warner Robins first time homebuyer purchase assistance structured as a subordinate down payment and closing cost assistance loan or grant that is layered with an affordable first mortgage for income eligible buyers purchasing within city limits.

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Local first-time homebuyer purchase assistance program in Warner Robins that offers up to $5,000 toward down payment and closing costs on homes in the city.

Eligible for: Income-eligible first-time homebuyers (no homeownership in the last 3 years) purchasing an owner-occupied home within Warner Robins city lim…

Funding: Provides up to 5,000 dollars of the home purchase price toward down payment and closing costs as a subordinate assistance product tied to owner occupancy and local program guidelines.Deadline: Rolling / subject to local funding availabilityRollingLocalhomebuyerfirst-time homebuyerlow-income homebuyerWarner Robins residentdown payment assistanceclosing cost assistancesubordinate loanlocal programfirst-time homebuyer assistance

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Fulton Homeownership Program (HOP) – Fulton County

Open

Fulton County Community Development – Homeownership ProgramGAFirst-Time HomeownerFulton County Community Development zero percent interest deferred payment second mortgage program that provides down payment and closing cost assistance to low and moderate income first time homebuyers in eligible parts of the county.

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Fulton County’s HOP provides up to $15,000 in zero-interest, deferred down payment and closing cost assistance to help first-time buyers purchase homes in qualifying parts of the county.

Eligible for: First-time homebuyers purchasing an owner-occupied home in eligible parts of Fulton County (generally outside certain municipalities such as…

Funding: Offers up to 15,000 dollars in down payment and closing cost assistance as a 0 percent interest deferred payment second mortgage that carries no monthly payments and is forgiven after a multiyear affordability period, typically six or eleven years depending on the assistance amount and program guidelines.Deadline: Rolling, while funding is availableRollingLocalhomebuyerfirst-time homebuyerlow-income homebuyerFulton County residentdown payment assistanceclosing cost assistance0% interestdeferred loanforgivable loansecond mortgagecounty program

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DreamMaker Home Purchase Assistance Program

Open

City of Savannah Housing & Neighborhood Services DepartmentGAFirst-Time HomeownerCity of Savannah administered 2 percent interest 30 year deferred payment second mortgage that can be layered with a first mortgage to provide down payment, closing cost, and gap financing assistance to eligible buyers.

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

City of Savannah’s flagship DreamMaker program offers substantial, low-interest deferred loans—up to $50,000—for down payment, closing costs, and gap financing to help first-time buyers purchase homes within Savannah.

Eligible for: Income-eligible first-time homebuyers purchasing a primary residence within Savannah city limits; must complete approved homebuyer education…

Funding: Provides up to 50,000 dollars as a 2 percent interest 30 year deferred payment loan for homes developed in partnership with the City of Savannah and up to 30,000 dollars as a 2 percent interest 30 year deferred payment loan for other eligible properties, usable toward down payment, closing costs, and gap financing.Deadline: Rolling / first-come, first-served while funds are availableRollingLocalhomebuyerfirst-time homebuyerlow-income homebuyerSavannah residentdown payment assistanceclosing cost assistancegap financing2% interestdeferred loansecond mortgagecity program

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Clayton County Down Payment Assistance Program

Open

Clayton County Community Development / Clayton GrantsGAFirst-Time HomeownerClayton County HUD funded down payment assistance provided as a 0 percent interest deferred soft second mortgage that covers part of the buyer's down payment and closing costs and is forgiven after a required owner occupancy period.

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

County-level down payment assistance program providing up to $10,000–$15,000 in interest-free, forgivable “soft second” financing to help income-eligible first-time buyers purchase homes in Clayton County.

Eligible for: First-time homebuyers (or those who have not owned a home in the last 3 years) purchasing an owner-occupied home in Clayton County with a ma…

Funding: Provides up to 10,000 dollars in 0 percent interest deferred down payment and closing cost assistance for most eligible buyers and up to 15,000 dollars for veterans, Clayton County employees, and designated Georgia frontline workers, structured as a soft second mortgage that is forgiven after 5 to 10 years of continuous owner occupancy.Deadline: Rolling / while program funds remain availableRollingLocalhomebuyerfirst-time homebuyerlow-income homebuyerveteran homebuyerClayton County employeefrontline workerdown payment assistanceclosing cost assistance0% interestforgivable loansoft second mortgagecounty programfrontline worker incentive

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Homestretch Down Payment Assistance Program – Gwinnett County

Open

Gwinnett County Housing and Community DevelopmentGAFirst-Time HomeownerGwinnett County HUD funded Homestretch down payment assistance offered as a zero percent interest five year deferred second mortgage that is fully forgiven after five years of continuous owner occupancy.

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

County-level down payment assistance program offering up to $10,000 in a zero-interest deferred loan to help first-time buyers purchase homes in Gwinnett County.

Eligible for: First-time homebuyers purchasing an affordable home in Gwinnett County within program purchase price limits; must complete an eight-hour HUD…

Funding: Provides up to 10,000 dollars in down payment assistance as a zero percent interest deferred loan with no monthly payments that is forgiven in full after five years of owner occupancy.Deadline: Rolling, first-come first-served while program funds are availableRollingLocalhomebuyerfirst-time homebuyerlow-income homebuyerGwinnett County residentdown payment assistanceclosing cost assistance0% interestforgivable loandeferred second mortgagecounty programHUD funded

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