The
number
of
programs
increased
by
43
during
the
first
quarter,
bringing
the
total
number
of
available
programs
to
2,509
—
the
highest
recorded
by

DPR.
That
marks
a
2%
increase
from
Q4
2024.

Of
the
programs,
952
programs
(38%)
are
available
to
repeat
buyers,
240
programs
(10%)
do
not
have
income
restrictions
and
19
programs
support
first-generation
homebuyers,
an
increase
of
16%
over
the
last
quarter.

Lenders
can
use

down
payment
assistance
(DPA)
to
lower
a
homebuyer’s
loan-to-value
(LTV)
ratio
by
an
average
of
6%.
The
average
benefit
is
$18,000.

“Rates
are
still
high
and
prices
keep
climbing,
but
we’re
seeing
expanded
program
offerings,
new
providers
and
greater
flexibility
in
how
funds
are
used
—
not
just
for
down
payments
but
also
to
cover
closing
costs,
lower
the
rate
or
meet
other
buyer
needs,”
said

Rob
Chrane,
founder
and
CEO
of
DPR.
“More
programs
now
include
manufactured
and
multi-family
homes,
opening
new
paths
to
affordability
and
steady
income.
For
lenders,
that
means
more
ways
to
qualify
buyers
and
close
loans
in
a
tough
market.”

”Other
homebuyer
assistance”
programs
increased
35%
from
the
previous
quarter,
below-market-rate
(BMR)/resale-restricted
programs,
which
offer
housing
at
prices
lower
than
the
open
market,
with
restrictions
on
resale
to
ensure
affordability
for
future
buyers,
typically
low-to
moderate-income
households,
increased
18%
and
grant
programs
grew
7%.

Other
stats:

• 80%
  of
  DPAs
  in
  Q1
  were
  deferred
  payment
  programs,
  a
  3%
  increase
  from
  the
  previous
  quarter.
  Deferred
  payment
  loans,
  which
  are
  often
  forgivable,
  mean
  that
  borrowers
  don’t
  make
  monthly
  payments,
  and
  the
  balance
  is
  typically
  due
  when
  they
  sell
  or
  refinance
  or
  the
  loan
  matures.

• Over
  half
  (53%)
  of
  DPAs
  in
  Q1
  offered
  partial
  or
  full
  forgiveness
  over
  time,
  as
  long
  as
  the
  homeowner
  meets
  certain
  requirements,
  such
  as
  maintaining
  primary
  residency.

• Of
  the
  programs,
  990
  (39%)
  were
  offered
  through
  local
  housing
  finance
  agencies
  (HFAs),
  a
  number
  that
  was
  virtually
  unchanged
  from
  the
  previous
  quarter.
  Nonprofits
  accounted
  for
  21%,
  a
  2%
  increase
  over
  Q4
  2024.
  State
  FHAs
  represented
  18%.

• 
  Manufactured
  housing
  programs
  saw
  growth,
  increasing
  from
  914
  in
  Q4
  2024
  to
  971
  in
  Q1
  2025.
  For
  
  multifamily
  housing,
  a
  total
  of
  833
  programs
  were
  available,
  marking
  a
  3%
  increase
  from
  Q4
  2024.
  Of
  these,
  a
  growing
  number
  of
  programs
  support
  purchasing
  three-unit
  homes
  (562)
  and
  four-unit
  homes
  (536).

• A
  total
  of
  20
  programs
  offered
  special
  funding
  to
  surviving
  military
  spouses,
  an
  18%
  increase
  from
  the
  previous
  quarter,
  while
  energy
  efficiency
  programs
  grew
  by
  17%.
  Other
  incentive
  programs
  included
  69
  for
  educators,
  56
  for
  protectors
  (jobs
  focused
  on
  safeguarding
  people,
  property
  or
  information),
  50
  to
  assist
  military
  
  veterans
  and
  50
  for
  Native
  Americans.

• Of
  the
  2,509
  homebuyer
  assistance
  programs,
  81%
  of
  programs
  are
  funded,
  10%
  of
  programs
  are
  inactive,
  4%
  of
  programs
  have
  a
  waitlist
  for
  funding
  and
  5%
  of
  programs
  are
  temporarily
  suspended.

• Of
  the
  programs,
  74%
  in
  the
  database
  are
  for
  down
  payment
  or
  closing
  cost
  assistance,
  10%
  of
  programs
  are
  first
  mortgages,
  3%
  of
  programs
  are
  Mortgage
  Credit
  Certificates
  (MCCs)
  and
  13%
  are
  other
  program
  types.