New Hampshire Housing (NHHousing) Programs:
Updated October 15, 2026New Hampshire Housing (NH Housing) offers 30‑year fixed mortgages through approved lenders plus tiered state cash assistance for qualifying buyers. Cash Assistance commonly follows $5,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 tiers and a First‑Generation top‑up of $10,000 on eligible mortgages. Assistance is generally structured as a 0% second mortgage (not a monthly payment) and is typically due on sale, refinance, bankruptcy, or at the end of the term. Confirm availability and stacking rules with NH Housing and an approved lender. See NH Housing Homeownership, the Program Comparison Matrix, and the Program Fact Sheets.
New Hampshire First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Programs:
Eligibility: Many NH Housing mortgage tracks target first‑time homebuyers (defined for several bond products as no ownership interest in a principal residence in the previous three years). Targeted area and veteran exceptions can apply; see NH Housing fact sheets for exact definitions. NH Housing program fact sheets.
Offerings: NH Housing supports FHA, VA, USDA and conventional 30‑year fixed options through participating lenders. Note: NH Housing ceased accepting new MCC (Homebuyer Tax Credit) reservations in late 2024 — the program allocation expired and reservations were closed effective December 13, 2024. Confirm current tax credit availability with NH Housing. See NH Housing lender notices. NH Housing Lender Notices.
Requirements:
- Income: Borrower household income must fit NH Housing limits which vary by county and household size. NH Housing publications reference a maximum program income cap (commonly cited as $184,500 for program eligibility ceilings); confirm county/size figures with NH Housing. See the Program Comparison Matrix.
- Credit score: NH Housing fact sheets show loan overlays commonly near 620 FICO for many conventional tracks; lender overlays and AUS findings still apply. See Program fact sheets.
- Debt-to-income (DTI): Many NH Housing fact sheets accept higher DTIs only with Approve/Eligible AUS findings or strong compensating factors (some guidance notes DTI up to about 50% in limited cases). Confirm with your lender.
- Homebuyer education: Counseling or homebuyer education is required for at least one borrower on many NH Housing products; NH Housing lists approved education partners and seminars on its Homeownership pages.
Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Options:
NH Housing Cash Assistance: Cash Assistance is offered in fixed tiers ($5,000, $10,000, $15,000) to help with down payment, closing costs, and prepaid expenses when paired with an NH Housing mortgage. First‑generation homebuyers can access an additional $10,000 through the 1stGenHomeNH top‑up. See the NH Housing Program Comparison Matrix and the 1stGen fact sheet for current rules and eligibility. 1stGenHomeNH fact sheet and the Program Comparison Matrix.
Structure: Assistance is typically provided as a 0% second mortgage with repayment triggers described by NH Housing (sale, refinance, bankruptcy, or at the end of the mortgage term). Confirm repayment detail and any limited forgiveness with NH Housing and your lender before applying. See NH Housing Down Payment Assistance information and lender materials.
Community Heroes / Workforce Initiatives:
Description: NH Housing has run targeted initiatives in prior years (for example modest closing cost credits to public‑service workers). The current statewide Program Comparison Matrix does not list a statewide Community Heroes program; treat older references as historical and confirm current status with NH Housing directly.
Local Programs & Examples:
Municipalities often layer local HOME, Housing Trust Fund, or Federal Home Loan Bank grants on top of state programs. Local availability and caps change frequently — confirm directly with the city or local housing authority listed below.
Portsmouth / Rockingham County
Portsmouth HomeTown Program: Portsmouth administers a HomeTown first‑time buyer program that provides down payment and closing cost assistance tied to local income and residency rules. See the city page for current eligibility and application steps. Portsmouth HomeTown program.
Nashua / Hillsborough County
City HOME/Trust Fund Activity: Nashua’s Annual Action Plan shows HOME and Housing Trust Fund activity and local homebuyer assistance projects; amounts vary by funding cycle — check Nashua Urban Programs/Community Development for current details. Nashua Annual Action Plan (PY26/FY27 Draft).
Manchester / Hillsborough County
Local assistance & education: Manchester partners on homebuyer education and may refer buyers to NH Housing DPA, Federal Home Loan Bank grants, or other partner funding. Contact Manchester Community Development or local housing partners for current program details.
Additional (Federal) Programs:
- USDA Loans: 100% financing is available in eligible rural areas through USDA Rural Development; property and income eligibility rules apply. See USDA Rural Development.
- VA Loans: VA‑guaranteed loans often allow no down payment for eligible veterans and active duty borrowers (lender overlays may apply). See VA Home Loans.
- FHA Loans: FHA permits down payments as low as 3.5% for borrowers meeting FHA credit tier guidance (commonly used when credit score is 580+; higher down payments may apply at lower scores). Lenders may impose higher minimums. See the CFPB summary at CFPB — FHA loans.
New Hampshire homeownership programs emphasize fixed Cash Assistance tiers used with NH Housing mortgage tracks and local partner grants. Funding availability, income/purchase limits, and lender underwriting rules can change rapidly; always confirm program details and current limits with NH Housing and your approved lender before applying.
Always confirm with an NH Housing approved lender or nhhousing.org.
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