Northern Virginia Down Payment Assistance (Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William)
Northern Virginia is one of the most expensive markets in the country, so Virginia Housing's help matters here. A grant you never repay, or a larger repayable second, can cover your down payment. Here is how it works across NoVA.
How Virginia Housing works in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia prices are brutal, and that is exactly where Virginia Housing does its most important work. The state offers two kinds of help. The DPA Grant and CCA Grant are true grants, money toward your down payment and closing costs that you never repay. The Plus Second Mortgage is different: a larger second loan for the same purpose that you do repay over time. A NoVA buyer with a 620 credit score can use either with a Virginia Housing first mortgage, and because income limits run higher here, more buyers qualify than the sticker prices suggest.
Buying across NoVA
Northern Virginia spans Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Arlington, and the City of Alexandria, plus outer counties like Stafford, Fauquier, and Spotsylvania. Prices climb toward the Beltway and the Metro lines, so the eligible map tends to run outward: Manassas and the Prince William growth corridor, eastern Loudoun toward Leesburg and Ashburn condos, and the Route 1 corridor in Fairfax. Because the income limits here are among the highest in the state, dual-income households that assume they earn too much often still qualify, worth checking before you rule it out.
Grant or Plus Second in a high-cost market?
In an expensive market, the size of the help matters. The Plus Second Mortgage is larger than the grant, so it can go further toward a NoVA down payment, but you repay it. The DPA Grant is smaller but never repaid. Many NoVA buyers combine a grant toward closing costs with a strategy for the down payment, and the right mix depends on your cash, income, and how long you plan to stay. We map that out. Compare the two on our grant vs. Plus Second page.
Virginia Housing sets income and sales-price limits by locality (with lower limits on the grant programs) and publishes the current grant and Plus Second Mortgage amounts on Virginia Housing. Confirm your figures before relying on one. See our eligibility page.
Common questions
What down payment assistance is available in Northern Virginia?
Virginia Housing offers a DPA Grant and a CCA Grant (grants you never repay) toward down payment and closing costs, plus a larger Plus Second Mortgage that is repayable. All pair with a Virginia Housing first mortgage and require a 620 credit score. Income limits run higher in Northern Virginia.
Do I earn too much for down payment assistance in Northern Virginia?
Maybe not. Virginia Housing sets income limits by locality, and Northern Virginia's are among the highest in the state, so many dual-income households still qualify. Check your locality's current limit at Virginia Housing; grant programs carry lower limits than the loan programs.
What credit score do I need for down payment assistance in Northern Virginia?
Virginia Housing requires a 620 minimum credit score. The assistance pairs with conventional (including reduced or no mortgage insurance), FHA, VA, or USDA first mortgages.
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