Virginia Down Payment Assistance Programs (2026)
Virginia's help comes through Virginia Housing: grants you never repay, a larger repayable second, and first mortgages with reduced or no mortgage insurance. Here is the full menu and who each fits.
The grants
Virginia Housing’s grants are the cleanest help available. The DPA Grant goes toward your down payment; the CCA Grant goes toward closing costs on FHA, VA, and USDA loans. Both are true grants, no second loan, no monthly payment, nothing to repay. For a first-time buyer whose barrier is cash, that is the most valuable form of assistance. Grant amounts are a percentage of the sales price, published on the Virginia Housing site. Full detail on our grants page.
The Plus Second Mortgage
When a grant is not enough, especially in high-cost Northern Virginia, the Plus Second Mortgage steps in. It is a larger second loan covering down payment and closing costs, and it is repayable, but it requires no separate mortgage insurance or title insurance, which keeps it lean. Buyers often combine a grant toward closing with the Plus Second toward the down payment. Compare them on our grant vs. Plus Second page.
The first mortgages (and the no-MI edge)
The assistance rides on a Virginia Housing first mortgage. Virginia Housing is known for conventional loans with reduced or no mortgage insurance, which can lower your monthly payment versus a standard low-down-payment conventional loan, and it also offers FHA, VA, and USDA. Loans come in bond (first-time) and non-bond (repeat-buyer-friendly) versions. That non-bond flexibility and the no-MI option are two of Virginia’s real edges, see our repeat buyers & no-MI page.
Verified August 2026 against Virginia Housing materials. Grant/second amounts and income limits are volatile, confirm at virginiahousing.com. This is not a commitment to lend.
Common questions
What down payment assistance programs are there in Virginia?
Virginia Housing offers a DPA Grant (down payment) and a CCA Grant (closing costs), both true grants you never repay, plus a larger repayable Plus Second Mortgage. First mortgages include reduced/no-MI conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA.
Does Virginia Housing offer a no-mortgage-insurance loan?
Yes. Virginia Housing offers conventional loans with reduced or no mortgage insurance, which can lower your monthly payment versus a standard low-down-payment conventional loan. These pair with the grants or the Plus Second Mortgage.
Can I combine a Virginia grant with the Plus Second Mortgage?
Often yes, for example a CCA Grant toward closing costs with the Plus Second toward the down payment. A lender runs the numbers to find the lowest-cost mix for your purchase.
See which Virginia option fits you
Tell us your county, credit range, and price target, and we’ll map your Virginia path in a no-pressure 20-minute call. No obligation.