Low Down Payment Loans 2026: FHA, VA, USDA, 3% Down
You don't need 20% down to buy a home. FHA, VA and USDA loans and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac programs let you put down 0% to 3.5%, and many down payment assistance programs are built to cover that amount. Answer a few questions to see which low down payment loans could fit you and what the minimum down payment would be at your price. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is saved.
A first look only, not a loan offer or advice. Lenders also check your debts, income, savings and the property, and can set stricter rules. Loan limits vary by county; check yours with HUD's FHA loan limit lookup ↗.
The main low down payment loans, side by side
| Loan | Minimum down | Who it fits | Main extra cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FHA loan | 3.5% with a credit score of 580+; 10% with 500 to 579 | Anyone who will live in the home; popular with lower credit scores | Mortgage insurance premium (upfront and monthly) | HUD ↗ |
| VA loan | 0% if the price isn't above the appraised value | Eligible veterans, service members and some surviving spouses with a Certificate of Eligibility | No PMI; a one-time VA funding fee may apply | VA.gov ↗ |
| USDA guaranteed loan | 0% (100% financing) | Homes in eligible rural areas; household income up to 115% of the area median | Guarantee fees; 30-year fixed only | USDA Rural Development ↗ |
| Fannie Mae HomeReady | 3% | Income up to 80% of the area median; first-time buyer not required | Mortgage insurance that can be canceled later | Fannie Mae ↗ |
| Freddie Mac Home Possible | 3% | Income up to 80% of the area median | Mortgage insurance that can be canceled later | Freddie Mac ↗ |
| Fannie Mae standard 97% loan | 3% | At least one borrower is a first-time buyer; no income limit | Mortgage insurance that can be canceled later | Fannie Mae ↗ |
Rules and 2026 loan limits we use
- FHA: a minimum decision credit score of 580 or higher qualifies for maximum financing (96.5%, so 3.5% down); 500 to 579 is limited to 90% financing; below 500 isn't eligible (HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-11 ↗, which keeps these thresholds when new credit score models start in 2027). 2026 one-unit FHA limits run from $541,287 in lower-cost areas to $1,249,125 in high-cost areas (HUD ↗).
- VA: no down payment as long as the price isn't higher than the appraised value, and no private mortgage insurance; a one-time VA funding fee may apply (VA.gov ↗).
- USDA Section 502 guaranteed loan: 100% financing for a primary residence in an eligible rural area, household income up to 115% of the median, no program credit score minimum (lenders still review credit), 30-year fixed only (USDA Rural Development ↗).
- Fannie Mae HomeReady and Freddie Mac Home Possible: as little as 3% down with income up to 80% of the area median (Fannie Mae ↗, Freddie Mac ↗). Fannie Mae standard 97%: 3% down with no income limit if at least one borrower hasn't owned a home in the past three years (Fannie Mae ↗).
- Conventional loan limit: $832,750 for a one-unit home in most of the country in 2026, up to $1,249,125 in high-cost areas (FHFA ↗).
Pairing a loan with down payment assistance
Most statewide assistance comes with a first mortgage from a participating lender, and the program decides which loan types it works with. Programs in our list whose official details name a loan type:
- FHA:
- MyHome Assistance Program · California
- Georgia Dream Down Payment Assistance · Georgia
- Georgia Dream Peach Plus · Georgia
- HomeNow · New Mexico
- OHFA Down Payment Assistance · Ohio
- Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan · Pennsylvania
- Keystone Flex with K-DATE · Pennsylvania
- ATL HomeNOW · City of Atlanta
- Beltline Mortgage Assistance Program · City of Atlanta
- Kickstart Homeownership Program · Northern Nevada · Opens Nov. 16, 2026 (until funds run out)
- Down Payment Assistance · Nashville
- VA:
- Georgia Dream Down Payment Assistance · Georgia
- Georgia Dream Peach Plus · Georgia
- HomeNow · New Mexico
- OHFA Down Payment Assistance · Ohio
- Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan · Pennsylvania
- Keystone Flex with K-DATE · Pennsylvania
- VHFA ASSIST · Vermont
- ATL HomeNOW · City of Atlanta
- Beltline Mortgage Assistance Program · City of Atlanta
- Kickstart Homeownership Program · Northern Nevada · Opens Nov. 16, 2026 (until funds run out)
- USDA:
- Georgia Dream Down Payment Assistance · Georgia
- HomeNow · New Mexico
- OHFA Down Payment Assistance · Ohio
- Kickstart Homeownership Program · Northern Nevada · Opens Nov. 16, 2026 (until funds run out)
- Conventional:
- MyHome Assistance Program · California
- Georgia Dream Down Payment Assistance · Georgia
- 1st Generation Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance · New Hampshire
- OHFA Down Payment Assistance · Ohio
- Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan · Pennsylvania
- Keystone Flex with K-DATE · Pennsylvania
- ATL HomeNOW · City of Atlanta
- Beltline Mortgage Assistance Program · City of Atlanta
- Kickstart Homeownership Program · Northern Nevada · Opens Nov. 16, 2026 (until funds run out)
Not on this list doesn't mean a program excludes a loan type. Most listings don't say; check each program's own page or ask a participating lender.
Next: find your state's programs, see how much they could give with the assistance calculator, then work out your cash at closing with the cash-to-close calculator. Veterans can also see assistance for veterans. After you buy, the PMI removal calculator shows when conventional mortgage insurance can end.
Common questions
What is the lowest down payment I can get on a mortgage?
Zero, if you qualify for a VA loan (eligible veterans and service members) or a USDA guaranteed loan (eligible rural areas, income up to 115% of the area median). Otherwise, Fannie Mae HomeReady, Fannie Mae's standard 97% loan and Freddie Mac Home Possible start at 3% down, and FHA starts at 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher.
What credit score do I need for an FHA loan with 3.5% down?
HUD's rules: a minimum decision credit score of 580 or higher qualifies for maximum financing (3.5% down). Scores from 500 to 579 are limited to 90% financing, so 10% down. Below 500, FHA-insured financing isn't available. Lenders can set stricter standards of their own.
Can I use down payment assistance with these loans?
Often, yes. Most state housing finance agency programs are paired with an FHA, VA, USDA or conventional first mortgage from a participating lender, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac allow gifts, grants and approved second loans as down payment sources. Each program decides which loan types it works with, so check the program's official page.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Not for FHA, VA, USDA, HomeReady or Home Possible. Fannie Mae's standard 97% loan (3% down without an income limit) requires at least one borrower to be a first-time buyer, meaning no ownership of a home in the past three years.
Which low down payment loan is cheapest?
It depends on your credit, income and the home. VA loans have no monthly mortgage insurance but may have a one-time funding fee. Conventional loans with less than 20% down have mortgage insurance that can be canceled later. Ask two or three lenders for Loan Estimates on the same day and compare them line by line.
Is this checker private?
Yes. It runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent or saved.
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