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Participating Lenders

Program Descriptions and Guidelines

Each first-time homebuyer program SDHC administers has different eligibility requirements and features. See the program descriptions and guidelines below.

City of San Diego Low-Income (<80% AMI) Program (ZIP Codes beginning with 921)
Available Assistance Deferred-payment Loan for down payment: Up to 25% of the purchase price
Grant for closing costs (forgiven): 4% of the purchase price up to $10,000
Interest Rate 3% Simple Interest
Income Limit 80% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
(For forgivable loans for closing costs, the maximum income is 100% of Area Median Income.)
Maximum Purchase Price Attached: $603,250
Detached: $1,030,750
Effective December 2022
Funding Availability
(as of February 1, 2024)
Funds Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines
Additional Terms No payments are required for 30 years, unless the owner sells or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence, at which time the principal balance, including accrued interest, must be repaid.

To qualify, the buyer must obtain a fixed-rate first trust deed loan; have adequate income, a good credit rating; and provide a minimum down payment of 1 percent. Applicants also must attend a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling.

 

City of San Diego (ZIP Codes beginning with 921) Middle-Income, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Pilot Program
Available Assistance $40,000 Total Assistance: $20,000 deferred, down-payment assistance loan + $20,000 closing costs assistance grant (grant forgiven at close of escrow)

OR

$20,000 Total Assistance: Grant for down payment and/or closing costs (grant forgiven after 3 years of owner occupancy)

Interest Rate 1.5% Simple Interest
Income Limit 80% – 150% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
Maximum Purchase Price $1,250,000
Funding Availability
(as of February 1, 2024)
Funds Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines
Additional Terms The Loan is deferred with no monthly payments required for years 1 through 7.  Beginning in year 8, the outstanding principal and interest will be converted to an amortized loan with fixed monthly payments for a period of 96 months. There is no prepayment penalty, and payments can be made at any time.

 

County of San Diego Low-Income (<80% AMI) Program (12 participating cities and unincorporated areas – See Program Guidelines for specific cities)
Available Assistance Deferred-payment Loan for down payment: Up to 22% of the purchase price
Loan for closing costs: 4% of the purchase price up to $10,000
Interest Rate 3% Simple Interest
Income Limit 80% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
Maximum Purchase Price Attached: $676,000
Detached: $676,000
Effective July 2023
Funding Availability
(as of February 1, 2024)
Funds Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines (Low-Income, 80% AMI)
Additional Terms No payments are required for 30 years, unless the owner sells or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence, at which time the principal balance, including accrued interest, must be repaid.

To qualify, the buyer must obtain a fixed-rate first trust deed loan; have adequate income, a good credit rating; and provide a minimum down payment of 3 percent. Applicants also must attend a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling.

 

County of San Diego Middle-Income (80% – 120% AMI) Program (6 participating cities and unincorporated areas – See Program Guidelines for specific cities)
Available Assistance Deferred-payment Loan for down payment: Up to 17% of the purchase price
Interest Rate 3% Simple Interest
Income Limit 120% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
Maximum Purchase Price Current Median Sales Price as listed on the California Association of Realtors Website
To access the median sales price on the C.A.R. website, select the links to the SFH Sales & Price or CDO Sales & Price.  Please note C.A.R. updates the median sales price each month.
Funding Availability
(as of October 31, 2023)
No Funding Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines (Middle-Income, 80% – 120% AMI)
Additional Terms No payments are required for 30 years, unless the owner sells or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence, at which time the principal balance, including accrued interest, must be repaid.

To qualify, the buyer must obtain a fixed-rate first trust deed loan; have adequate income, a good credit rating; and provide a minimum down payment of 3 percent. Applicants also must attend a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling.

 

City of Chula Vista
Available Assistance Deferred-payment Loan: Up to 22% of the purchase price—not to exceed $120,000—for down payment and closing costs
Interest Rate 3% Simple Interest
Income Limit 80% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
Maximum Purchase Price Attached: $623,200
Detached: $855,000
Effective September 2023
Funding Availability
(as of February 1, 2024)
Funds Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines
Additional Terms No payments are required for 30 years, unless the owner sells or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence, at which time the principal balance, including accrued interest, must be repaid.

To qualify, the buyer must obtain a fixed-rate first trust deed loan; have adequate income, a good credit rating; and provide a minimum down payment of 3 percent. Applicants also must attend a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling.

 

City of El Cajon
Available Assistance Deferred-payment Loan: Up to 22% of the purchase price—not to exceed $150,000 for single-family homes and townhomes OR $100,000 for condominiums—for down payment and closing costs
Interest Rate Shared Equity
(see Program Guidelines)
Income Limit 80% of San Diego’s Area Median Income
Maximum Purchase Price Attached: $444,600
Detached: $760,000
Effective July 2023
Funding Availability
(as of February 1, 2024)
Funds Available
Additional Information Program Guidelines
Additional Terms No payments are required for 30 years, unless the owner sells or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence, at which time the principal balance, including accrued interest, must be repaid.

To qualify, the buyer must obtain a fixed-rate first trust deed loan; have adequate income, a good credit rating; and provide a minimum down payment of 3 percent. Applicants also must attend a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling.

 

Submitting First Time Homebuyer Assistance Applications

If you are a current participating loan officer and need your log-in credentials, please email fthb@sdhc.org.

  1. Complete the applicable application package:
    City of San Diego Program Application
    –  BIPOC Program Self Certification Form
    County of San Diego Program Application
    City of Chula Vista Program Application
    City of El Cajon Program Application
  2. Log-in to the FTHB Lender Portal
    First-Time Homebuyer Lender Portal
  3. Follow the instructions in the Lender Portal Submission Guide

Prior to submitting loan packages for underwriting, lenders should check this website for updates on loan documents, available funds or program changes.

Participating Lenders

To become a participating lender for the First-Time Homebuyer Programs (FTHB) you are required to attend an SDHC lender training seminar and your company must enter into a Lender Participation Agreement with SDHC.  There is a $50 fee per loan officer for training and a $500 annual lender participation fee. Lender training seminars are held quarterly in March, June, September, and December.  For more information email fthb@sdhc.org

Forms & Documents

City of San Diego Guidelines (Low-Income, <80% AMI)

City of San Diego Guidelines (BIPOC Middle-Income, 80% – 150% AMI)

County of San Diego Guidelines (Low-Income, 80% AMI)

County of San Diego Guidelines (Middle-Income, 80% – 120% AMI)

City of Chula Vista Guidelines

City of El Cajon Guidelines

Approved Home Inspectors

Area Median Income

Census Tract

FTHB Program Summary Chart

Homebuyer Education Providers

Voluntary Acquisition Informational Notice

BIPOC Program Self Certification Form

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