NC Down Payment Assistance + VA Loan (Fort Liberty Veterans)
A VA loan gets North Carolina veterans in with zero down. Pair it with NCHFA and the $15,000 covers closing costs, and veterans qualify for the $15,000 even if they have owned before. For buyers near Fort Liberty or Camp Lejeune, it is a strong stack.
Why the VA pairing is different
A VA loan is the best financing most veterans will ever get: zero down, no monthly mortgage insurance, strong terms. So pairing it with NCHFA is not about covering a down payment, a VA loan has none. Instead the assistance covers closing costs and prepaid items, the cash a VA buyer still brings. Because the second is deferred, it adds no monthly payment. For a military family near Fort Liberty or Camp Lejeune, that can mean buying now instead of saving another year.
Veterans get the $15,000 without first-time status
Here is the key advantage for North Carolina veterans. NC 1st Home Advantage waives the first-time-buyer requirement for eligible military veterans, so a veteran who owned a home during a prior assignment can still take the full $15,000. Stack a zero-down VA loan with that $15,000 covering closing costs, and a veteran can buy with very little cash. If they keep the home 15 years, the $15,000 forgives entirely. See the details on our NC 1st Home Advantage page.
North Carolina’s military communities
North Carolina has one of the largest military footprints in the country, which puts many buyers in range of the veteran $15,000. Fort Liberty anchors Fayetteville and Cumberland County, Camp Lejeune and MCAS New River anchor Jacksonville (Onslow County), MCAS Cherry Point sits near Havelock, and Seymour Johnson AFB is in Goldsboro. Around each, a VA loan plus the NCHFA $15,000 is one of the strongest cash-saving stacks available. The Fayetteville page covers the Fort Liberty market.
NCHFA facts verified August 2026 (NCHFA). VA loan details per the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This is not a commitment to lend. Related: DPA + FHA.
Common questions
Can you combine a VA loan with NC down payment assistance?
Yes. A VA loan requires no down payment for eligible veterans, so NCHFA's assistance covers closing costs and prepaid items instead. Veterans qualify for the flat $15,000 even without first-time status. It is a 0% deferred second forgiven over years 11-15.
Do NC veterans have to be first-time buyers for the $15,000?
No. NC 1st Home Advantage waives the first-time-buyer requirement for eligible military veterans, so a veteran who owned a home before can still take the full $15,000, strong for buyers near Fort Liberty and Camp Lejeune.
Do I make a payment on the NC second with a VA loan?
No monthly payment. The NCHFA second is a 0% deferred lien that covers closing costs on the zero-down VA loan. It forgives 20% per year in years 11-15 and is repaid only if you leave before it fully forgives.
Serve in NC? See your VA + DPA options
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