North Carolina Down Payment Assistance Programs (2026)
North Carolina's help comes through one agency, NCHFA, and one first-mortgage program with two down payment amounts. Here is the full menu and who each option fits.
NC Home Advantage and the 3% option
NC Home Advantage is the backbone: a competitively priced first mortgage, available as FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional, with up to 3% of the loan amount in down payment assistance. It is open to any eligible buyer, first-time or move-up, which is unusual, many state programs are first-time only. The 3% is a zero-percent deferred second with no monthly payment, forgiven over years 11 through 15. For a repeat buyer, this is North Carolina’s path.
The $15,000 for first-time buyers and veterans
Layered on top is NC 1st Home Advantage, a flat $15,000 in assistance for first-time buyers and for military veterans. Veterans qualify even if they have owned before, which matters for service members. On most North Carolina loan sizes, $15,000 is larger than 3%, so a qualifying first-time buyer or veteran usually takes it. Same structure, zero-percent deferred, forgiven over years 11 through 15. Compare the two on our 3% vs. $15,000 page.
The forgiveness that sets NC apart
Both amounts share North Carolina’s distinctive forgiveness schedule. For the first ten years, the second sits behind your first mortgage with no payment. Then it forgives 20% a year in years 11 through 15, and by year 15 it is fully forgiven, you owe nothing. Leave before year 11 and you repay it in full; between years 11 and 15 the payoff shrinks. For a buyer putting down roots, that is a genuinely valuable structure. Full detail on the forgiveness page.
Verified August 2026 against NCHFA. Income and sales-price limits are volatile — confirm current figures at nchfa.com. This is not a commitment to lend.
Common questions
What down payment assistance programs are there in North Carolina?
North Carolina's NCHFA runs NC Home Advantage (a first mortgage with up to 3% down payment assistance for any buyer) and NC 1st Home Advantage (a flat $15,000 for first-time buyers and military veterans). Both are forgiven over years 11-15.
Can move-up buyers get NC down payment assistance?
Yes. The up-to-3% NC Home Advantage option is open to any buyer, first-time or move-up. The flat $15,000 is limited to first-time buyers and military veterans.
Are the NC down payment programs forgivable?
Yes. Both the 3% and the $15,000 are 0% deferred seconds with no monthly payment, forgiven 20% per year in years 11 through 15, and fully forgiven if you keep the home 15 years.
See which NC option fits you
Tell us your county, credit range, and price target, and we’ll map your North Carolina path in a no-pressure 20-minute call. No obligation.