Up to $13,999 toward buying your first home in Wayne County.
Wayne County helps first-time buyers cover the down payment and closing costs across most of its communities. Several cities run their own separate programs instead.
Wayne County runs its own program separate from the individual cities, and it does not cover every community in the county. Check the list below first.
Who qualifies
You need to check every box below.
- Buy in a participating Wayne County community. Allen Park, Belleville, Brownstown, Ecorse, Flat Rock, Garden City, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile Twp., Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Woods, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park, Huron Twp., Inkster, Melvindale, Northville, Plymouth, River Rouge, Rockwood, Romulus, Southgate, Sumpter Twp., Trenton, Van Buren Twp., Wayne, Woodhaven, Wyandotte.
- Canton, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Detroit, Lincoln Park, Livonia, Redford, Taylor, and Westland are excluded. Several of those run their own programs. Ask us and we will point you to the right one.
- No home ownership in the past 3 years. No interest in any other real estate at time of purchase.
- Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income. See the table below.
- Under $20,000 in liquid assets. Savings, checking, and similar accounts.
- Complete a homebuyer education course. We will point you to an approved one.
- Live in the home for 5 years. That is what makes the second mortgage forgivable.
- Traditional mortgage financing required. Land contract and lease-purchase are not eligible.
- Single family or condo. Primary residence only.
2026 income limits
Total household income, counting every adult in the home.
| Household size | Income limit |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $58,700 |
| 2 people | $67,100 |
| 3 people | $75,500 |
| 4 people | $83,850 |
| 5 people | $90,600 |
| 6 people | $97,300 |
| 7 people | $104,000 |
| 8 people | $110,700 |
What happens next
Most buyers are three to nine months out. That is normal.
- Fill out the form below
Two minutes. No income figures, no credit pull, nothing that affects your report.
- We'll talk it through
I will tell you straight whether you look eligible and what is standing in the way if you are not.
- Education class and pre-approval
Both are required before an application goes in. We line them up together.
- Find the house, apply for the assistance
The application goes in after you have an accepted purchase agreement.