$15,000 in down payment help through NCHFA

Two pieces that work together

NCHFA’s help comes as two programs that stack. The NC Home Advantage Mortgage is the underlying home loan — a competitive fixed-rate FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional loan through a participating lender, which on its own can include up to 3% of the loan amount in down payment assistance. On top of that, a first-time buyer or an eligible veteran can use the NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment for a flat $15,000 toward the down payment and closing costs.

How the $15,000 gets forgiven

The $15,000 is a 0%-interest, deferred second mortgage — no monthly payment. As of 2026 it’s forgiven 20% per year at the end of years 11 through 15, so it’s fully forgiven once you’ve owned the home for 15 years. If you sell or refinance before then, the unforgiven balance is repaid at closing. That’s a real difference from what older write-ups on the web still say — earlier versions of this program used a five-year window, and those pages are out of date.

Who qualifies (current as of 2026)

• First-time buyers, military veterans, or buyers in a targeted census tract for the $15,000 NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment. “First-time” means you haven’t owned your principal residence in the last three years.
• Minimum credit score of 640 (660 for a manufactured home).
• Income and sales-price limits apply. The NC Home Advantage Mortgage income limit runs well into six figures (up to roughly $158,000 statewide in 2026), and the sales-price limit is up to $495,000 — far higher than the $67,000 income and $245,000 price caps you’ll still find quoted on older sites.
• You must occupy the home as your principal residence and be a legal U.S. resident buying in North Carolina.
• Single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and manufactured homes can qualify — and unlike the program’s earlier rules, both existing homes and new construction are eligible.

NCHFA adjusts these limits regularly, and the exact income cap for the $15,000 assistance varies by county and household size. Treat the numbers above as a starting point — a participating lender confirms what you actually qualify for.

Charlotte-area buyers

This is a statewide North Carolina program, so it isn’t limited to Mecklenburg or Cabarrus — it works across the whole Charlotte metro I cover, from Charlotte, NC out to Monroe, Matthews, Concord, and beyond. If you’re also a veteran or active-duty servicemember, a VA loan may pair with this assistance — worth looking at both together.

What I do, and what a lender does

I’m a broker, not a lender, so I won’t quote you a rate, a payment, or a guarantee that you’ll be approved — those come from a participating lender who runs your real numbers. What I do is make sure these programs are on the table from the start, connect you with a lender who actually works with NCHFA loans, and represent you through the offer, inspections, and closing so the assistance actually makes it to the closing table.