Fact sheet
City of Raleigh Homebuyer Assistance Program
Taking applicationsCity of Raleigh
- For
- First-time buyers at or below 80% AMI buying in Raleigh city limits
- Amount
- Up to $45,000
- Form
- Deferred loan, due when you sell
- Income cap
- 80% AMI: 1-person $74,100, 2 $84,700, 3 $95,300, 4 $105,850, 5 $114,350, 6 $122,800, 7 $131,300, 8 $139,750
- Price cap
- $389,500 in the page's program description; $384,750 in its Step 4 (page is inconsistent)
- Only first-time buyers?
- Yes
- Other conditions
- 0% interest, no payments until the home is sold or stops being the primary residence; homeownership class certificate required (DHIC, 919-832-4345); must buy within city limits; apply through an FY27 approved lender. Contact housing@raleighnc.gov, 919-996-4330.
Page updated Sep 4, 2026. It doesn't say whether the loan is ever forgiven or give a term in years. The page lists only single-family homes in one section but also townhomes and condos in another.
Last checked November 2026 · our sources
Check if I qualifyHow Raleigh's loan works
This is a deferred second mortgage. You make no monthly payments, and the interest rate is 0%. Repayment comes due when you sell or when the home is no longer your main residence. The City's page, updated September 4, 2026, doesn't say the loan is ever forgiven and doesn't give a term in years, so plan on paying it back from your sale proceeds unless the closing documents say otherwise. Our guide to forgivable vs. repayable help explains why that matters.
Because the balance comes out of your proceeds when you sell, it lowers what you walk away with later. Factor that in if you expect to move up in a few years.
Income, price and buyer rules
The household income ceiling is 80% of area median. In dollars, that is $74,100 for one person, $84,700 for two, $95,300 for three, $105,850 for four, $114,350 for five, $122,800 for six, $131,300 for seven and $139,750 for eight. You must be a first-time buyer, and the home has to be inside city limits. The price limit is unclear: the program description says $389,500, while Step 4 on the same page says $384,750. Staying under the lower figure is the safe plan. The page also lists only single-family homes in one spot but mentions townhomes and condos in another, so ask before you offer on an attached home.
Other help in Raleigh and Wake County
If your target home sits in one of the City's bond target areas, the Enhanced program offers up to $60,000 instead. Buyers elsewhere in Wake, outside Raleigh and Cary, can ask about the Wake County program run with DHIC. Whether the City loan layers on NCHFA's NC Home Advantage Mortgage isn't stated, so a participating lender confirms. See the Wake County guide for local limits.
Steps to apply
The program is run by the City's Housing and Community Development department, and approved lenders submit the applications. First, earn a homeownership class certificate; DHIC teaches the required class (919-832-4345). Next, choose a lender from the City's FY27 approved lender list, since the lender applies for you. Then get under contract on a home inside city limits. Questions go to housing@raleighnc.gov or 919-996-4330. Check your eligibility to line up a lender.
County guides for this area: Wake County
City of Raleigh Homebuyer Assistance Program: questions and answers
How much is Raleigh's homebuyer assistance?
Up to $45,000 as a 0% deferred loan, or up to $60,000 through the Enhanced program in designated target areas.
Is Raleigh's assistance forgiven?
The City's page doesn't say it is forgiven or give a term. It says no payments are due until the home is sold or stops being your primary residence.
What is the Raleigh price limit?
The City's page lists $389,500 in one place and $384,750 in another, so confirm with the City or your lender before making an offer.
See if I qualify for this one
Programs to compare
Drawn from the program's own web page as of November 2026. Money runs out and terms get revised, so check the latest with the program office or a lender that handles it. North Carolina Down Payment Assistance has no tie to this program.
