NC Home Advantage Mortgage with Down Payment Assistance · Buncombe County
Buncombe County, North Carolina: down payment help, step by step
In Asheville and the mountain towns around it, NCHFA's forgivable down payment help can make a first home more reachable for Buncombe County's public servants.
Step 1: Know the local market
Buncombe County has two school systems, Buncombe County Schools and Asheville City Schools, so teachers here work across both the city and the surrounding county. Public safety employers include the Asheville Police Department, Buncombe County Sheriff's Office, Asheville Fire Department and Buncombe County EMS.
Mountain-town listings can stretch a public-service paycheck. Before writing an offer in Weaverville, Woodfin or Black Mountain, compare the asking price with the $525,000 ceiling that governs the $15,000 route. Under it, that money can cover down payment, mortgage insurance and closing costs.
Teachers on a single salary in the mountains sometimes find that even $15,000 leaves a gap. Lower-earning households (80% of area median or less) should ask a local Community Partners Loan Pool member before signing a contract, since that pool can stack on top of an NCHFA first mortgage.
Step 2: Check the Buncombe County caps
| Income cap, 1 or 2 people | Income cap, 3 or more | Highest price allowed |
|---|---|---|
| $103,000 | $118,000 | $525,000 |
Buncombe buyers using the $15,000 option must stay at or under $525,000, with family income up to $103,000 for 1 to 2 people or $118,000 for 3+. Statewide figures are in the limits table; to test a price against your income, use the budget calculator.
Step 3: Add local help in Buncombe County
Our last check turned up no program run just for Buncombe County. The statewide options still work here. Open the North Carolina program directory.
Step 4: Book your homebuyer class near Buncombe County
Plan on a homebuyer class; most programs want the certificate in hand before you close. Below are HUD-approved agencies within driving distance of Buncombe County, with the services, languages and meeting formats each one lists.
| Counseling agency | Town | Miles | Services | Spoken in | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Wnc, Inc. - Dba - Ontrack Financial Education & Counseling | Asheville | 2 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English, Spanish | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Mountain Projects, Inc. | Waynesville | 25 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone |
Pulled from the HUD housing counseling directory. Ask before you enroll, because programs differ on which classes count.
Major public employers in Buncombe County
Some of the larger schools and public safety agencies here:
- Buncombe County Schools
- Asheville City Schools
- Asheville Police Department
- Buncombe County Sheriff's Office
- Asheville Fire Department
- Buncombe County EMS
NCHFA doesn't check your job, so any eligible Buncombe buyer can apply. Every job the program covers
Buncombe County: questions and answers
I teach for Asheville City Schools but want to live in Weaverville. Is that okay?
Sure. Where you teach and where you live are separate questions. NCHFA only cares that the Weaverville house becomes your main home.
Can I use the help on a Biltmore Forest home?
Biltmore Forest prices often run high. A $15,000 deal there needs a price no higher than $525,000, while the 3% route ignores sales price entirely at the NCHFA level.
Is a manufactured home in the mountains allowed?
Yes, with an FHA, VA or USDA loan and a 660 credit score.
Nearby county guides: Wake CountyMecklenburg CountyGuilford CountyForsyth CountyDurham CountyCumberland CountyUnion CountyJohnston County All counties
