SeatRaleigh
Residents1,257,235
Cap, 3+ people$152,000
Price ceiling$525,000
Step 1: Know the local market
With more than 1.25 million residents, Wake County's job base is huge, and so is its public workforce. The Wake County Public School System employs a large share of local teachers, and the Raleigh Police Department, Cary Police Department, Wake County Sheriff's Office, Raleigh Fire Department and Wake County EMS round out a long list of public safety jobs.
Homes in fast-growing towns like Apex, Holly Springs and Wake Forest can push against the $525,000 cap for the $15,000 NC 1st Home Advantage option. If the house you love is priced above that, the 3% option has no NCHFA price cap, so it can still help.
Two-income households in Cary and north Raleigh should keep the $158,000 statewide income limit in mind. It's the same no matter how many people live in the home.
Step 2: Check the Wake County caps
| Income cap, 1 or 2 people | Income cap, 3 or more | Highest price allowed |
|---|
| $132,000 | $152,000 | $525,000 |
In Wake County the $15,000 option caps the price and loan at $525,000. Total family income can be up to $132,000 for a household of 1 or 2, or $152,000 for 3 or more. Statewide figures are in the limits table; to test a price against your income, use the budget calculator.
Step 3: Add local help in Wake County
Some local programs stack on top of the state option and some replace it. Each has its own rules, so ask your loan officer which ones you can pair.
City 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
Read the full program pageCheck if I qualifyCity of Raleigh (designated target areas only)
- For
- First-time buyers at or below 80% AMI buying in the city's bond target areas
- Amount
- Up to $60,000
- Form
- Deferred loan, due when you sell
- Income cap
- 80% AMI (4-person $105,850)
- Price cap
- $450,000
- Only first-time buyers?
- Yes
- Other conditions
- Funded by the 2020 Affordable Housing Bond; home must be in a target area (map PDF and ArcGIS lookup on the page); 10-year deed restriction limits the owner's sale proceeds if sold within 10 years; same class and lender rules as the base program.
Status is inferred from the active Sep 2026 page. The page has no funding-exhausted notice, but it doesn't confirm open status either.
Last checked November 2026 · our sources
Read the full program pageCheck if I qualifyWake County Affordable Homeownership Program (with DHIC)
Taking applicationsWake County outside Raleigh and Cary (all other Wake municipalities and unincorporated areas)
- For
- Low- and moderate-income households
- Amount
- Up to $20,000
- Form
- Forgivable loan
- Other conditions
- Forgivable, no-monthly-payment loans; can be used for home purchase assistance or foreclosure prevention.
Described on the Wake County services page. The linked DHIC program page (dhic.org/wake-county-and-dhic-partner-to-secure-the-dream-of-homeownership/) returned 404, so income limit, price limit and forgiveness terms weren't verified.
Last checked November 2026 · our sources
Check if I qualifyFull North Carolina program directory
Step 4: Book your homebuyer class near Wake 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 Wake County, with the services, languages and meeting formats each one lists.
| Counseling agency | Town | Miles | Services | Spoken in | Format |
|---|
| Consumer Education Services, Inc | Raleigh | 3 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English, Spanish | Phone |
| Telamon Corporation, Inc | Raleigh | 5 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English, Spanish | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Empowerment Incorporated | Chapel Hill | 25 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone |
| Centre for Home Ownership & Economic Development Corporation | Hillsborough | 31 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
Pulled from the HUD housing counseling directory. Ask before you enroll, because programs differ on which classes count.
Which class counts? Ask a loan officer who handles North Carolina programs. They can name the right class and begin your pre-approval in the same call.
Start the eligibility check
Major public employers in Wake County
Some of the larger schools and public safety agencies here:
- Wake County Public School System
- Raleigh Police Department
- Wake County Sheriff's Office
- Cary Police Department
- Raleigh Fire Department
- Wake County EMS
You don't have to work for one of these employers. NCHFA's programs are open to any eligible Wake County buyer. Every job the program covers
Wake County: questions and answers
Can a Wake County teacher buy in Johnston County instead?
Yes. The home just has to be in North Carolina and be your principal residence. Each county has its own income limit for the $15,000 option.
What if the Apex home I want costs more than $525,000?
The $15,000 option won't work, but the 3% option has no NCHFA price limit. Only normal loan limits apply.
Does Raleigh have its own program too?
We only cover the NCHFA programs here. A participating lender can tell you about any local help that pairs with them.
Nearby county guides: Mecklenburg CountyGuilford CountyForsyth CountyDurham CountyCumberland CountyBuncombe CountyUnion CountyJohnston County All counties
