Down Payment Help in Georgia and Gwinnett: 2026 Guide

If you rent today and the down payment feels like a wall, I understand. I rented for years and moved often before buying my own home, so I’ll start here: you don’t have to save it all at once. Georgia and Gwinnett County have programs that help, and a plan makes the rest doable.

Programs change. I checked every number on October 16, 2026; sources are at the end.

Could I qualify for Homestretch?

Homestretch is Gwinnett County’s down payment loan of up to $10,000 (details below). Here’s a quick yes-or-no check, using only the county’s published limits:

• First home? Are you a first-time buyer, or has it been at least three years since you owned a home?
• Income? Is your household’s gross income at or under the limit for its size? (For example, $66,000 for one person or $94,250 for four. The full table is below.)
• Credit? Do you have a credit score above 580?
• Debt? Would your housing payment stay at or under 43% of your gross monthly income, and all your monthly debts, housing included, at or under 55%?
• Assets? Are your household’s total assets $25,000 or less?
• Your own money? Can you put in 1% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less?
• Class? Will you take an eight-hour, HUD-approved pre-purchase class?
• The home? Is it in Gwinnett and priced up to $371,000 (existing) or $425,000 (new construction)?

All yes? It’s worth a call to the county (678.518.6008). A no or two? Read the details below and ask anyway. The county and your lender make the final decision.

How much money do you really need?

Buying usually takes three kinds of money.

1. The down payment (it depends on the loan)

Loan type	Typical minimum down payment
FHA (insured by HUD)	As low as 3.5% of the price
Conventional	As low as 3% on some loans, like Fannie Mae’s HomeReady (income limits apply); the CFPB notes many loan types and lenders require 5% or more
VA (for eligible service members and veterans)	Can be $0, as long as the price isn’t higher than the home’s appraised value
USDA Guaranteed	100% financing (no money down) for eligible buyers with income under USDA’s limit, only in areas USDA considers rural (check the address on USDA’s map)

Your lender confirms which fit you; see my guides on getting pre-approved and credit scores.

2. Closing costs

Lender, title, appraisal, recording and other fees. The CFPB says they typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price, on top of the down payment. I break them down in closing costs in Georgia.

3. A cushion after closing

Some loans require reserves, meaning money still in your account after closing. Even when yours doesn’t, the CFPB suggests an emergency fund of at least three to six months of expenses.

An example (not a quote)

A $350,000 home, using the percentages above (my math):

Item	Approximate amount
FHA down payment (3.5%)	$12,250
Conventional down payment (3%)	$10,500
Closing costs (2% to 5%)	$7,000 to $17,500

That’s where down payment assistance (DPA) can help. Here are two public programs open to Gwinnett buyers.

Georgia Dream (Georgia DCA)

Run by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Terms effective July 8, 2026:

• Assistance: 5% of the price or $10,000, whichever is less. PEN (public protectors, educators, healthcare providers or people who work in those fields, and active military) and Choice (a family member living with a disability): 6% or $12,500, whichever is less.
• Limits for Gwinnett (part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell HUD Metro): price up to $625,000; household income up to $137,555 for 1–2 people or $158,188 for 3 or more.
• Who qualifies: first-time buyers, people who haven’t owned a home in the past three years, or buyers purchasing in certain areas, with household income within the limit. Liquid assets after closing: no more than $20,000 or 20% of the price, whichever is greater.
• Credit and class: a credit score of at least 640 and a homebuyer education class.
• Your own money: a minimum investment of $500 to $1,000, depending on the loan.
• Main loan: 30-year fixed (FHA, VA, USDA or conventional).

Important: the assistance is a 0% interest second mortgage with no monthly payment. DCA calls it “non-forgivable” and “not a grant.” You repay it when you sell, refinance or transfer title to the home.

Gwinnett County Homestretch

Gwinnett County’s own program, funded with federal HOME dollars from HUD.

• Assistance: up to $10,000 as a 0% interest, no-payment loan. If the home stays your main residence for five years, you don’t repay it (the balance drops 20% a year from the first anniversary).
• What it covers: down payment, closing costs and prepaid items.
• Who qualifies: first-time buyers (or no home owned for three years or more) with household income within the county’s limits (80% of the area median).
• Credit and debt: a credit score above 580; debt-to-income of no more than 43% for housing and 55% in total.
• Class: an eight-hour, HUD-approved pre-purchase counseling class.
• Your own money: 1% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less. Total household assets can’t exceed $25,000.
• The home: a single-family home or townhome (the county’s 2026 overview also lists condos) in Gwinnett. An existing home must pass the county’s condition inspection; new construction needs a Certificate of Occupancy instead. Price up to $371,000 existing or $425,000 new construction, effective December 1, 2025.

Income limits, 80% AMI, effective May 1, 2026:

People in the household	Maximum gross income
1	$66,000
2	$75,400
3	$84,850
4	$94,250
5	$101,800
6	$109,350
7	$116,900
8	$124,450

Count everyone who lives with you, and add up the before-tax income of everyone who earns.

The homebuyer class

Both programs require one, and both point you to HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (for Georgia Dream, classes are offered online or in person). Find one with the CFPB’s housing counselor search; the CFPB says they often charge little or nothing. Using both programs? Ask whether one certificate covers both.

I researched, asked questions and took a homebuyer class before buying my own home.

How to apply

Georgia Dream: you start with a participating Georgia Dream lender, who sends your loan to DCA for a compliance review. Find one on DCA’s lender list or call 800-359-4663. That review takes at least 10 business days (longer in spring and summer), so we plan the contract dates around it.

Homestretch:

1. Check the eligibility rules and take the counseling class.
2. Meet a lender and get a pre-approval letter.
3. Gather your class certificate, your pre-approval letter, a three-bureau credit report, the county’s pre-application form and checklist and, if you have one, your signed purchase contract.
4. Email everything to Homestretch@GwinnettCounty.com (phone 678.518.6008).

Ask your lender and the county whether Homestretch can be combined with another program. Never rely on verbal promises: make sure everything is in writing. And remember, a program can lower what you bring to closing, but your budget is what decides if a payment works.

Gift money from family

The CFPB says some loans accept a gift for the down payment if you can prove where the money came from, with a signed statement that it’s a gift, not a loan. For conventional loans that follow Fannie Mae’s rules, the giver signs a gift letter saying no repayment is expected, and the lender documents the money (for example, the transfer into your account). Talk to your lender before any money moves. Buying with a partner or relative? Read buying a home with someone else.

A simple savings plan

1. Know your number. Ask a lender for an estimate, then add earnest money (a good-faith deposit when your offer is accepted), the inspection, moving costs and your cushion.
2. Split it up. $6,000 over 12 months is $500 a month, or $250 per paycheck if you’re paid twice a month.
3. Make it automatic. A separate savings account and a payday transfer.
4. Keep a paper trail. Lenders review recent bank statements (Georgia Dream asks for the most recent 60 days), so keep deposits easy to explain.
5. Hold steady. Check with your lender before changing jobs, taking on new debt or moving gift money.
6. Mind the asset limits. Both programs limit assets (Homestretch: $25,000 per household). Ask your lender how they apply.

Don’t rush buying a home. The right house is worth waiting for. Still weighing your options? Read renting vs. buying in Gwinnett.

Your next step

Start your first-home plan or book a call. We’ll go through the official rules together, in English or Spanish.

General information only, not financial or legal advice. Confirm current terms with a licensed lender, Georgia DCA and Gwinnett County.