Financial Assistance for Home Buyers

Ready to buy a home but struggling with your down payment? We may be able to help!

INHS is here to make purchasing a home easier! INHS helps make homeownership possible for first-time home buyers of moderate income by filling the gap between what you can afford and the cost of housing. We offer up to $20,000 for down payment assistance and closing costs for those who are purchasing a home in any of the counties in our service area, including Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins Counties.

Loan eligibility is determined by household income limits and meeting funder and underwriting requirements. Rates are set monthly.

All programs are dependent upon availability of grants and other funds. Not all programs listed may still be available. We are unable to assist with: new construction, singlewide homes, rent-to-own, and home purchases where the mortgage is held by a private property.

INHS also has a Community Housing Trust program that helps people with modest incomes buy their first homes. By using a special ownership structure, INHS is able to keep CHT homes affordable, not just for the first buyer, but for all future buyers as well. To see if CHT homeownership is right for you, watch this brief video and take the 5-question quiz to find out!

get started here!

Steps to find out if you’re eligible to receive financial assistance through INHS:

Step 1

Complete our Intake Packet  (you can type your info into the fields of this PDF application and then print and sign it).

You’ll also need to send your four most recent paystubs, your most recent two years full Federal tax returns with W-2s, most recent two months’ bank statements, and most recent retirement statements. View additional resources and disclosures here.

Step 2

Mail, drop off, upload, or fax (607) 277-4536 the completed forms to INHS.

If you’d like us to mail an application to you, email homeownership@ithacanhs.org or call (607) 277-4500 with your name, phone number, mailing address and the type of assistance you are requesting.

Step 3

After submitting your application, you will meet with one of our experienced lenders to review the application and obtain any additional information that might be required. We will discuss the next steps to determine your eligibility.

What’s involved in processing my application?

Processing your application will take two business days. One of our experienced lenders will contact you to schedule an appointment.

What steps will you take?

  1. We will run a credit check to review your credit history. As a counseling institution this credit pull is what’s considered a “soft” pull and will not affect your credit score.  This information will be used to analyze how current debts may affect your mortgage readiness.
  2. We will conduct an internal income verification review to see if you have a stable and sufficient source of income or subsidy.
  3. We will analyze current savings habits and how they affect your mortgage readiness.
  4. We will schedule a time to connect with you (either in person or by phone) to discuss your home ownership plans/goals, your best strategy to move forward, and any local assistance programs that may be available to you.

INHS is a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency.

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