Cities and counties across Texas offer grants and forgivable loans — Dallas up to $50–60K, Tarrant County $50K, Fort Worth $25K, Arlington $20K, and more. Typical criteria: income at or below 80% of area median (roughly $85K+ for a family of four), first-time buyer (no home owned in 3 years — waived in some programs), the home as your primary residence, a short homebuyer class, and city price caps. Funding is limited and first-come — the earlier your file goes in, the better your odds.
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Texas runs statewide programs that work on any address: TSAHC and TDHCA offer roughly 5% of the loan as a grant or forgivable assistance, SETH adds grant options in most cities, and HAT grants require no repayment at all. Typical criteria: credit score around 620–640+, income limits higher than city programs, and some options waive the first-time-buyer rule entirely. The MCC adds a $2,000/year federal tax credit for the life of the loan — about $60K of value most buyers never claim.
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USDA offers 100% financing — zero down — on eligible addresses (street-by-street maps; income up to 115% of area median, no purchase-price cap). VA gives Veterans zero down with no PMI, and Texas Veterans with a 30%+ disability rating get an extra 0.50% rate discount through the VLB plus a waived funding fee. FHA at 3.5% down is the backbone under most assistance stacks.
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