Texas Housing Program Income & Purchase Price Limits

TSAHC and TDHCA publish separate income and purchase-price guidelines for their Texas homebuyer programs.

Eligible programs can provide assistance of up to 5% of the mortgage loan amount for down payment and closing costs.

To ensure these programs are available to those who need them most, TSAHC has set some basic requirements that borrowers must meet.

See Which Texas DPA Programs You Qualify For

In this blog post, we'll focus on the income and home purchase price limits that borrowers need to meet to qualify for down payment assistance and state-sponsored programs.

Texas Down Payment Assistance Programs

Before we jump into the income and purchase price limits, let’s do a quick overview of the main TSAHC programs available to you:

Home Sweet Texas Home Loan Program

  • Who it’s for: Low and moderate-income Texas residents.

  • Assistance: Up to 5% of the mortgage loan amount for down payment and closing costs.

  • Flexibility: Available grant levels or a three-year deferred forgivable second lien.

  • Key difference: Open to any eligible Texan, not profession-specific.

Homes for Texas Heroes Program

  • Who it’s for: Teachers, firefighters, police officers, veterans, and other community heroes.

  • Assistance: Up to 5% of the mortgage loan amount for down payment and closing costs.

  • Flexibility: Available grant levels or a three-year deferred forgivable second lien.

  • Key difference: Specifically tailored for those who serve their communities.

My First Texas Home Program

  • Who it’s for: First-time homebuyers or those who haven’t owned a home in the last three years.

  • Assistance: Competitive 30-year fixed-rate mortgage plus up to 5% for down payment and closing costs.

  • Additional Benefit: Combine with a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) for extra tax savings.

  • Key difference: Specifically for first-time homebuyers with additional tax benefits.

My Choice Texas Home Program

  • Who it’s for: Eligible first-time and repeat homebuyers, including veterans.

  • Assistance: Up to 5% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs.

  • Flexibility: Three-year forgivable or 30-year deferred repayable second lien.

  • Key difference: No first-time buyer requirement and no maximum purchase price.

General Program Requirements

To qualify for these programs, you should meet these requirements:

Credit Score: Government options commonly start at 620; some conventional and SETH options require 640.

Income Limits: Use the current limit published by the agency that administers the selected program.

Home Purchase: The property must be your primary residence and located in Texas.

First-Time Homebuyer Status: Required for My First Texas Home unless a veteran or targeted-area exception applies; other listed programs have no first-time buyer requirement.


Find the Current Official Limits

Limits change and differ by agency, county, household calculation, product, and targeted-area status. Use the administering agency's current table for the exact property and loan option.

Bottom Line

These limits are set to ensure that assistance goes to those who need it most, whether you’re a first-time buyer, a community hero, or buying in a targeted area.

A participating lender can match the property address and selected program to the current official limits before a loan is reserved.

Now that you understand the limits, you’re closer to getting the support you need to buy your home in Texas.