Step Up

Step Up is a program designed to help first-time homebuyers and repeat homebuyers come up with down payment funds. The program lets borrowers take out a 10-year second mortgage that will cover the cost of the down payment. Since this second mortgage is taken out on top of the 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage, you would be technically taking out two loans.

However, the company that services the loan, or collects the payments, is ServiSolutions, which is a division of the AHFA. ServiSolutions allows borrowers to make a single mortgage payment to cover both loans, which can save borrowers some hassle every month. The Step Up program can only be used with Housing Finance Agency (HFA) loans, which are mortgage products offered by state housing finance agencies.

Features

The Step Up program offers:

• 10-year second mortgage.
• 3% down payment assistance.

Eligibility

To qualify for the program, you must:

How it works

Since the AHFA doesn’t offer loans itself, you must contact one of the lenders in Alabama that participates in the program if you want to apply.

The lender will check your income and credit qualifications to make sure you’re eligible and guide you through the application process. You’ll also have to complete your homeownership education requirements.

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Affordable Income Subsidy Grant

Not only is it difficult for some first-time homebuyers to come up with a down payment, but it can be challenging to find money for closing costs, too. The Affordable Income Subsidy Grant gives eligible homebuyers in Alabama a grant of either $1,500 or $2,500 that can be used to cover some of those fees.

Your income determines the amount you get compared to the Area Median Income (AMI), which varies by county and is determined by Freddie Mac. You can check to see what limits apply to your county here. To qualify for the grant, you must apply for a specific Freddie Mac mortgage offering called the Freddie Mac Home Possible Advantage conventional loan.

Features

The Affordable Income Subsidy Grant offers:

• Closing cost assistance in the form of a grant, which means the money does not have to be repaid.
• $2,500 if your income is at or below 50% of the Area Median Income.
• $1,500 if your income is between 50.01% and 80% of AMI limits.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Affordable Income Subsidy Grant, you must:

• Apply for and be approved for a Home Possible Advantage conventional loan.
• Have a credit score of at least 620.
• Have a DTI of 45% or lower.
• Complete a course on homeownership.

How it works

Before you can apply for the Affordable Income Subsidy Grant you must first apply and be approved for a Home Possible Advantage conventional loan. Home Possible Advantage loans let you make down payments of as little as 3%. They also require no reserves, so you don’t need as much money at closing as some other mortgage loan products.

To get started, contact a participating lender. They’ll check your credit to make sure you meet the requirements. Your lender will also check your income to determine how much of an Affordable Income Subsidy Grant you would qualify for.

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Mortgage Credit Certificates

The Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program lets you save money in another way. With an MCC, you can get a federal tax credit based on the amount of mortgage interest you paid in a particular year. Depending on your tax situation, that can make a big difference when tax day rolls around. While the program won’t save you money on the day that you close on your house, it could save you money every year that you’re still making mortgage payments on the original loan.

Features

With the Mortgage Credit Certificate program, borrowers get:

• A 20% MCC with no cap if the mortgage loan is for $150,001 or higher.
• A 30% MCC with a $2,000-a-year cap if the mortgage loan is between $100,001 and $150,000.
• A 50% MCC with a $2,000-a-year cap if the mortgage loan is for $100,000 or less.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Mortgage Credit Certificate program, you must:

• Apply and be approved for one of the following types of loans: conventional fixed-rate, Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Administration (VA), USDA Rural Development, or a privately insured mortgage.
• Meet income limits established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Income limits vary by county and whether the area is designated a target area, which is an economically disadvantaged region. Your lender can tell you whether the address you’re considering is in a target area.
• Meet sales price limits that were established by the IRS. In target areas, the cost of the house can’t exceed $331,423. In non-target areas, it can’t exceed $271,165.

How it works

To qualify for an MCC, you must apply through one of the program’s participating lenders. However, be aware that lenders accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

A tax professional can help you make sure the credit is applied correctly when you file your tax return. Generally speaking, the credit reduces the amount in federal taxes that you have to pay by a percentage of your paid mortgage interest. Then, you can still claim the rest of the mortgage interest that you paid that year as a mortgage interest deduction.

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National first-time homebuyer programs

One of the best things about Alabama first-time homebuyer programs is that they can be used together. For example, you could use the Step Up program and the Affordable Income Subsidy Grant to help pay your down payment and closing costs. Then you could use the Mortgage Credit Certificate program to get a break on your taxes.

While this is good news to Alabamians who are in the market for their first house, the better news is that there are still other options that might be helpful. See LendingTree’s guide to national first-time homebuyer programs, which you can take advantage of no matter where you live. Homeownership should be accessible to as many Americans as possible, and state and federal agencies are doing their part to make sure that it is.