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TSAHC is committed to helping more Texans become homeowners. Through our Homes for Texas Heroes Home Loan Program we offer fixed-rate mortgage loans paired with down payment assistance (DPA) and mortgage credit certificates (MCCs) to help make homeownership more affordable.This program is available specifically to teachers, first responders, corrections officers, and veterans, including first-time and repeat home buyers.
The Homes for Texas Heroes Program is designed to make homeownership more affordable for Texans who serve their communities. The program serves educators, police officers, firefighters, EMS, county jailers, correctional officers, and military veterans.
If you qualify, you can receive a fixed-rate mortgage along with down payment assistance of up to 5% of your loan amount to help cover your down payment and closing costs. This assistance is available as either a grant that never has to be repaid or a forgivable second lien loan that is completely forgiven after three years, as long as you don’t sell, refinance, or move out of your home during that time.
If you’re a first-time home buyer, you may also be eligible for a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC). An MCC can help you save money every year by providing a federal income tax credit equal to 15% of the mortgage interest you pay annually. This valuable tax benefit can put money back in your pocket year after year, making homeownership even more affordable.
Plus, if you are a Texas Hero using TSAHC’s Down Payment Assistance (DPA) and Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) together, your MCC is free – a $400 savings!
A Texas Hero is defined as someone who holds the following professions:
Allied Health Faculty Member – means a full-time member of the faculty of an undergraduate or graduate allied health program of a public or private institution of higher education in the state.
Corrections Officer – all full-time employees of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) who receive hazardous duty pay. Hazardous duty pay employees must have a VOE through TDCJ. Please call (800) 367-5690.
County Jailer – means a person employed full-time as a county jail guard under Section 85.005, Local Government Code. County jailers are licensed through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). Please call (512) 936-7700.
Emergency Medical Services Personnel – has the meaning assigned by Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code. Emergency medical services personnel means full-time:
Fire Fighter – a member of a fire department who performs a function listed in Section 419.021(3)(c), Government Code. Permanent, full-time fire department employees who are not secretaries, stenographers, clerks, budget analysts, or similar support staff persons or other administrative employees and who are assigned duties in one or more of the following categories:
Juvenile Corrections Officer – all full-time employees of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) who receive hazardous duty pay. Juvenile corrections officers must have a VOE through TJJD. Please call (512) 490-7130.
Nursing Faculty Member – means a full-time member of either an undergraduate or graduate professional nursing program.
Peace Officer – means a person elected, employed, or appointed as a full-time peace officer under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, Section 51.212 or 51.214, Education Code, or other law. Peace officers are licensed through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). Please call (512) 936-7700.
Professional Educator – means a full-time, public K-12:
Public Security Officer – means a person employed or appointed full-time as an armed security officer by this state or a political subdivision of this state. The term does not include a security officer employed by a private security company that contracts with this state or a political subdivision of this state to provide security services for the entity. Public security officer are licensed through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). Please call (512) 936-7700.
Veteran – means a person who:
is serving on active duty, at the time of application, assigned to a military base or facility in Texas, and has officially designated Texas as the applicant’s home of record; or
(A)(i) served not less than 90 days, unless sooner discharged by reason of a service-connected disability, on active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service (as constituted under 42 U.S.C. Section 201 et seq.), or Marine Corps of the United States after September 16, 1940, and who on the date of filing an application under the program has not been dishonorably discharged from the branch of the service in which the person served;
(ii) has at least 20 years of active or reserve military service as computed when determining the person’s eligibility to receive retired pay under applicable federal law;
(iii) has enlisted or received an appointment in the Texas National Guard, who has completed all initial active duty training required as a condition of the enlistment or appointment, and who on the date of filing the person’s application has not been dishonorably discharged from the Texas National Guard; or
(iv) served in the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975;
(B) at the time of the person’s enlistment, induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting was a bona fide resident of this state or has resided in this state at least one year immediately before the date of filing an application under this chapter; and
(C) at the time of the person’s application under this chapter is a bona fide resident of this state.
The term includes the unmarried surviving spouse of a veteran who died or who is identified as missing in action if the deceased or missing veteran meets the requirements of this section, with the exception that the deceased or missing veteran need not have served 90 days under Paragraph (A)(i) of this subdivision, and if the deceased or missing veteran was a bona fide resident of this state at the time of enlistment, induction, commissioning, appointment, or drafting.
DD214 or discharge paper proves military service.
Not always. Some borrowers may qualify even if they’ve owned a home before. However, certain program options and targeted areas may have different requirements. This is where connecting with a lender through the path finder quiz can be helpful!
The Homes for Texas Heroes Home Loan Program can help make buying a home more affordable by providing a fixed-rate mortgage along with valuable financial assistance.
Down Payment Assistance (DPA)
Eligible home buyers can receive up to 5% of their loan amount to help cover their down payment and closing costs. This assistance is available as either:
Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)
If you’re a first-time home buyer, you may also qualify for a Mortgage Credit Certificate. An MCC provides a federal income tax credit equal to 15% of the mortgage interest you pay each year, helping you save money and making homeownership more affordable over the life of your loan.
Whether you’re buying your first home or purchasing again, the Home Sweet Texas program offers resources that can help you achieve your homeownership goals.
You can choose between:
We also have a No DPA option which simply provides a very competitive interest rate to buyers wanting a better rate. This can also be combined with our MCC program making it a great combo deal!
You may be able to purchase:
The home must be your primary residence.
Yes. The limits vary by county and household size. We also have a minimum 620 credit score requirement on government loans and 640 minimum on conventional loans. Your participating lender can help you determine if you qualify and even help you with your credit if needed. The path finder quiz is a great way to start and get connected to a trusted lender in your area!
Income limits are based on the median income for your area and the number of people in your household. Generally, households earning up to 80% of the area’s median income are considered low-income, while households earning up to 150 to 170% of the area’s median income are considered moderate-income.
Since these limits vary by location and household size, be sure to start with the path finder quiz so you can connect with a TSAHC lender to review the income limits for your area.
You apply through a TSAHC-approved participating lender. The lender will:
You can start with taking the path finder quiz today. It will connect you with a TSAHC approved and trusted lender right away!
You may still be eligible for our Home Sweet Texas Home Program, which offers home buying assistance to Texans who who don’t meet the profession-specific requirements of the Heroes program.
To determine what program may be right for you, take our Path Finder Quiz.
Learn More About The Home Sweet Texas Home Loan Program
“Buying a home is the biggest financial decision we’ve ever made, and we couldn’t have done it without the down payment grant we received from TSAHC. I’m so grateful to loan officer Stacy Schriever and REALTOR® Debbie Patterson for introducing me to TSAHC’s programs, which made it possible for our family to finally purchase a home of our own.”
“Buying a home can be overwhelming, but I feel very blessed with my experience. I am very grateful for the guidance that my loan officer Tina Chumley, and REALTOR® Chelcy Gilliland provided during the home buying process. I am also thankful for TSAHC, whose programs helped me buy a home in my neighborhood so my son didn’t have to change schools.”
“I previously worked in the mortgage industry, and I always knew when it was time to buy a home, it would be through TSAHC. Utilizing TSAHC’s programs sped up my ability to purchase a home by a couple of years.”
“Using TSAHC’s down payment assistance was a super easy process. We submitted all our documents through an app, and we had no idea our closing would happen so quickly. Everyone was very kind and helpful throughout the process, and we’re so excited to be settled in our new home.”
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