Guides / Down Payment Assistance / West Virginia

Down Payment Assistance in West Virginia

West Virginia's down payment assistance landscape is centered entirely on one agency: the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF), the state's official housing finance agency — there is no separate, distinct statewide DPA grant program outside of WVHDF's own first-mortgage products. WVHDF's core offering is the "Low Down Home Loan," a 2%-interest, 15-year second mortgage of up to $12,000 for down payment/closing costs, which is only available when paired with one of WVHDF's two first-mortgage programs: the Homeownership Program (targeted at first-time buyers, income/price limits set annually by county, credit score generally required in the low-to-mid 600s) or the Movin' Up Program (open to first-time AND repeat buyers, flat statewide income limit of $171,120 and $350,000 home price cap). Note that many third-party aggregator sites (Bankrate, FHA.com, mortgage-report sites) display inconsistent or stale dollar figures for the Low Down Home Loan (some cite $7,500/$8,000/$10,000 tiers); the figures above were cross-verified directly against WVHDF's own live official pages (wvhdf.com) as of this research, which currently state up to $12,000. Exact county-by-county income and sales-price limits for the Homeownership Program are published in WVHDF's official "Income Limits Report" PDF (updated 2025-26 limits effective 1/2/2026) but were not extractable as a PDF in this search — applicants should confirm exact county figures directly via wvhdf.com or by calling WVHDF at 800-933-8511.

Programs

Low Down Home Loan (paired with Homeownership Program or Movin' Up Program)
West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) — the state's official housing finance agency
Amount: Up to $12,000 toward down payment and/or closing costs, structured as a second mortgage: 15-year fixed term at 2% interest. (Per WVHDF's official page, the full $12,000 applies when loan-to-value is at or above 80%; some third-party sites still cite older $7,500–$10,000 tiered amounts, which appear outdated — the current official WVHDF page states up to $12,000.)
Type: Low-interest second mortgage loan (not a grant) for down payment/closing costs
Only available bundled with WVHDF's Homeownership Program or Movin' Up Program — cannot be used standalone. Must meet the underlying first-mortgage program's income, purchase-price, and credit requirements. Home must be in West Virginia. Contact a WVHDF loan originator (800-933-8511) or approved lender for exact current tier amounts.
Homeownership Program
West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF), the state housing finance agency
Amount: Below-market fixed interest rate (approx. 6.200%, APR ~6.811% as currently posted) on a 30-year mortgage financing up to 100% of purchase price, plus access to the Low Down Home Loan for down payment/closing cost assistance
Type: First-mortgage loan program with attached down payment assistance option
Primarily for first-time homebuyers (though some allowance exists for former/current homeowners under certain Fund loans); minimum credit score generally in the low-to-mid 600s (approx. 620 per multiple sources); gross household income must not exceed county-specific limits, and home price must not exceed county-specific sales price limits — both set annually by WVHDF (2025–26 limits effective 1/2/2026, published in WVHDF's official Income Limits Report). Eligible property types include single-family homes, condos, townhomes, manufactured homes, and PUDs.
Movin' Up Program (including Movin' Up Special for lower-income borrowers)
West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF)
Amount: 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at approx. 7.000% (APR ~7.633%), or 6.875% (APR ~7.577%) under the 'Movin' Up Special' tier for borrowers at/below 80% Area Median Income (reduced rate and lower-cost PMI); can be paired with the Low Down Home Loan (up to $12,000) for down payment/closing cost help
Type: First-mortgage program open to first-time AND repeat buyers, with down payment assistance option
No first-time-homebuyer requirement (explicitly open to repeat/move-up buyers). Statewide borrower income limit currently $171,120 (flat, regardless of household size or county). Home sales price cannot exceed $350,000 statewide. Must purchase in West Virginia. Credit score requirements align with WVHDF general standards (approx. 620 minimum per lender-reported data, though not explicitly stated on WVHDF's own eligibility page).

Facts on this page reflect research current as of 2026-07-05. Programs, rates, and laws change — confirm current figures with the relevant state agency before relying on them.

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