Guides / Down Payment Assistance / Wisconsin

Down Payment Assistance in Wisconsin

Wisconsin does not have a city- or county-run substitute here — it has a genuine state-level agency, WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority), which is the primary source of down payment assistance for first-time (and repeat) home buyers statewide. WHEDA offers two distinct second-mortgage DPA products that pair with its Advantage Conventional or FHA first mortgages: the repayable, low-rate "Easy Close DPA" (up to 6% of purchase price, 10-year fixed second mortgage) available statewide with no funding cap, and the more generous but funding-limited "Capital Access Advantage DPA" (a fixed $7,500, 0% interest, no-payment loan deferred until sale/refinance) aimed at lower-income buyers, which is only intermittently open due to capped funding — availability should always be reconfirmed with WHEDA or a participating lender since funding rounds can close abruptly. Numbers were cross-verified against WHEDA's own official DPA comparison sheet and Capital Access Advantage Product Matrix as well as third-party sources (Bankrate, NCSHA); note that WHEDA's official downloadable matrices on file are dated 2021/2023, so exact current-year fund availability (e.g., the reported January 2026 reopening capped at 78 loans) should be double-checked directly with WHEDA before relying on it for a specific buyer.

Programs

WHEDA Easy Close DPA (Advantage Easy Close Down Payment Assistance)
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) — Wisconsin's state housing finance agency
Amount: Minimum $1,000, maximum 6% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value. Structured as a 10-year, fully amortizing, fixed-rate second mortgage with the same interest rate as the WHEDA first mortgage (i.e., NOT a grant — it has a monthly payment).
Type: Second mortgage (repayable, fixed-rate, 10-year term)
Must be paired with a WHEDA Advantage Conventional or WHEDA Advantage FHA first mortgage; available to both first-time and repeat buyers who qualify for that first mortgage; minimum credit score 620 (Conventional) or 640 (FHA); must meet WHEDA's income and purchase price limits for the property's county (same limits as the first mortgage program); combined loan-to-value up to 105%; homebuyer education course required; usable statewide with no property-area restriction; can be used for down payment, closing costs, and/or prepaids.
WHEDA Capital Access Advantage DPA
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
Amount: Fixed $7,500 (per WHEDA's official Capital Access Advantage Product Matrix). Zero-interest (0.00% APR), deferred-payment second mortgage — no monthly payments; due when the first mortgage is paid off, refinanced, or the home is sold. Note: funding is limited and the program has historically opened/closed based on available funds (WHEDA reopened it on a limited first-come, first-served basis in January 2026 for a capped number of loans, so availability should be confirmed with WHEDA or a participating lender before counting on it).
Type: Deferred, forgivable-style silent second mortgage (0% interest, no payments until home sale/refinance/payoff)
Must be paired with a WHEDA Advantage Conventional or FHA first mortgage; targets lower-income borrowers, generally at or below 80% of county area median income (income limits are separate from, and typically lower than, standard first-mortgage limits); historically restricted to designated 'high housing need' areas within Wisconsin (though WHEDA has at times issued limited waivers removing this restriction for a capped number of loans — confirm current status); same credit score minimums as the first mortgage (620 Conventional / 640 FHA); cannot be combined with the Easy Close DPA; homebuyer education required; funds reserved on a first-come, first-served basis subject to available funding, so it is not always open to new reservations.

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.

Related Resources
Property Taxes in WisconsinTransfer Tax & Closing Costs in WisconsinBuyer-Agent Agreements in WisconsinSeller Disclosure Laws in WisconsinFind Agents in WisconsinDown Payment Calculator