The short answer
Buyers here can use two statewide programs, CalHFA and GSFA, and Riverside County runs its own first-time buyer program. Most help comes as a second loan, not free money. Each program has income limits and its own rules.
How down payment help usually works
Most programs lend you the down payment as a second loan that sits behind your main mortgage. The details decide whether it is a good fit.
- Deferred. No monthly payment. You repay it when you sell, refinance or pay off the main loan.
- Monthly. A second loan with its own payment, usually over 15 years.
- Gift. Money you do not repay. Less common, and usually a small part of the help.
Ask three questions about any program: do I repay it, when, and does using it change the rate on my main mortgage?
Statewide programs
| Program | Who it is for | How the help comes |
|---|---|---|
| CalHFA MyHome | First-time buyers within CalHFA income limits, buying a one-unit home to live in. A homebuyer education course is required. | A deferred second loan of up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value, whichever is less, with a CalHFA FHA loan. Up to 3% with a CalHFA conventional loan. |
| GSFA Platinum | First-time and repeat buyers within income limits. GSFA says scores as low as 640 and debt ratios up to 50% may qualify. One to four units. | Up to 5% of the main loan as a 15-year second loan with monthly payments, at the same interest rate as the main loan. |
| CalHFA Dream For All | First-generation homebuyers. Buyers register and vouchers are given by random drawing. | A shared appreciation loan of up to 20%, not over $150,000. You repay it plus a share of the home's gain in value. |
Dream For All is not open year-round. CalHFA released its latest round of vouchers on May 20, 2026. Confirm on CalHFA's page whether registration is open before publishing.
County programs
Riverside County runs a first-time home buyer program through its Housing and Workforce Solutions department. Its lender guidelines for 2026 to 2027 cap the help at $100,000 or 20% of the price, whichever is lower. It has income limits. Taken from the county's published guidelines through a search. The county site blocked a direct read. Confirm before publishing.
San Bernardino County. The county housing authority's homeownership program is for families already receiving its housing assistance. Not read directly. Confirm, and check whether the county has any other current program.
Some cities fund their own programs. They open and close as money runs out, so check with the city where you plan to buy.
Home 100
ML Mortgage Corp also offers Home 100, its own down payment program.
Jamal to supply the facts about Home 100 that may be stated publicly. Nothing is taken from internal guidelines.
MyHome or GSFA Platinum: how they differ
| CalHFA MyHome | GSFA Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| First-time buyers only | Yes | No |
| Payment on the help | None until you sell, refinance or pay off the main loan | Monthly, over 15 years |
| Size of the help | Up to 3.5% of the price with an FHA loan | Up to 5% of the main loan |
| Property | One unit | One to four units |
| Homebuyer class | Required | Ask the lender |
| A parent co-signing who will not live there | Not allowed | Ask the lender |
Neither is better for everyone. A buyer who has owned before cannot use MyHome. A buyer who cannot fit another monthly payment may prefer help that is deferred.
A worked example
Take a $500,000 home bought with an FHA loan and the minimum 3.5% down, which is $17,500.
- MyHome can lend up to 3.5% of the price: $17,500, with no monthly payment. That covers the minimum down payment. Closing costs are still yours.
- GSFA Platinum can lend up to 5% of the main loan. On a main loan of $482,500 that is $24,125, repaid monthly over 15 years.
An illustration of the rule, not a quote or an offer. Income limits and each program's own rules decide whether you qualify.
What can go wrong
- Income limits. They are set by county and can count everyone on the loan.
- The second loan counts. If the help has a monthly payment, it is part of your debt when the lender qualifies you.
- Funds run out. A program can pause with little notice.
- Refinancing later. A deferred second loan usually has to be repaid when you refinance the main loan.
What I see in real files
Jamal's own words go here: two to four sentences on what he sees in real files like this. Claude does not write this part.
Questions people ask next
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
For CalHFA MyHome, yes. GSFA Platinum says it is not limited to first-time buyers.
Is it free money?
Usually not. Most help is a second loan. Some programs include a gift portion.
Can I combine it with an FHA loan?
Yes. MyHome pairs with a CalHFA FHA loan, and GSFA Platinum lists FHA among its main loan types. How FHA works here