Free Down Payment Help in San Antonio (2026): Up to $30,000 From City HIP, Plus State Programs Up to 5%

Rent keeps going up in San Antonio, and for a lot of families the hard part of buying a first home is not the monthly payment — it is the cash needed up front. A down payment plus closing costs can take years to save. That is exactly the gap a few city and state programs were built to close, and checking whether you qualify costs nothing.

Here is the honest version up front: most of this help is not a check handed to anyone who asks. The city’s help is a forgivable loan, one state option is a true grant that never has to be repaid, and every program has income, lender, and education rules. But if you qualify, the help is real — up to $30,000 from the City of San Antonio, and up to 5% of your loan amount from state programs.

1. City of San Antonio HIP 80 — up to $30,000

The city’s Homeownership Incentive Program for lower-income buyers, called HIP 80, lends between $1,000 and $30,000 as a second loan at 0% interest, with no monthly payments, according to the City of San Antonio. The money can go toward the down payment your lender requires and some of the other costs of buying.

• Forgiveness: The loan is forgivable over time while the home stays your primary residence; if ownership changes, the home is sold, or you refinance with cash back, a share of the remaining balance can come due.
• Who it is for: Income-eligible first-time homebuyers. City documents list the household income limit starting at $56,350 for a one-person household, with higher limits for larger households — the city updates these figures, so confirm the current limit for your household size.
• Where: The home must be inside San Antonio city limits and pass a city property review and inspection.

2. City of San Antonio HIP 120 — up to $15,000

HIP 120 is the city’s tier for moderate-income first-time buyers. It also provides a 0% interest second loan with no payments, between $1,000 and $15,000 based on need. Per the city, 75% of the loan is forgiven over a 10-year period, and the remaining 25% is perpetual — it stays as a lien. The city lists home purchase price limits of $301,700 for an existing home and $332,800 for new construction, with 2025 household income limits starting at $84,500 for one person.

What both city programs require

• Be a first-time homebuyer buying a primary residence inside San Antonio city limits.
• Prequalify for a first mortgage — Conventional, FHA, or VA — through a lender.
• Complete an 8-hour homebuyer education class approved for the city’s programs before you buy.
• Put down a minimum $500 earnest money deposit on the purchase contract.
• Stay within the program’s income and home price limits, which the city sets and updates.

City funding runs in cycles and is limited, so before you count on HIP money for a specific house, confirm with the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department that the program is currently funded and accepting buyers. Their contact details are in the Helpful Links section below. Still renting while you save? Our guide to emergency rental assistance in San Antonio covers help that may be available in the meantime.

3. TSAHC — up to 5% statewide, including a grant option

The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) runs two programs that work anywhere in Texas, including all of Bexar County — even outside San Antonio city limits, where city HIP cannot be used:

• Home Sweet Texas — for low- and moderate-income buyers.
• Homes for Texas Heroes — for teachers, firefighters and EMS personnel, police and correctional officers, and veterans.

Through a participating lender, eligible buyers can receive up to 5% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs. You choose the form: a grant that never has to be repaid, or a deferred forgivable second lien that is fully forgiven after three years if you do not sell or refinance during that time. TSAHC’s guidelines list a minimum credit score of 620 for these assistance options. First-time buyers may also qualify for a Mortgage Credit Certificate, which TSAHC describes as a federal income tax credit equal to 15% of the mortgage interest you pay each year.

4. TDHCA — My First Texas Home and My Choice Texas Home

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) offers a similar path through its participating lenders: up to 5% of the loan amount for down payment and closing cost help, offered as either a deferred repayable second lien or a 3-year deferred forgivable second lien. My First Texas Home is for first-time buyers — generally, people who have not owned a home in the past three years. My Choice Texas Home drops the first-time buyer requirement, which can help repeat buyers who are short on up-front cash.

Not sure which door to knock on first? Start with a lender who participates in these programs, because city, TSAHC, and TDHCA help all run through approved lenders — you do not apply to the state programs on your own. Our overview of housing help in San Antonio is a good companion read.

After you buy: keep the savings going

Down payment help gets you in the door; two other local breaks help after closing. If you are 65 or older, or buying a home you plan to stay in long term, read our guide to the Texas over-65 homestead exemption in San Antonio. And if utility bills squeeze the budget in your first year, see what is available through utility bill help in San Antonio.

Helpful links & phone numbers

• City of San Antonio — Homeownership Incentive Programs (HIP) — official HIP 80 and HIP 120 amounts, price limits, and income limits.
• City of San Antonio — HIP 80 program sheet (sa.gov PDF) — amounts, income limits, and requirements for the up-to-$30,000 program.
• City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services: 210-207-6459 — ask about current down payment assistance funding and the required homebuyer class. Email: DownPaymentAssistance@sanantonio.gov.
• TSAHC — Home Sweet Texas — state down payment help up to 5%, participating lenders, and the eligibility quiz.
• 2-1-1 Texas — free, confidential help finding local housing and benefits programs, 24 hours a day. Dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905.

Frequently asked questions

Is down payment assistance in San Antonio really free?

The help checking your eligibility is free, and some help never has to be repaid — a TSAHC grant is one example. City HIP help is different: it is a 0% interest loan that is forgiven over time if you stay in the home as your primary residence. Read the forgiveness terms before you sign, because selling or refinancing early can make part of the balance due.

Do I have to be a first-time buyer?

For city HIP, yes. For the state programs it depends: TDHCA’s My First Texas Home is built for first-time buyers, while its My Choice Texas Home and some TSAHC options do not require first-time buyer status. A participating lender can check which definition you meet.

Can I use this help for a home outside San Antonio city limits?

City HIP, no — the home must be inside city limits. TSAHC and TDHCA programs are statewide, so a home elsewhere in Bexar County or anywhere in Texas can still qualify under those programs, subject to their income and purchase price limits.

What should I do first?

Take the required homebuyer education class early, then talk with a lender who participates in the city or state program you are aiming for. The lender prequalifies you for the first mortgage and submits the assistance paperwork — and ask the city directly whether HIP funding is open before you write an offer that depends on it.