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Home buyer help · Kansas

Buying a home in Kansas: the help you may qualify for.

Down payment assistance, property tax exemptions and veteran benefits in Kansas, gathered from official state sources and explained in plain English. Every program has its own rules, so check with the agency before you count on it.

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Last checked November 11, 2026Sources state agencies

Down payment and closing cost help

From the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation.

  • First Time Homebuyer (FTHB)

    15% to 20% of the price, up to $40,000

    0% soft second mortgage forgiven after 10 years in the home, for households at or under 80% of the area median income. You put in 1% to 10%.

Who qualifies: Not available in Johnson County or the cities of Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita (they run their own programs). HUD-approved counseling required.

Property tax exemptions and credits

Exemptions lower your home’s taxable value or your bill. Most aren’t automatic: you apply with your Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas’s official exemptions information.

No exemption for every homeownerKansas doesn’t have a statewide property tax exemption for every homeowner. Its benefits are for the groups below. Some cities and counties add their own, so ask your Kansas Department of Revenue.

For homeowners 65 and older

  • Homestead refund

    Up to $700

    For lower-income Kansas homeowners (household income up to $43,389, home worth up to $350,000) who are 55 or older, blind or disabled, or have a dependent child under 18. Kansas has no general homestead exemption.

    How to apply: Form K-40H with the Department of Revenue, by April 15. (Kansas Department of Revenue)

  • SAFESR senior refund

    75% of your property taxes back

    For homeowners 65 or older with household income up to $25,380. You can get only one of these refunds a year.

    How to apply: Form K-40PT, by April 15. (Kansas Department of Revenue)

  • Senior and disabled veteran refund

    Refunds increases over your base year

    For seniors and veterans with a 50% or more disability, with Kansas adjusted gross income up to $58,041.

    How to apply: Form K-40SVR, January 1 to April 15. (Kansas Department of Revenue)

Want to see which ones fit you? Answer a few questions in the property tax exemptions checker.

If you serve or served

  • VA home loan: available in every state, often with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance. You’ll need a Certificate of Eligibility. See VA home loans.

Your next steps

  1. Work out a monthly cost you’re comfortable with in the home cost calculator. It also lists Kansas’s programs with the loans you may qualify for.
  2. Talk with a free or low-cost HUD-approved housing counselor. Find one near you.
  3. Ask each lender which of these programs they work with, and compare Loan Estimates from at least three.
  4. Follow the step-by-step home buyer’s guide from budget to keys.

Common questions

Does Kansas have down payment help for home buyers?

Yes. Programs from the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation include First Time Homebuyer (FTHB). Not available in Johnson County or the cities of Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita (they run their own programs). HUD-approved counseling required. Funding and rules change often, so check with the agency or a participating lender.

Does Kansas have a homestead or property tax exemption for homeowners?

Kansas doesn't have a statewide exemption for every homeowner. Its property tax benefits are for groups such as seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. Ask your Kansas Department of Revenue about local programs.

Is there help for veterans buying a home in Kansas?

VA home loans are available in every state, often with no down payment.

Sources: Kansas Housing Resources Corporation and Kansas’s property tax office, linked above. Last checked November 11, 2026. Programs, amounts, income limits and funding change often, sometimes every year. Know Before You Own doesn’t recommend lenders or take referral fees. This page is general education, not legal, tax or lending advice. See other states.