Buying a home in Washington, DC: the help you may qualify for.

Down payment and closing cost help

From the DC Department of Housing and Community Development and DC Housing Finance Agency.

• Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)

  Up to $202,000 plus $4,000 for closing costs (fiscal year 2026)

  A 0% loan for first-time buyers. Below 80% of the median income, nothing is due until you sell, refinance or move out; at 80 to 110%, payments start after five years.

  First come, first served while funds last.

• DC Open Doors

  A 0% deferred loan toward your down payment

  From the DC Housing Finance Agency. You don't have to be a first-time buyer, and only the borrower's income counts.

  DC Open Doors details

Who qualifies: Income limits apply. Homebuyer education required.

Property tax exemptions and credits

Exemptions lower your home’s taxable value or your bill. Most aren’t automatic: you apply with your DC Office of Tax and Revenue. Washington, DC’s official exemptions information.

For homeowners who live in the home

• Homestead deduction

  $91,950 off assessed value (tax year 2026), about $782 a year

  For an owner who lives in the home as their principal residence. It also caps how fast your taxable assessment can rise each year.

  How to apply: Form ASD-100 on MyTax.DC.gov. (DC Office of Tax and Revenue)

For homeowners 65 and older

• Senior citizen or disabled tax relief

  50% off your property tax

  For owners 65 or older, or disabled, who own at least half the home, with total household income under $163,500 (for tax year 2026).

  How to apply: On the same Form ASD-100. (DC Office of Tax and Revenue)

For veterans

• Disabled veteran homestead deduction

  A larger deduction off assessed value

  For veterans with a 100% service-connected disability rating. It can't be combined with the senior or disabled relief. Ask OTR for the current amount.

  How to apply: With the DC Office of Tax and Revenue. (DC Office of Tax and Revenue)

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

Your next steps

1. Work out a monthly cost you’re comfortable with in the home cost calculator. It also lists Washington, DC’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