A homebuyer whose income is under 80% of the Area Median Income for the county in which they are buying a home can get a lower rate on conventional loans (as distinct from government loans through FHA, VA or USDA). The 80% threshold is set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

2025 80% AMI Limits for Conventional Loans

2024 80% AMI Limits for Conventional Loans

PLEASE NOTE: This information does not determine eligibility and should not be relied on for any other purpose than determining rates on conventional loans.

Yes, our home loans and downpayment assistance work with homes purchased through Habitat for Humanity or a Community Land Trust. The House Key Opportunity program offers special rates for borrowers who are purchasing a home through an approved affiliate member of Habitat for Humanity of Washington State or a home in a Community Land Trust, and who earn no more than 65% of area median income (based on household size and county in which they are buying).

Yes, it can be reissued within the first twelve months of refinancing if the borrower meets guidelines. Please find the criteria here.

Government first mortgages are assumable if allowed per agency guidelines and meet Commission criteria. Downpayment assistance loans are not assumable.

No.

All borrowers who will be signing on both the Note and the Deed of Trust must attend the class. That means each person will need their own certificate of completion. Take a look at our Homebuyer Education class schedule.

Please email homedocs@wshfc.org to request a rush on a submitted file.

No, Target Areas are only relevant to the House Key Opportunity program. See the Target Area map here.

No. Your lender training is broken up into two parts – you can take the second part no later than 12 months of taking the first training. They can be done on different dates.

It’s easy to become a participating lender! Click here for information.

That’s easy–just sign up for a Commission Home Loan Program and Homebuyer Education Instructor training. The first part of the class explains our programs and how to use them, while the second part trains you to provide homebuyer education classes. Keep in mind, you will eventually need a partner to teach classes, as they are taught in tandem by both a lender and a real-estate professional. We can help you find a co-instructor, if you need one!

Household annual income must not exceed $180,000 (statewide).

The Commission cannot provide payoff statements. Contact the borrowers first-mortgage loan servicer directly for a payoff statement for both the first and the second mortgage loan, as they service both. If you are still unable to receive a payoff from the servicer, please contact the Commission.

Once your loan is approved to close, you can locate the Legal Opinion Letter in Lender Online. It is the second page of the DPA Commitment Letter.

We have no overlays on this issue. Please check with your own lending institution’s compliance department.

Yes, marijuana industry employment is acceptable for Fannie Mae loans. Lender must follow all agency guidelines.

Please contact the loan servicer of the first mortgage loan to obtain a copy of the mortgage Note.

See today’s rates on our Rates page!

We strive for 24 – 48-hour turnaround times, depending on loan file volume. We review files Monday through Friday excluding holidays and weekends.

Is it possible that you changed companies and forgot to inform us? If so, please fill out this form and one of our staff will follow up with you. If not, please email homedocs@wshfc.org or call 206-287-4400 and ask for the Homeownership Division.

If your borrower has lived in the property they are purchasing for more than 12 months, they may write us a letter asking for a waiver. The letter should include an explanation of why they do not want an inspection and a statement that they are satisfied with the condition of the property and hold the Commission harmless.

Find a training here.

Please submit a reservation change request form. Once a reservation has been completed, the lender cannot make additional changes in Lender Online.

Once you’ve completed your training and have your reservation codes, you’ll use our online reservation portal, Lender Online.

Just keep closing our loans! Our website showcases the top 10 loan producers from the previous calendar year as our Premier Partners, including a photo, brief profile, and contact information. We also highlight the top five LOs in each region by quarter, with a minimum of two Commission loans closed and purchased in the previous quarter.

You may request either a digital copy or a certified printed copy of your MCC. Click here for instructions.

To view loan status and conditions, login to Lender Online and use your reservation number to retrieve your reservation. From the Actions Menu select “View.” The following screen will provide current loan terms, status, outstanding conditions and the name of the Commission file reviewer.

Our programs allow single-unit condo project approval. Lenders to follow agency guidelines.

No. We only underwrite loans for the Commission’s own program guidelines.

Email homedocs@wshfc.org or call 206-287-4400 and ask for the Homeownership Division.

The Commission does not have overlays. Please follow investor guidelines.

Yes, we allow POAs. Follow agency guidelines and documentation requirements.

Yes, if the borrower used the correct link from the Commission’s website and they have misplaced their eHomeAmerica certificate, please email homedocs@wshfc.org for assistance.

The Commission accepts DACA-status borrowers on the Home Advantage and House Key Opportunity FHA, VA, and Fannie Mae HFA Preferred products. DACA status borrowers are not eligible for Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loans and USDA.

The Home Advantage DPA program allows a borrower to own another home at the time of closing per agency guidelines as long as: 1) it was not financed through the Commission, and 2) the borrower intends to occupy the new home.

If completed within the last six months, an inspection report given to the buyer from the seller or a previous buyer may be acceptable in lieu of a new inspection. The buyer must submit a written request to waive a new inspection. The buyer must state in the request that they reviewed the report, are satisfied with the condition of the property per the report, and hold the Commission harmless.

Leasehold properties are acceptable with the exception of Manufactured Homes. Please follow agency underwriting guidelines.

You can use our Home Advantage home loans to purchase a one-unit single-family home, a townhome, a condominium, a manufactured home, or a two-unit (duplex) single-family home.

You can use our House Key Opportunity home loans to purchase a one-unit single family home, town home, condominium, or a manufactured home.

Target areas are census tracts that meet federal guidelines as economically distressed. Under the House Key Opportunity program, if you purchase a home in a target area, some restrictions and limits are eased. See Washington’s targeted areas on the map here.

House Key Opportunity income limits are set by county and household size, and also vary for those purchasing a home in a target area. Explore the income limits.

Home Advantage is our most flexible program, with one income limit statewide. House Key Opportunity offers more help to households with lower incomes. Both programs offer multiple options for downpayment assistance.

Home Advantage allows non-occupant co-borrowers if allowed per agency guidelines, but House Key Opportunity requires all borrowers to occupy the subject property.

Yes. All buyers who are on the Note and Deed of Trust, whether occupants or not, non-occupant co-borrowers, as well as occupant buyers, must complete a Commission-sponsored Homebuyer Education class prior to loan reservation.

Loan officers can reserve/lock a loan after all borrowers have taken a Commission-sponsored homebuyer education class and have a fully executed purchase and sale agreement. Be sure homebuyer education class is taken BEFORE the lender makes a reservation of funds or the reservation will be considered invalid and will be subject to worst-case pricing. Please check with your corporate office regarding locking your loan, as each lending institution will have their own internal guidelines. 

Home Advantage is a loan program that offers downpayment assistance and competitive interest rates to families earning up to $180,000 a year. Your lender will qualify you on a typical 30-year mortgage loan using our interest rate. You can also get help with the downpayment and closing costs — between 3-5% of the mortgage loan amount.

Home Advantage offers competitive rates as well as downpayment and closing-cost assistance, for a lower monthly mortgage payment.

You don’t need to save up 10% before you can think about homeownership. Our downpayment assistance can fill the gap with no-cost and low-cost loans.

Class certificates, evaluation and participant registration forms are emailed to you the evening that your class is approved.

Target areas apply to our House Key Opportunity program (not Home Advantage).  Just use the map on our Income Limits page: Enter the address of the home and the map will show whether it is in a Target Area. The page also shows House Key Opportunity income limits for each county.

Register for an upcoming class here.

Funds for the Home Advantage program are continuously available and are subject to market rates and conditions. If you have questions about the Home Advantage Program, please call us at 800.767.4663 or email info@heretohome.org or Corinna.Obar@wshfc.org.

Yes. Please follow agency guidelines for age and size.

Yes. The interest rate is very low, from 0% to 4% depending on the program. It is wrapped into your main home mortgage, so you don’t have two bills to pay. Also, most of our downpayment loans are payment deferred” meaning no payment is due until the mortgage is paid off or until you sell, transfer, move out of or refinance the property.

If you refinance, per your executed note and our Home Advantage program manual, you will need to pay off the Commission downpayment assistance loan (the second mortgage). The Commission does not subordinate our loans to other loans. In order to request a DPA loan payoff, please contact the loan servicer of your main home mortgage (your first mortgage).

Marketing materials can be found here.