Real Estate Pro FAQs
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Home Advantage is a mortgage loan program offered by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission through participating lenders across the state. It offers a range of downpayment assistance options as well as competitive interest rates. Your lender will qualify you on a typical 30-year mortgage loan using our interest rate. To get started, contact one of our partner lenders or take a FREE homebuyer education class. You can learn more about Home Advantage here.
As a real-estate professional, the Commission’s programs can expand your client base, putting homeownership within reach for many families who otherwise might struggle to bridge the financial gap. This helps you sell more homes, play an important role in the community, and expand your clients’ options.
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.
Government first mortgages are assumable if allowed per agency guidelines and meet Commission criteria. Downpayment assistance loans are not assumable.
Real estate professionals are not required to complete any type of training to assist clients purchase or sell a home.
Just sign up for our Initial Training for Homeownership Professionals on our Training page. After completing the two half-days of training, you’ll be approved to teach Commission-sponsored homebuyer education classes.
Keep in mind, you will need a teaching partner. All our classes 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!
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. See the charts below to determine 65% of Area Median Income for the borrower.
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. Copy of Home Inspection receipt is required.
You can use our House Key Opportunity home loans to purchase a one-unit single family home, town home, condominium, or a manufactured home.
You don’t need to worry about the homebuyer spending their funds or their gift not coming through at closing. Our funds are guaranteed. You will not have to worry about the borrower spending their downpayment or having to source a borrower’s gift funds. We will be there when your borrower is ready to close.
Home Advantage is a loan program that offers downpayment assistance and competitive interest rates to families earning up to $215,000 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.
Class certificates, evaluation and participant registration forms are emailed to you the evening that your class is approved.
We can help you connect with a lender! Please contact our program manager at Corinna.Obar@wshfc.org.
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.
You can find these materials on the For Instructors page.
Real Estate Pro Documents
Looking for other answers? Visit the Help page!
Home Advantage - Lender Documents
House Key - Lender Documents
Energy Spark - Lender Documents
Specialty Downpayment Assistance Programs - Lender Documents
- Downpayment Assistance Programs
Downpayment Assistance Programs
Other - Documents
- Other Lender Resources
Other Lender Resources
- WA Servicing Guide
- WSHFC Fee Sheet
- Tax Transcript
- Manufactured Home Matrix
- Manual Underwriting Guide
- MCC Reissuance Manual
- Lender Portal Guides
- Information Sheet for Real Estate Professionals
- House Key Opportunity Income Pre Qual Submission Instructions
- House Key Income Pre Qual Checklist
- Home Advantage House Key Comparison
- Downpayment Assistance Matrix
- Conventional Loan Comparison Matrix
- Conventional Appendix
- Community Programs List