CalHFA MyHome Assistance
- Deferred-payment second loan
- Up to 3.5% with a CalHFA FHA loan
- Up to 3% with a CalHFA conventional loan
- Can help with the down payment or closing costs
- Generally requires first-time buyer status and homebuyer education
Buyers ★ Fresno County ★ First-time programs
First-Time Buyer Programs in Fresno County
As of September 2026, Fresno County buyers may have several first-time buyer options. Most programs have income limits, credit requirements, approved-lender rules, and limited funding.
The programs ★ Fresno County
Main programs
CalPLUS with ZIP
- Available with FHA or conventional financing
- Includes a zero-interest ZIP loan for closing costs
- The first mortgage’s interest rate may be somewhat higher than CalHFA’s standard program
California Dream For All
- Up to 20% of the purchase price, with a maximum of $150,000
- For qualifying first-generation and first-time buyers
- This is a shared-appreciation loan, not free grant money
- The original assistance plus a portion of the home’s appreciation must generally be repaid
- The 2026 application period is closed; selected applicants can check their status online
Fresno Housing HCV Homeownership Program
- For existing Housing Choice Voucher—Section 8—participants
- Allows the housing voucher to help make monthly mortgage payments
- Buyers must arrange their own mortgage and down payment
- Requires homebuyer education and program approval
Heritage Estates in Southwest Fresno
- A limited community of 33 new three- and four-bedroom homes
- Designed for qualifying first-time buyers earning approximately 50%–80% of area median income
- Offers layered mortgage assistance—advertised at up to $250,000
- Availability is limited to homes within this development
USDA Rural Development loans
- Potentially zero down
- Available only in USDA-eligible rural areas
- Parts of Fresno County may qualify, although Fresno and Clovis urban areas generally do not
- Household income and property-location limits apply
- Can sometimes be combined with CalHFA MyHome assistance.
VA and FHA loans
- VA: Potentially zero down for eligible veterans, service members, and certain surviving spouses
- FHA: Down payments may start at 3.5%
- These are mortgage programs—not grants—and are not limited exclusively to first-time buyers.
Good to know ★ The definition
What does "first-time buyer" mean?
A "first-time buyer" usually means someone who has not owned and occupied a
principal residence during the previous three years. The best first step is to speak with
a CalHFA-approved lender and have them compare the total payment, interest rate, mortgage
insurance, and repayment terms—not simply the amount of assistance offered.
Which program fits you? Let us help you sort it out.
Program terms and funding windows change, so the strongest first step is one honest conversation. Tell us where you are in the process and we will connect you with a CalHFA-approved lender who compares the total payment, interest rate, mortgage insurance, and repayment terms side by side. Straight answers, no pressure, and the choice stays yours. Talk soon.