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Healey expands eligibility for first-time homebuyer assistance program

The state will offer $25,000 in interest-free loans to help more residents purchase their first homes.

A for sale sign in front of a home. Nam Y. Huh

April 30, 2026 | 1:04 PM

1 minute to read

More first-time homebuyers are eligible for state help as home prices remain high.

On Tuesday, Gov. Maura Healey announced that Massachusetts is expanding its first-time buyer home assistance program, making more residents than ever eligible for a $25,000 interest-free loan to help cover the costs of purchasing a home.

“We’re bringing this assistance to a wider cross-section of the middle class who are being priced out of homeownership right now,” Healey said in a statement.

The program provides eligible buyers with up to $25,000 at 0% interest with deferred repayment terms to help cover a down payment, closing costs, prepaid mortgage insurance, or to help reduce their interest rate.

It is available to first-time homebuyers who lock in their MassHousing mortgage between April 27 and July 31, 2026, and earn up to 135% of the area median income. The state’s area median income ranges from $205,235 in the eastern portion of the state, to $165,646 in Worcester County, to $137,565 in the Berkshires, and $129,870 in Hampden County.

MassHousing already offers up to $25,000 in down payment and homebuyer assistance loans to moderate- and middle-income households buying their first home.

But before the governor’s $25 million investment in the program, this assistance was only available as a 15-year second mortgage with interest rates ranging from 2% to 3%, depending on income.

The new program offers 0% interest rates with deferred repayment, reducing upfront costs for buyers.

Since the beginning of 2023, MassHousing has delivered more than $1.9 billion in mortgage financing, helping over 5,900 households become homeowners.

“For many families, the biggest obstacle to buying a first home is saving enough for a down payment,” Juana Matias, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary, said in a statement. “This expansion will help more Massachusetts residents become homeowners by tackling that barrier head-on.”