What OHFA Assistance Comes To, and What Is at Risk
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
One input, and two answers that matter: what you receive, and how much of it is still repayable in each year of the term.
The calculator
| Loan type | Rate | Assistance |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional, HFA Preferred or HFA Advantage | 3% | $7,500 |
| FHA, VA or USDA-RD | 3.5% | $8,750 |
Still repayable if you sell, by year
| Year of term | Standard assistance, 3.5% | Grants for Grads, 3.5% |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8,750 | $7,000 |
| 2 | $8,750 | $5,250 |
| 3 | $8,750 | $3,500 |
| 4 | $8,750 | $1,750 |
| 5 | $8,750 | $0 |
| 6 | $8,750 | $0 |
| 7 | $0 | $0 |
Grants for Grads forgives 20% a year. A sale before year 5 is forgiven anyway where the borrower documents continued Ohio residency; the column shows the balance if that condition is not met.
Reading the second table
This is the part most assistance calculators leave out, and in Ohio it is the whole difference between the two programs. Both structures are set out in the OHFA Government Program Guidelines.
The standard assistance column does not move for six years. OHFA's guidelines say the second loan is subject to repayment in its entirety if the property is sold or refinanced within the first seven years, and the obligation is forgiven on the seventh anniversary of the note date. There is no partial credit at year four for having stayed four years.
The Grants for Grads column steps down 20% a year, so the exposure shrinks steadily. And even that overstates the risk, because a sale is forgiven outright if the borrower documents that they will continue to reside in Ohio after the sale. The full rule.
What you bring
OHFA sets no minimum borrower investment of its own. Whatever Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA or USDA-RD requires on your loan type is the figure. That is different from Illinois, where IHDA adds the greater of 1% or $1,000 on top of the agency requirement.
What this cannot settle
Whether your income clears the county limit. The income check. Whether your score and ratios clear the matrix, where FHA asks for 650 and the others 640. The matrix. And which of the five first mortgages you actually qualify for. The programs.
Frequently asked questions
How much is OHFA down payment assistance on a $250,000 house?
$7,500 on a conventional loan at 3% of the purchase price, or $8,750 on an FHA, VA or USDA-RD loan at 3.5%. The percentage is the same across all five OHFA first mortgage programs, so the only variable is your loan type and the purchase price.
How much OHFA assistance do I repay if I sell in year four?
On the standard assistance, all of it. OHFA's guidelines state the second loan is subject to repayment in its entirety if the property is sold or refinanced within the first seven years, with the obligation forgiven on the seventh anniversary. There is no partial forgiveness before then. On Grants for Grads, 20% is forgiven per year, so a year four sale leaves 20% outstanding, and even that is forgiven if you document continued Ohio residency.
Does OHFA assistance shrink over time?
Only on Grants for Grads, which is forgiven at 20% of principal per year across five years. The standard assistance attached to First-Time Homebuyer, Ohio Heroes, FTHB Edge and Next Home is a seven-year second that remains repayable in its entirety until the seventh anniversary of the note date, when it is forgiven and the lien released.
Do I need a down payment of my own with OHFA assistance?
Only what your loan type requires. OHFA states that no minimum borrower investment is required by OHFA unless required by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on a conventional loan, or FHA, VA or USDA-RD on a government loan. OHFA adds nothing of its own, which differs from Illinois where IHDA requires the greater of 1% of the purchase price or $1,000.
Can I refinance a home with OHFA down payment assistance on it?
Refinancing the first mortgage within the seven-year term triggers repayment of the standard assistance in its entirety, and OHFA's guidelines state that subordination will not be granted if the first mortgage is refinanced. OHFA runs a separate refinance programme for existing OHFA borrowers with a seven-year term second mortgage.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Cornerstone First Mortgage is a participating lender in the Ohio Housing Finance Agency's programs. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is an Equal Opportunity Housing entity. Loans are available on a fair and equal basis regardless of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, military status, disability or ancestry. Please visit www.ohiohome.org for more information. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. OHFA program terms and limits are set by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and change; figures here carry the date we verified them. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.