The Whole Ohio Eligibility Test, In Order
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Six tests. The income one has a wrinkle worth understanding, and the credit one inverts what most buyers expect about FHA.
One: income, and whose counts
Per the OHFA Conventional Program Guidelines, OHFA uses the income of the individuals who will both live in the property and be obligated on the mortgage note. Both conditions have to be true of the same person for their income to be counted.
That wording is what makes a non-occupant co-signer useful in Ohio: on the note, not living there, so outside the limit. Why that works here and not in Illinois.
Limits run from $98,800 for one to two people across most of the state to $146,700 in Union County, and rise exactly 20% in a target area for a one-to-two-person household. Every county group.
Two: purchase price, in two tiers
$618,475 for a one-family non-target home in the Columbus group, $566,355 everywhere else, with target areas higher. Since Columbus typical values sit at $330,327 the cap is not a live constraint for most buyers. The price caps.
Three: credit and debt ratios
| Loan type | Minimum score | Maximum DTI |
|---|---|---|
| FHA | 650 | 45% at 650 to 679, 50% at 680 and above |
| VA | 640 | 45% at 640 to 659, 50% at 660 and above |
| USDA-RD | 640 | 45% at 640 to 659, 50% at 660 and above |
| Conventional, Fannie Mae HFA Preferred or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage | 640 | 50% |
| Manufactured housing | 660 | 45% |
FHA asking 650 while VA, USDA and conventional ask 640 is the opposite of the usual expectation. The full matrix.
Four: occupancy, with a one-year tail
Owner-occupied properties only. Occupant borrowers must agree to occupy within 60 days of the loan closing date and must occupy as a principal residence for a minimum of one year after closing, unless the home is sold in the first year.
The one-year requirement is worth planning around if a job move is on the horizon, and it sits separately from the seven-year repayment trigger on the assistance itself.
Five: the property
One to four unit single family homes, with Grants for Grads limited to one unit. Condominiums, which must appear on U.S. Bank's active approved list or be submitted for approval. Manufactured homes, which must be at least doublewide. Planned unit developments.
Acreage is capped at two acres or less within municipal corporations and five acres or less outside them. Property standards in full.
Six: homebuyer education
A certificate from a HUD-approved counseling agency, issued within the previous 12 months, a minimum of four hours in length, including direct interaction by phone or in person with a HUD counseling agent, or participation in OHFA's own course. Education requirements.
One thing that is not a test
Your own money. No minimum borrower investment is required by OHFA unless required by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA or USDA-RD. Whatever your loan type demands is the number; OHFA adds nothing on top.
See also which program fits and send us the scenario.
Frequently asked questions
What are the OHFA eligibility requirements in Ohio?
Six tests. Household income under the county limit, counting only people who will both live in the property and be obligated on the note; purchase price under $618,475 in the Columbus group or $566,355 elsewhere for a one-family non-target home; a minimum credit score of 650 on FHA or 640 on VA, USDA and conventional; occupancy within 60 days and for at least one year; a one to four unit Ohio property meeting OHFA's standards; and HUD-approved homebuyer education.
Whose income counts toward the OHFA income limit?
Only the income of individuals who will both live in the property and be obligated on the mortgage note. Both conditions must apply to the same person. A non-occupant co-signer is on the note but does not live in the home, so their income sits outside the OHFA program limit while still being available to the first mortgage's qualifying ratios under agency rules.
What credit score do you need for Ohio down payment assistance?
650 for FHA, and 640 for VA, USDA-RD and conventional loans through Fannie Mae HFA Preferred or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage. Manufactured housing requires 660. FHA requiring a higher score than the other loan types is unusual and inverts what most buyers expect, so it is worth checking your score against the loan type you were planning to use.
How long do I have to live in the home with OHFA assistance?
Occupant borrowers must agree to occupy the home as their principal residence within 60 days of the loan closing date, and must occupy it as their principal residence for a minimum of one year after the loan closing date unless the home is sold in the first year. That one-year occupancy requirement is separate from the seven-year repayment trigger on the down payment assistance second mortgage.
Do I need my own money for an OHFA loan?
Only what your loan type requires. OHFA's guidelines state that no minimum borrower investment is required by OHFA unless required by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on a conventional loan, or by FHA, VA or USDA-RD on a government loan. OHFA adds no requirement of its own, which differs from Illinois where IHDA requires the greater of 1% of the purchase price or $1,000.
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.