Up to $20,000 Toward a Home Purchase in Washington County

For many buyers, saving for a down payment can be one of the biggest barriers to purchasing a home. In Washington County, the Heart & Homestead Program is designed to help address that challenge while also encouraging community involvement.

The program provides qualified buyers with up to $20,000 in down payment assistance when purchasing a home in Washington County. It helps buyers enter the housing market while strengthening the local community through volunteer work and charitable contributions.

For buyers exploring homes in Washington County - particularly those priced under $420,000 - this is a program worth understanding. For homeowners considering selling, programs like this can increase the number of qualified buyers looking at homes in certain price ranges.

At The Hupke Team at RE/MAX Forward, we work with buyers and sellers across Washington County, and closely track programs like Heart & Homestead that can influence local market activity. Understanding how these incentives work helps buyers position themselves to move quickly and helps sellers anticipate when new groups of qualified buyers will enter the market.

What the Heart & Homestead Program Is

The Heart & Homestead Program was created to help address a growing challenge in many communities: the gap between rising home prices and what many working households can afford.

Local housing studies identified a shortage of attainable homes - often referred to as the “missing middle.” These are homes that are still affordable to many households but are becoming harder to purchase due to down payment requirements and rising costs.

To help bridge that gap, Washington County created the Heart & Homestead incentive.

Qualified buyers may receive:

10% of the home’s purchase price - up to $20,000.

The incentive is applied at closing and can help cover expenses such as:

• Down payment

• Closing costs

• Escrow reserves

• Certain renovation or upgrade costs for the home being purchased

Home Price Requirements

To qualify for the program, the home must be located in Washington County and have a final purchase price of less than $420,000.

Eligible homes may include:

• Existing homes

• Newly constructed homes

• Homes built under a construction contract

The buyer must also live in the home as their primary residence.

How the Heart & Homestead Incentive Works

The Heart & Homestead incentive is provided at closing, helping qualified buyers purchase a home in Washington County.

Participants then have five years from the date of closing to satisfy the program requirements. During that time, the incentive balance is reduced through volunteer hours, charitable donations, or a combination of both made to participating organizations that serve Washington County.

Credit toward the incentive balance is earned in the following ways:

Volunteer Hours
Participants receive $25 in credit for every hour volunteered with approved organizations serving Washington County.

Charitable Donations
Participants may also make donations to participating organizations. For every $1 donated, $0.70 is credited toward the incentive balance.

Volunteer hours and donations can be combined in any amount to satisfy the program requirements. Anyone living in the home may contribute during the five-year period.

What Happens if the Incentive Is Not Fully Satisfied

If the full incentive amount is not satisfied by the end of five years, the remaining balance must be repaid. The program secures the incentive with a recorded mortgage (lien) on the home, and if the property is sold, transferred, or no longer used as the owner’s primary residence before the requirements are met, the remaining balance may also need to be repaid at that time.

Who Can Qualify

Buyers interested in the program must meet several eligibility requirements.

Applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older

• Obtain a mortgage pre-approval from a licensed lender.

• Purchase a home located in Washington County

• Occupy the home as their primary residence

Applicants cannot have previously received funds through the Heart & Homestead Program and must also meet the program’s background and eligibility requirements.

When submitting the application, buyers must provide a pre-approval letter from their lender, along with the other required documentation.

There is also a $100 application fee required at time of submission.

What This Could Mean for Washington County Sellers

With a new group of serious, pre‑approved buyers preparing to enter the market, demand in the under $420,000 range is expected to rise. For homeowners who have been considering selling, this could bring an influx of serious buyers looking for the right home. If you have been thinking about selling, now is the time to start the conversation. 

Thinking About Buying or Selling in Washington County?

For anyone considering buying or selling in Washington County, understanding how opportunities like this affect the market is essential. Limited funding and a defined application window - opening April 7, 2026- mean buyers need to be ready early, with mortgage pre‑approval and a clear grasp of the process.

At The Hupke Team at RE/MAX Forward, We stay informed about incentive programs like these so our clients always have the information they need to make smart, timely decisions. In 2025, we guided 102 families through successful closings, totaling over $35 million in sales, supported by 135+ five‑star Google reviews.

We provide this information to help buyers and sellers stay informed. We do not control program requirements, eligibility decisions, or the selection of applicants who receive funding