In the St. Charles area there are Multiple Down Payment Assistance Programs available to First Time Home Buyers as well as Home Buyers in general. Did you know that if you have not own a home in the last 3 years you are again a First Time Home Buyer?

Complete the Down Payment Assistance Finder

There are local down payment programs that help provide funds to home buyers purchasing in a specific city, St. Charles City, O'Fallon, Wentzville, St. Peters, Dardenne Prairie, St. Paul, Cottleville, Lake St. Louis, and Weldon Springs. The amount can vary from $5,000 to $10,000 in down payment assistance.

Within Unincorporated St. Charles County there is a program to help home buyers with their down payment too! The program is currently provided up to $10,000 in help!

All of the City and County programs are for low to moderate income families, meaning if you make too much income you may not qualify. You do have to be able to qualify for a mortgage as well. 

The funds provided through these programs offer market interest rates, you have to be a first time home buyer, you must attend or participate in a home buyer education course, as well as complete a one on one counseling session, and you will have to have at least $1,000 of your own funds invested into the property purchase. There is no required repayment of the funds provided if you stay in the house and mortgage for 5 years.

These programs have their own credit and program qualification guidelines, I can help guide you through them. The number one qualification I am asked is what credit score do I need, 620 middle score for all borrowers is required.

If you cannot qualify for the local down payment assistance the next consideration would be the State of Missouri MHDC Down Payment Assistance Programs. 

MHDC Down Payment Assistance Program has cash assistance programs call First Place and Next Step. The First Place Program is for first time home buyers where the Next Step is for First Time Home Buyers and Home Buyers in general. 

Both programs will provide 4% of the actual loan amount for down payment assistance, but the First Place Program will provide additional funds if your fall in a specific income bracket and you qualify for the 3% down payment conventional mortgage program.

The First Place Conventional Cash Assistance Program will provide you the 4% DPA funds, as well as $2500 if the household/application income falls below 50% of the median income for the area, or if the income falls between 80% to 50% of the median income for the area $1500. I can help determine your income and the median income for the area you are looking for your new home.

Not all lenders in Missouri provide the MHDC Down Payment Assistance program, a lender must be a Certified Approved Lender with MHDC, we are an approved lender with MHDC and I close a lot of MHDC loans every year.

MHDC also can provide to qualified First Time Home Buyers a Mortgage Credit Certificate or MCC. The MCC is designed to help first time home buyers qualify for a home by reducing their IRS tax liability and offsetting a portion of their mortgage interest.

If you have a tax liability with the IRS, not owe them, and we all generally have a tax liability this credit will lower that liability reducing what you would owe the IRS every year or possibly increase your IRS refund!

MHDC requires a minimum 620 middle credit score for all borrowers and a total debt to income ratio of 45% which is a little higher than the debt ratio of the local DPA programs in St. Charles. MHDC income limits will depend on the DPA Program, where you are purchasing your home, and household size and make-up. I will help guide you through the guidelines and insure you are approved.

Some lenders provide in-house down payment assistance programs, we offer several DPA programs. These are the programs we want to consider when you cannot utilize the local or state DPA programs. The qualification guidelines are a bit more expanded except for credit scores, still a minimum middle credit score of 620 or higher is required. But, income limits are broader and in some cases there are no income limits. Debt to income ratios are expended up to 50%.

There are instances where an in-house down payment assistance program is a better situation than a local or state DPA program but I prefer them as a fall back. If need be I will thoroughly provide you with the pros and cons of these programs.

If you would like to consider down payment assistance I recommend that you complete the Down Payment Assistance Finder and I will email you with details as to what DPA programs you are eligible for.

Last, if you are a near miss for the required 620 Credit Scores that each of these programs require consider the Credit Score Rescue Program. I have experienced seeing credit scores improve within 3 to 4 weeks!

Hi, I am Bob Rutledge with New American Funding a progressive and customer oriented Mortgage Company. I have been a Mortgage Loan Officer for over 2 Decades, I have closed 1000s of mortgage, I have experience as a Mortgage Underwriter too.  I specialize in First Time Home Buyer Programs, Renovation and Construction Mortgages, and knowing the best mortgage options, programs and guidelines to provide the best to my clients.  I concentrate on making more options available to home buyers! When we work together you will find that I answer all questions, sometimes before they are asked. I prefer to be available to you as much as my family and life will allow, I am accessible to you via my cell 314-913-9678, text, or email bob@bobrutledge.com, or you can visit my website at www.bobrutledge.com.