First-Time Home Buyer Program
Homebuyer 101 Virtual Workshops
NeighborWorks Orange County, A HUD Approved Counseling agency, will now be offering FREE workshops designed to prepare first-time homebuyers with the fundamentals of homebuying featuring City of Garden Grove's down payment assistance of up to $110,000. Registration is required! Zoom links will be provided to all attendees.
Upcoming Workshop Dates
Wednesday, December, 18, 2024
Looking to purchase your first home?
The City of Garden Grove invites you to come join the Garden Grove family! The City is offering loans for eligible first-time home buyers. Qualifying families who are looking to purchase a home in Garden Grove can apply and utilize the funding for down-payment and/or closing cost assistance.
Program Details
- Loan of up to $110,000 for low-income households (see income chart below)
- Loan of up to $50,000 for moderate-income households (see income chart below)
- 30-year deferred loan
- 0% interest
- GAP Financing
- Minimum of 3% down payment
Program Requirements
- Have not owned a home within last three years
- Attend the First-Time Home Buyer Workshop (see below for HUD-approved counseling agencies)
- Home is located within Garden Grove
- Owner must occupy the home
- Total housing cost cannot exceed 45% of household income
- Must income-qualify (see chart below)
| Household Size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Annual Household Income for Low Income (80%) | $88,400 | $101,000 | $113,650 | $126,250 | $136,350 | $146,450 | $156,550 | $166,650 |
| Total Annual Household Income for Moderate Income (120%) | $108,350 | $123,850 | $139,300 | $154,800 | $167,200 | $179,200 | $191,950 | $204,350 |
Program Flyers
Required Workshop
The first step to qualify for the City's First-Time Home Buyer Program is to attend a first-time home buyer workshop with a HUD-approved counseling agency. The City of Garden Grove is working with NeighborWorks Orange County to provide various workshops to lenders and prospective homebuyers looking to utilize the City's First-Time Home Buyer Program, and they are a HUD-approved counseling agency that offers the required 8-Hour Home Buyer Education Course. Please click on the button below to view the program flyer and contacts to get started.
You are not required to use NeighborWorks Orange County to fulfill the education requirements for the City's program, and the HUD-approved counseling agencies that are located in California can be accessed by clicking on the button below.
Required Application Documents
Income
- Most current W2's for 3 years
- Most current 30 days of pay stubs, must be consecutive
- 3 years Personal Tax Returns (all pages, these are your 1040's)
- 3 years Business Tax Returns (if you are self employed or own a business)
- Most current benefit award letter (social security, pension, etc.) if you are retired
- Most current retirement statement, if you are direct deposit, bank statement will suffice
Assets and ID
- Most current 6 months bank statements (all pages) - review your deposit, if you have $500.00 and above and it's not payroll, please provide an explanation
- 401K, IRA, CD's, 203B's, etc., 2 months of the most current statements, or if quarterly most current quarter (all pages)
- Terms of withdrawal (if using money from retirement account such as 401K)
- Copy of drivers' license or any government issued ID
- Copy of resident alien and social security card if not US citizen
Miscellaneous Documents
- Homebuyer Workshop Certificate (Required from all person(s) listed on title)
- VA loan - DD214
- Child support order & divorce decree (all pages) or 3 months of bank statements
- If you filed bankruptcy in the past 7 years, all pages of the bankruptcy documents including discharged
- If you do not have 2 years of employment and are attending school, a copy of the diploma or transcripts
For further questions regarding these programs, please call one of the contacts below.
First-Time Homebuyer Program Guidelines
Dana Yang
Program Specialist
City of Garden Grove
danay@ggcity.org
(714) 741-5131
Timothy Throne
Sr. Program Specialist
City of Garden Grove
timothyt@ggcity.org
(714) 741-5144
