Grants for first time buyers are available to many, yet very few individuals even know about them. It is important to note that grants are not the same as loans, and need not be repaid. Funds can be used toward the down payment, or to cover all or part of closing costs. Depending on the amount you are approved to receive, the grant may cover both the down payment and closing costs.

 

Though repayment is not required, it will be necessary to own the home for a period of time. In most cases, this will be a time period of three years or more. This requirement is in place to prevent abuse of the system in the form of using this free money to purchase a home, and then turning around and quickly reselling it for profit.

Eligibility requirements will vary, depending on who is offering the grant. Both the government, as well as a number of private organizations may offer these funds. First time buyers are typically considered to be anyone who has never owned a home, or has not owned one in the past three years. Eligibility requirements rarely have anything to do with your yearly income or current credit score. These make little difference since grants are not loans, and will not need to be repaid.

 

Grant lists are available online. Use these lists to search through grants that are being made available in your area. First time home buyer grants are easy to apply for, and it does not take long to find out the approval decision. It is possible to have the money in as little time as a week once approved. Current home owners should also consider grants, as some are made available for remodeling purposes. There simply is no good reason to not at least see if you qualify for some of these funds.