American Family Funds
Loan Assistance Program Canceled in 2008
Elimination of Non Profit Down Payment Assistance: On July 30, 2008, President Bush signed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 which prohibits seller-funded DPA (Down Payment Assistance) for loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. Prior to this bill, the seller could contribute up to 6% to the buyer to cover either a down payment or closing costs on an FHA loan. The changes took effect on Oct. 1, 2008. We provide this information for reference only. These grants are no longer available.
NEW: Down Payment Assistance Programs for 2019
American Family Funds (AFF) administers The Dove Foundation, a non-profit charity offering down payment and/or closing cost assistance to qualified American home buyers. The program features:
- A simple application completed by your loan officer.
- No credit check.
- No income requirements.
- No limit on the amount of down payment assistance and/or closing costs.
Once you are pre-qualified for the FHA loan and find a property you want to buy, notify your loan officer, who will apply for the AFF down payment assistance on your behalf. Make an offer on the home that includes use of the AFF program.
- The seller must accept the terms of your offer.
- AFF provides the down payment money at the time of settlement.
- The money is applied to your down payment and/or closing costs.
- Typical down payments range between 3% and 6% of the contract price of a house, but individual terms may vary.
Ask your loan officer for details on American Family Funds, down payment assistance programs, or how to make an offer contingent on the use of the AFF program if you aren't sure how to proceed. AFF is only one of a wide variety of down payment assistance plans, be sure to explore all your options and find the program that meets your needs.
Down payment assistance programs generally require the seller to pay a fee to participate. This fee is considered a payment for services rendered and not a tax-deductible charitable contribution.
Since this program is no longer available, we recommend that you get pre-approved for a low down payment FHA home loan.
Discontinued Down Payment Grant Programs:
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
November 9, 2019 - FHA home loans have a delinquency rate that is higher than conventional mortgages. A CNCBC report says the rate is as much as six percent higher. Housing counseling could help prevent some of those delinquencies.
November 7, 2019 - There are many consumer watchdog organizations helping people learn more about how credit works and what it takes to get a better FICO score so you can get more competitive interest rates and down payment requirements from a lender.
November 2, 2019 - Raising awareness of the lead paint issue is a priority with HUD if the number of awareness campaigns the agency has run over the years is any indication. FHA assumes that homes built before the 1978 lead paint ban went into effect are presumed to be contaminated.
November 1, 2019 - Do you need a home loan? Are you looking for a lower down payment? Borrowers often want to know who offers the lowest mortgage loan interest rates and the lowest down payments, not realizing that they have a say in what is offered.
October 31, 2019 - In August of 2019, the Department of Housing and Urban Development official site was updated to include new guidelines for loss mitigation procedures and foreclosure prevention help for qualifying borrowers affected by natural disasters in federally-declared disaster areas.
