No monthly payment
The second lien carries no interest and requires no monthly payment while you live in the home. It sits quietly behind your first mortgage.
Georgia Down Payment Assistance Programs
Down payment assistance in Georgia: the Georgia Dream program, explained straight.
Georgia's help runs through Georgia Dream, the program from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Take a Georgia Dream first mortgage and you can add a down payment assistance second, up to $10,000 on the Standard tier or up to $12,500 if you're a protector, educator, nurse, or a buyer with a disability. One thing to know up front: this assistance is a 0% loan, not a grant. You repay it when you sell or refinance, not before. We'll show you exactly how it works and whether you qualify.
$12.5KMax DPA (PEN/CHOICE tier)
640Minimum credit score
$625KMaximum purchase price
Licensed in Georgia · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender
What down payment assistance is available in Georgia?
Georgia down payment assistance is delivered through the Georgia Dream program, administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority. You qualify for a Georgia Dream first mortgage, then add the Georgia Dream down payment assistance second to cover your down payment and closing costs. Metro Atlanta buyers also have the separate Atlanta Housing program. The Georgia Dream second is a 0% deferred loan of up to $10,000, or up to $12,500 for eligible protectors, educators, nurses, and buyers with a disability.
How Georgia Dream assistance actually works
The assistance is a second mortgage that sits behind your main loan. It charges 0% interest and has no monthly payment, so it costs you nothing month to month. The catch is that it's a loan, not a grant.
Repaid later, not forgiven
Unlike some states, Georgia Dream is not forgiven over time. You repay the full balance when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage.
Standard vs. PEN/CHOICE
Standard assistance is up to $10,000. Protectors, educators, nurses, and buyers with a disability qualify for the higher PEN/CHOICE tier, up to $12,500.
The honest tradeoff. Because Georgia Dream is repaid rather than forgiven, it works best as a way to get into a home now without draining your savings, not as free money. The 0% terms and no monthly payment make it a strong deal, and we'll tell you when a different path fits your numbers better. See the full Georgia Dream breakdown →
Who qualifies
Who qualifies for Georgia Dream in Georgia?
Georgia Dream sets clear rules: a 640 minimum middle credit score, first-time homebuyer status (no ownership interest in a primary residence in the last three years), household income and purchase price under the current limits, and a homebuyer education course. First-time status is waived if you buy in a designated targeted county. The first mortgage can be FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional.
Georgia Dream income and price limits
As of July 8, 2026, the household income limit is $137,555 for 1–2 person households and $158,188 for households of three or more, and the maximum purchase price is $625,000. DCA updates these limits roughly once a year, usually between May and August. See the full eligibility rules and the DTI-by-credit-score tiers →
Georgia metros we serve
We originate Georgia Dream loans statewide. The biggest buyer markets are metro Atlanta (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Henry), Savannah (Chatham), Augusta (Richmond), Columbus (Muscogee), and Macon (Bibb). Targeted-county status varies, so the first-time-buyer rule and the DPA math can look different from one county to the next. That's what we sort out on the call.
Why work with us
A participating lender, not a referral site.
Cornerstone First Mortgage originates your Georgia Dream first mortgage directly. We're a participating Georgia Dream lender, not a directory that points you elsewhere. When you have a question about how the deferred second works at the closing table, we're the people answering it.
- Participating Georgia Dream lender.
- In-house underwriting on the first mortgage.
- Straight answers on the deferred, non-forgivable structure.
- Equal Housing Lender.
I assumed the down payment help was a grant and got worried when I heard it was a loan. Mike walked me through it: 0%, no monthly payment, and I only pay it back when I sell. We closed in Gwinnett with almost nothing out of pocket.
T.W. — Gwinnett County, GA · First-time buyer
FAQ
Georgia Dream questions, answered straight
How do I get down payment assistance in Georgia?
Georgia down payment assistance comes through Georgia Dream, run by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. You take a Georgia Dream first mortgage and pair it with the Georgia Dream down payment assistance second, up to $10,000 Standard, or up to $12,500 if you qualify for the PEN or CHOICE tier. You apply through a participating lender, need a 640 credit score, must be a first-time buyer (with exceptions), stay under the income and price limits, and complete homebuyer education. We handle the application.
Is Georgia Dream down payment assistance forgivable?
No, and this is the most important thing to understand. Georgia Dream down payment assistance is a loan, not a grant, and it is not forgivable. The second mortgage carries 0% interest and has no monthly payment, but the full balance is repaid when you sell the home, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. It is a deferred-repayment second, not forgiven over time.
How much down payment assistance can I get in Georgia?
Georgia Dream offers up to $10,000 on the Standard tier and up to $12,500 on the PEN and CHOICE tiers. PEN covers protectors (military and first responders), educators, and nurses or healthcare workers; CHOICE is for a buyer or household member with a disability. The assistance is a 0% deferred second mortgage paired with a Georgia Dream first mortgage.
What credit score do I need for Georgia Dream?
Georgia Dream requires a minimum middle credit score of 640 for the applicant and co-applicant. Debt-to-income limits are tiered by score, generally up to about 45%. FHA on its own allows scores down to 580, but the Georgia Dream program sets the 640 floor.
What are the income and price limits for Georgia Dream?
As of July 8, 2026, the Georgia Dream household income limit is $137,555 for 1-2 person households and $158,188 for households of 3 or more, and the maximum purchase price is $625,000. These limits are set by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and are updated roughly once a year.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer in Georgia?
Generally yes. Georgia Dream requires that you have not held an ownership interest in a primary residence in the last three years. That requirement is waived if you buy in a designated targeted county, and there are exceptions for certain non-applicant and qualifying-purchase situations, so some repeat buyers still qualify depending on where they buy.
What is Georgia Dream PEN and CHOICE?
PEN and CHOICE are the higher down payment assistance tiers of Georgia Dream, each up to $12,500. PEN stands for Protectors, Educators, and Nurses, active military and veterans, first responders, teachers and school staff, and healthcare workers. CHOICE is for a homebuyer who has a disability or has a family member with a disability living with them.
Not ready to talk yet?
Ready to see if you qualify for Georgia Dream?
20 minutes on the phone. We'll check the income and price limits, see if you fit the PEN or CHOICE tier, and tell you the real path.