NYC Nurse Home Buying Grants and $100,000 Down Payment Help

HomeFirst's $100,000 and SONYMA DPAL's $15,000 can apply to the same NYC purchase when each program's rules are met, before any private healthcare worker grant or closing rebate.

In my 25+ years selling co-ops and condos, the order that works is housing counselor first, lender second, offer last, all before a co-op board package or condo contract starts the clock. For the purchase process, see the NYC buyer guide, the closing costs guide and the co-op vs. condo guide.

The Program Stack for Nurses and Healthcare Workers

Provider programs: Teacher Next Door lists up to $9,000 in grants plus up to $24,000 in down payment assistance, and Homes for Heroes lists average savings of $3,000 on a purchase. Availability, eligibility and participating agent and lender requirements apply to both.

Start With HomeFirst

NYC HPD lists up to $100,000 for qualified first-time buyers of a co-op, condo, or 1-4 family home in the five boroughs, usable for the down payment or closing costs. In January 2025 the city added $82 million in funding over five years and raised the income ceiling from 80% to 120% of area median income.

Purchase Price Caps for Existing Homes

HomeFirst applies a price ceiling: an existing home must cost no more than 95% of the HUD HOME purchase price limit for its county. HPD's table, effective December 1, 2025, shows these limits for one-unit homes.

How a HomeFirst Purchase Moves

The counseling agency certifies income and course completion, and you receive a certificate of eligibility. That certificate goes to a participating lender for mortgage pre-approval. Only after pre-approval does HPD's sequence put you in front of a real estate professional, then a real estate lawyer, then a signed contract. The program servicers, Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City and the Center for New York City Neighborhoods, review the contract, the pre-approval and the property type, then reserve and release the funds at closing.

What a Nursing Paycheck Has to Prove

HomeFirst has no occupation test. A nurse qualifies on the same four points as any buyer: first-time status, income under the cap for the household size, a completed course, and the 3% from savings. The counseling agency certifies income from tax returns, pay stubs, profit and loss statements or similar records, so a nurse with agency or per diem income should gather the full tax return alongside recent pay stubs. HPD describes the award as a forgivable loan of up to $100,000, with grants in some cases, with a 10 or 15 year owner-occupancy requirement attached.

Add SONYMA DPAL If the Loan Fits

The DPAL add-on can cover part of the down payment or closing costs, but only with a SONYMA mortgage approved through a participating lender. Not every SONYMA lender offers it, so ask before you apply.

Active NYC Listings

Currently available properties across NYC

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Active

$669,000

1919 MADISON Avenue #317

South Harlem

2 bd 1 ba

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Co-op · 1997 RLS #RLS20076165

Active

$799,000

170 W END Avenue #30J

Lincoln Square

1 bd 1 ba 804 sf

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Co-op · 1961 RLS #RLS20075735

Listing information provided courtesy of the Real Estate Board of New York's Residential Listing Service (RLS). Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Sale listings verified. ©2026 REBNY. RLS data displayed by Keller Williams NYC.

Healthcare Worker Benefits to Verify

Teacher Next Door lists nurses among the professions its grant and assistance programs serve, with up to $9,000 in grants that are not repaid plus up to $24,000 in down payment assistance, for up to $33,000 combined. Homes for Heroes lists healthcare professionals as one of its groups and reports average savings of $3,000 when buying or selling, $6,000 for both. Both are private programs, and both state that benefits depend on eligibility and availability. Confirm the exact amount, the participating agent and lender rules, and whether the benefit pairs with HomeFirst or SONYMA.

Four Calls, in Order