First-time buyer guide
First-time home buyer in Virginia: your complete guide
Virginia has real down payment assistance for first-time buyers, and a clear, calm path from pre-approval to closing. We move you through all of it.
First-time buyer guide
Virginia has real down payment assistance for first-time buyers, and a clear, calm path from pre-approval to closing. We move you through all of it.
You do not need everything perfect. You need a starting point. If most of these feel true, you are ready to take the first step.
Down payment and closing cost help for qualifying first-time buyers. Amounts and eligibility vary and change, so confirm current figures with each program.
Source: Virginia Housing
A grant toward your down payment for qualifying Virginia Housing borrowers. Current grant amount, loan type, and calculation rules should be confirmed directly with Virginia Housing.
First-time buyer status, household income limits (vary by locality), and a Virginia Housing loan. Confirm current limits with Virginia Housing.
Source: Virginia Housing
A grant toward closing costs for qualifying VA or RHS loans from Virginia Housing. Current grant amount and loan rules should be confirmed directly with Virginia Housing.
First-time buyer status, income limits that vary by locality, and a qualifying Virginia Housing loan. Confirm current amounts with Virginia Housing.
Source: Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
A deferred down-payment-assistance loan for eligible first-time buyers, administered through local providers. Current limits, caps, and target-area rules should be confirmed directly with DHCD or the provider.
Income at or below program limits and other DHCD criteria. Confirm current benefit amounts and limits with DHCD.
Source: Loudoun County
Down-payment and closing-cost assistance for income-eligible first-time buyers purchasing in Loudoun County.
Income limits and purchase-location requirements apply.
Verify current program amount, eligibility, and availability with the source before relying on it.
Source: Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority
Down-payment and closing-cost assistance for income-eligible first-time buyers purchasing in Norfolk.
Income limits and a primary-residence requirement apply.
Verify current program amount, eligibility, and availability with the source before relying on it.
Source: Henrico County
Down-payment and closing-cost assistance for income-eligible first-time buyers purchasing in Henrico County.
Income limits and program availability apply.
Verify current program amount, eligibility, and availability with the source before relying on it.
Every deadline, document, and detail. done. Here is the path, and how smover runs it with you.
Talk to a lender, get a pre-approval, and set a price range you are comfortable with. This is where down payment assistance programs come in.
Search homes and tour on your schedule. smover keeps every option, note, and next step in one place so nothing slips.
When you find the one, smover helps you put together an offer and tracks the contract terms, contingencies, and timelines.
From inspection through closing, every deadline, document, and detail. done. smover runs the logistics so your first purchase stays calm.
One price, until you close. We run the deal logistics, with or without your agent, so your first home is something you enjoy, not something you survive.
Want to know what an agent costs, or how commission works? Read the Virginia commission guide.
Virginia offers several first-time buyer programs. Virginia Housing offers a Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Grant and a Closing Cost Assistance (CCA) Grant, and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) runs a down payment assistance program. Several counties and cities, including Loudoun, Norfolk, and Henrico, run their own assistance programs. Amounts and eligibility vary and change over time, so confirm current figures with each program directly.
It depends on the program, your loan type, your income, and where you are buying. Virginia Housing, DHCD, and some county or city programs can reduce the cash needed for a down payment or closing costs, but amounts and eligibility change. Confirm current figures with Virginia Housing, DHCD, your county, or your lender before relying on a program.
There is no single required score, because it depends on the loan program. Many first-time buyer and government-backed loans work with moderate credit, while conventional loans typically reward higher scores with better terms. The most reliable answer comes from a lender pre-approval, which checks your credit and tells you what you qualify for. This page is informational and does not advise a specific loan or lender.
Buyer closing costs in Virginia generally include lender and origination fees, appraisal and title costs, settlement fees, recording and Virginia transfer taxes, and prepaid taxes and insurance. First-time buyers commonly budget roughly 2 to 5 percent of the purchase price, and a Virginia Housing Closing Cost Assistance Grant may help. Your lender Loan Estimate has the numbers for your specific purchase.
Get pre-approved and set your budget, search and tour homes, make an offer and go under contract, then move through inspection and financing to closing. smover runs the deal logistics across every step, tracking each deadline, document, and detail, with or without your agent.
No, you can buy with or without an agent. If you do work with a buyer agent in Virginia, a signed written agreement specifying their compensation is required before they show you homes. smover runs the transaction either way. You can learn how agent compensation works in our Virginia commission guide.
smover charges one flat fee, paid once by you, for our own platform and transaction-coordination services. One price, until you close. We take no commission, referral fee, or kickback from any agent or lender, and any agent compensation is separate and negotiated directly between you and your agent.
You generally use one or the other, not both. Virginia Housing's Down Payment Assistance Grant applies to FHA and conventional loans, while the Closing Cost Assistance Grant applies to VA and RHS loans, so a single purchase qualifies for one of them. Either can sometimes be paired with non-Virginia-Housing state or local assistance. Eligibility, amounts, and combining rules change, so confirm current terms with Virginia Housing or your lender.
One price, until you close. We move you, with or without your agent.