San Bernardino County, CA First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help

San Bernardino County buyers can apply to 1 local down payment program, on top of California's statewide programs. Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.

Local programs in San Bernardino County

These are run by San Bernardino County, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties, separate from the state housing finance agency, and can usually be combined with a state loan. Check the program page for current funding before you apply.

Program	Type	Amount	Income limit	First-time only	Where
County-administered Down Payment Assistance - DISCONTINUED Closed San Bernardino County (San Bernardino County Community Development & Housing Department (CDH)) · source	N/A	See program page	See program page	Check	San Bernardino County
NPHS Down Payment Assistance Confirm with agency San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties (Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS) - nonprofit housing counseling agency referenced by San Bernardino County's official Home Ownership Resources page) · source	not independently verified this pass (nonprofit-administered, not a government program)	See program page	See program page	Check	Riverside, San Bernardino, and Imperial counties

County-administered Down Payment Assistance - DISCONTINUED. The county's own official page states plainly: "The Community Development & Housing Department no longer offers down payment assistance." The county instead publishes a Down Payment Assistance Directory of outside agencies and points buyers to Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services (NPHS, a nonprofit) and CalHFA. Included here as a status flag, not an active program - unlike LA/San Diego/Orange/Riverside counties, San Bernardino County itself does not run a homebuyer DPA loan program as of this pass.
NPHS Down Payment Assistance.

Income limits in San Bernardino County

Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA (San Bernardino County) (fiscal year 2026): the area median family income is $106,500 and the 80% limit that most programs use is $98,400 for a four-person household. Limits scale with household size; each program page has the full table. HUD income limits

California statewide programs you can also use in San Bernardino County

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) (homebuyer programs page) runs 3 statewide programs open to buyers anywhere in California, with down payment help up to 3.5% of the loan (about $29,890 on a median-priced home) through MyHome Assistance Program. Most local programs above can be combined with a state first mortgage; check each program's pairing rule.

Program	Type	Amount	First-time only	Min. credit	Income limit
MyHome Assistance Program source	Deferred second loan	Up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value (with a CalHFA FHA/Government first mortgage) or 3% (with a CalHFA Conventional first mortgage), for down payment and/or closing costs	Yes	n/a	Must meet CalHFA income limits for the program and county of purchase;
CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP) source	Deferred second loan	2.00% or 3.00% of the CalPLUS first mortgage loan amount, for closing costs only	Yes	n/a	Must meet CalHFA income limits for the CalPLUS FHA or CalPLUS Conventional program
California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan Program source	Program	Up to 20% of the home purchase price for down payment or closing costs, not to exceed $150,000	Yes	n/a	Combined household income must meet CalHFA Income Limits for the county of purchase;

Full California program details, limits and how to apply →

San Bernardino County closing costs that differ from the rest of California

Transfer tax: Countywide documentary transfer tax: $0.55 per $500 (approximately $1.10 per $1,000) of property value on conveyances over $100. No additional citywide transfer tax was confirmed for the City of San Bernardino in this pass. Source

Recording the deed costs $75 and the mortgage $75. Fee schedule

Owner's title policy: seller (customary in Southern California)

The $75 figure is the SB2/Building Homes and Jobs Act fee (capped at $225 per transaction per parcel); it is EXEMPT for documents subject to documentary transfer tax or for a residential dwelling transfer to an owner-occupier, per a secondary summary of the Assessor-Recorder-Clerk's fee page.

See California closing costs, title insurance and who pays →

Frequently asked questions

What down payment assistance is available in San Bernardino County, CA?

NPHS Down Payment Assistance (San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties). California statewide programs can be used here too.

What is the income limit for first-time buyer programs in San Bernardino County?

Most programs cap income at 80% of HUD's area median, which is $98,400 for a four-person household in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA (San Bernardino County) (FY2026). Some programs allow up to 120% or 150% of median; each program page lists its own table by household size.

Is there a transfer tax in San Bernardino County?

Countywide documentary transfer tax: $0.55 per $500 (approximately $1.10 per $1,000) of property value on conveyances over $100. No additional citywide transfer tax was confirmed for the City of San Bernardino in this pass.

What is the median home price in San Bernardino County?

About $505,000, per U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts - San Bernardino County, California: Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024 (ACS 5-Year Estimate).

Official sources

San Bernardino County figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.

Other California counties

This is general information, not financial advice. Program funding, limits and terms change; confirm the current rules with the administering agency and your lender before you rely on them.

See down payment help in all covered counties