Santa Clara County, CA First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help
Santa Clara County has no county-run down payment program open right now; buyers here rely on California's statewide programs (the local programs below are closed or waitlisted). Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.
Local programs in Santa Clara County
These are run by Santa Clara County, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empower Homebuyers SCC Program - SUNSETTING, NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS Closed Santa Clara County (County of Santa Clara, administered by Housing Trust Silicon Valley) · source | deferred second mortgage with shared appreciation | Up to 17% of the home's purchase price (an additional 3% buyer contribution reaches a 20% down payment) | At or below 120% of Area Median Income; | Yes | Santa Clara County, primary residence, owner-occupied |
- Empower Homebuyers SCC Program - SUNSETTING, NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS. PROGRAM UPDATE per the county's own page: "The Empower Homebuyers SCC Program is no longer accepting new applications as the program is sunsetting on June 30, 2026." Funded by the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond. No monthly payments or interest;
Income limits in Santa Clara County
Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area (Santa Clara County) (fiscal year 2026): the area median family income is $205,500 and the 80% limit that most programs use is $162,400 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 Santa Clara 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; |
Santa Clara 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. HOWEVER, properties located within San Jose, Palo Alto, and Mountain View are taxed at the higher city rate of $1.65 per $500 (approximately $3.30 per $1,000) - three times the base county rate - because those three cities impose their own additional transfer tax on top of the county's. San Jose ALSO has a separate Measure E Real Property Transfer Tax on transfers of $2.3 million or more (effective July 1, 2025), layered on top of the city's base transfer tax, funding affordable housing and homelessness programs. Source
Recording the deed costs $50 and the mortgage $50. Fee schedule
Owner's title policy: seller (customary in Northern California, though buyer-pays is also common in some Bay Area counties - confirm locally)
The $50 recording_fee_deed figure is a secondary-source estimate for an owner-occupied home transaction (roughly $120 for a non-owner-occupied/second residence, per the same secondary summary);
See California closing costs, title insurance and who pays →
Frequently asked questions
What down payment assistance is available in Santa Clara County, CA?
No county-run program is open right now. Buyers in Santa Clara County use California's statewide programs; see the California page.
What is the income limit for first-time buyer programs in Santa Clara County?
Most programs cap income at 80% of HUD's area median, which is $162,400 for a four-person household in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area (Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County?
Countywide documentary transfer tax: $0.55 per $500 (approximately $1.10 per $1,000) of property value. HOWEVER, properties located within San Jose, Palo Alto, and Mountain View are taxed at the higher city rate of $1.65 per $500 (approximately $3.30 per $1,000) - three times the base county rate - because those three cities impose their own additional transfer tax on top of the county's. San Jose ALSO has a separate Measure E Real Property Transfer Tax on transfers of $2.3 million or more (effective July 1, 2025), layered on top of the city's base transfer tax, funding affordable housing and homelessness programs.
What is the median home price in Santa Clara County?
About $1,490,600, per U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts - Santa Clara County, California: Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024 (ACS 5-Year Estimate).
Official sources
- Santa Clara County: Empower Homebuyers SCC Program - SUNSETTING, NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS
- HUD income limits
- Santa Clara County transfer tax
- Santa Clara County recording fees
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts - Santa Clara County, California: Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2020-2024 (ACS 5-Year Estimate)
- City of San Jose - Homebuyer Assistance
Santa Clara 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