Bexar County, TX First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help
Bexar County buyers can apply to 3 local down payment programs, with help up to $30,000 through Homeownership Incentive Program 80 (HIP 80), on top of Texas's statewide programs. Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.
Local programs in Bexar County
These are run by City of San Antonio, Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, Atascosa, Wilson & Guadalupe Counties (regional, not city-limited), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Incentive Program 80 (HIP 80) City of San Antonio (City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NHSD)) · source | deferred 0% second lien, partially forgivable | $1,000 to $30,000 | At or below 80% of AMI (4-person: $80,500) | Check | Inside San Antonio city limits; |
| Homeownership Incentive Program 120 (HIP 120) Closed City of San Antonio (City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NHSD)) · source | deferred 0% second lien, partially forgivable/partially perpetual | $1,000 to $15,000 | At or below 120% of AMI (4-person: $120,700, dated 2025 on the city page) | Check | Inside San Antonio city limits; |
| Down Payment Loan Program Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, Atascosa, Wilson & Guadalupe Counties (regional, not city-limited) (Neighborhood Housing Services of San Antonio (NHS of SA), a HUD-approved nonprofit housing counseling agency) · source | second lien down payment/closing cost loan | Up to $12,000 | Program-specific income guidelines; homebuyer education required | Yes | Bexar County and seven surrounding counties (not limited to San Antonio city limits) |
- Homeownership Incentive Program 80 (HIP 80). 0% interest, no monthly payments. Loans $1,000-$15,000 are 100% forgiven over 5 years; loans $15,001-$30,000 are 100% forgiven over 10 years.
- Homeownership Incentive Program 120 (HIP 120). Status: not accepting new applications for FY2026 City page states explicitly, as of this research: 'The HIP80 and HIP120 programs are currently not accepting new applications for FY 2026.
- Down Payment Loan Program.
Income limits in Bexar County
Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area (Bexar County) (fiscal year 2026): the 80% limit that most programs use is $80,500 for a four-person household. Limits scale with household size; each program page has the full table. HUD income limits
Texas statewide programs you can also use in Bexar County
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) - The Texas Homebuyer Program (homebuyer programs page) runs 5 statewide programs open to buyers anywhere in Texas, with down payment help up to 5% of the loan (about $17,090 on a median-priced home) through My First Texas Home. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My First Texas Home source | First mortgage | Down payment and closing cost assistance up to 5% of the mortgage loan amount | Yes | 620 | Varies by county; see TDHCA county income and purchase price limits |
| My Choice Texas Home source | First mortgage | See program page | No | n/a | Varies by county; see TDHCA county income and purchase price limits |
| Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate (TMCC) Program source | Tax credit (MCC) | See program page | Yes | n/a | See program page |
| Homes for Texas Heroes Program (TSAHC) source | Program | See program page | No | 620 | Varies; see TSAHC income limits by program |
| Home Sweet Texas Home Loan Program (TSAHC) source | Program | See program page | No | 620 | Varies; see TSAHC income limits by program |
Texas also offers a mortgage credit certificate (TSAHC Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)), a federal tax credit worth 15% of your mortgage interest each year. MCC program page
Bexar County closing costs that differ from the rest of Texas
Transfer tax: No local (or state) real estate transfer tax; the Texas Constitution (Art. 8, Sec. 31, added by 2015 Proposition 1, effective Jan. 1, 2016) bars the state and all local jurisdictions from imposing a tax on conveying fee-simple title to real property. Source
Recording the deed costs $26 and the mortgage $26. Fee schedule
Owner's title policy: seller (customary, per Texas Promulgated title rates/local custom)
Bexar County Clerk real property recording fee: $26 for the first page (includes surcharges), $4 for each additional page, per the county's fee schedule effective January 1, 2024 (search-indexed; confirm current schedule at the source URL before publish).
Frequently asked questions
What down payment assistance is available in Bexar County, TX?
Homeownership Incentive Program 80 (HIP 80) (City of San Antonio, up to $30,000); Homeownership Incentive Program 120 (HIP 120) (City of San Antonio, up to $15,000); Down Payment Loan Program (Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, Atascosa, Wilson & Guadalupe Counties (regional, not city-limited), up to $12,000). Texas statewide programs can be used here too.
What is the income limit for first-time buyer programs in Bexar County?
Most programs cap income at 80% of HUD's area median, which is $80,500 for a four-person household in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area (Bexar 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 Bexar County?
No local (or state) real estate transfer tax; the Texas Constitution (Art. 8, Sec. 31, added by 2015 Proposition 1, effective Jan. 1, 2016) bars the state and all local jurisdictions from imposing a tax on conveying fee-simple title to real property.
What is the median home price in Bexar County?
About $195,100, per Bexar County median home value (as republished from county records/appraisal data). Down payment help of up to $30,000 covers roughly 15% of that price.
Official sources
- City of San Antonio: Homeownership Incentive Program 80 (HIP 80)
- Bexar, Comal, Kendall, Bandera, Medina, Atascosa, Wilson & Guadalupe Counties (regional, not city-limited): Down Payment Loan Program
- Bexar County transfer tax
- Bexar County recording fees
- Bexar County median home value (as republished from county records/appraisal data)
Bexar County figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.
Other Texas 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