Milwaukee County, WI First-Time Home Buyer Programs and Down Payment Help
Milwaukee County buyers can apply to 3 local down payment programs, with help up to $35,000 through Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA), on top of Wisconsin's statewide programs. Figures below were read from the administering agencies' own pages on September 11, 2026.
Local programs in Milwaukee County
These are run by City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (statewide), 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program City of Milwaukee (City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC)) · source | forgivable grant | Up to $5,000 citywide; up to $7,000 if purchasing within the City's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Area boundary | Total household income must not exceed $86,700 for a 4-person household | Yes | Inside the City of Milwaukee; |
| Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA) City of Milwaukee (City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation (NIDC)) · source | forgivable second mortgage (rehabilitation-focused) | Up to $35,000, limited to no more than half the total cost of purchase plus rehabilitation | No maximum income limit; program is not limited to first-time homebuyers | No | Inside the City of Milwaukee; |
| Easy Close Advantage (Down Payment Assistance) Wisconsin (statewide) (Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)) · source | repayable second mortgage, 10-year fixed rate | $1,000 up to 6% of the purchase price | Must meet WHEDA's published income and purchase-price limits for the WHEDA Advantage first mortgage | No | Statewide, including Milwaukee County; |
- Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program. Maximum property purchase price: $290,000. Buyer must contribute at least $1,000 of their own funds. Requires 8 hours of counseling from a HUD-approved Homebuyer Counseling Agency (ACTS Housing, Housing Resources Inc., or United Community Center).
- Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA). Funds are specifically for rehabilitating a City-owned foreclosed property the buyer will occupy; not a general down-payment program.
- Easy Close Advantage (Down Payment Assistance). Minimum credit score: 640 Unlike a deferred/forgivable DPA, Easy Close is repaid in equal monthly installments over 10 years at the same interest rate as the first mortgage. Funds may be used only for down payment, closing costs, or mortgage insurance premiums (not repairs).
Income limits in Milwaukee County
Down payment programs here are keyed to HUD's income limits for Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI HUD Metro FMR Area (Milwaukee County) (fiscal year 2026): the area median family income is $108,400. Limits scale with household size; each program page has the full table. HUD income limits
Wisconsin statewide programs you can also use in Milwaukee County
Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) (homebuyer programs page) runs 6 statewide programs open to buyers anywhere in Wisconsin, with down payment help up to 6% of the price (about $20,292 on a median-priced home) through WHEDA Easy Close Advantage DPA. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHEDA Advantage Conventional source | First mortgage | See program page | No | 620 | Must be under the Total Household Compliance Income limit, which varies by county and whether the property is in a designated target area; |
| WHEDA Advantage FHA source | First mortgage | See program page | No | 640 | Same Total Household Compliance Income limits as WHEDA Advantage Conventional (varies by county/target area). |
| WHEDA Easy Close Advantage DPA source | Second mortgage | Minimum $1,000; maximum 6% of the purchase price | No | n/a | Total Household Compliance Income limits apply, based on the WHEDA first mortgage program (Advantage Conventional or Advantage FHA) it is paired with. |
| WHEDA Capital Access DPA source | Deferred second loan | $7,500 loan amount (Conventional or FHA) | No | n/a | Has separate (generally lower) Total Household Compliance Income limits than Easy Close, set per county; |
| WHEDA Advantage Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP) source | First mortgage | $10,000-$50,000 loan amount (up to 125% combined loan-to-value) | No | n/a | Total Household Income limits apply. |
| WHEDA Advantage Conventional HomeStyle Renovation source | First mortgage | See program page | No | 620 | Same limits as WHEDA Advantage Conventional (see that entry). |
Wisconsin also offers a mortgage credit certificate (WHEDA Tax Advantage Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)), a federal tax credit worth 25% of your mortgage interest each year. MCC program page
Milwaukee County closing costs that differ from the rest of Wisconsin
Transfer tax: Wisconsin's real estate transfer fee is $3.00 per $1,000 of value (0.3%), owed by the grantor (seller) under state law, and applies statewide including Milwaukee County; there is no additional Milwaukee-specific local transfer tax on top of the state fee. Source
Recording the deed costs $30 and the mortgage $30. Fee schedule
Owner's title policy: seller (customary in Milwaukee County)
The $30 flat recording fee (regardless of page count) for Milwaukee County was reported via the Wisconsin Register of Deeds Association's (WRDA) official fee resource;
Frequently asked questions
What down payment assistance is available in Milwaukee County, WI?
Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program (City of Milwaukee, up to $7,000); Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA) (City of Milwaukee, up to $35,000); Easy Close Advantage (Down Payment Assistance) (Wisconsin (statewide), up to 6%). Wisconsin statewide programs can be used here too.
Is there a transfer tax in Milwaukee County?
Wisconsin's real estate transfer fee is $3.00 per $1,000 of value (0.3%), owed by the grantor (seller) under state law, and applies statewide including Milwaukee County; there is no additional Milwaukee-specific local transfer tax on top of the state fee.
Official sources
- City of Milwaukee: Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program
- City of Milwaukee: Homebuyer Assistance Program (HBA)
- Wisconsin (statewide): Easy Close Advantage (Down Payment Assistance)
- HUD income limits
- Milwaukee County transfer tax
- Milwaukee County recording fees
Milwaukee County figures last verified against official sources on September 11, 2026.
Other Wisconsin 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