Georgia Dream Homeownership Program
Georgia's statewide program for down payment and closing cost help, paired with a 30 year fixed first mortgage.
Standard
5% of the price, up to $10,000
Any eligible buyer
PEN
6% of the price, up to $12,500
Protectors, educators, nurses and healthcare workers, and active military
Choice
6% of the price, up to $12,500
A household member is living with a disability
Whichever amount is less. Effective July 8, 2026.
Program details and amounts change, so confirm current terms with a lender.
What you get
- A 0% second mortgage with no monthly payments, used for your down payment, closing costs, and prepaid items.
- It's a loan, not a grant. You repay it when you sell, refinance, transfer title, or stop living in the home.
- Works with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional loans.
Who qualifies
- First time buyers, meaning you haven't owned and lived in a home in the last three years. This is waived in targeted areas and for veterans who haven't used bond financed mortgage help before.
- A credit score of 640 or higher (660 for a manufactured home).
- Household income and price under the county limits below.
- No more than $20,000 or 20% of the price in liquid assets after closing, whichever is greater.
- At least $1,000 of your own money toward the purchase. A gift can typically cover it.
- A homebuyer education course.
- The home must be your primary residence: a single family home, townhome, approved condo, or manufactured home. Two to four unit homes don't qualify.
How to apply
- Take a homebuyer education course, online through eHome America or with an approved counseling agency.
- Get preapproved with a Georgia Dream participating lender, or call 800.359.4663.
- Your lender reserves the funds and sends your file to DCA for review. Plan on at least 10 extra business days before closing.
- DCA lays out every step in its homebuyer guide.
Who counts for PEN
Protectors: police, sheriff's offices, corrections, the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles and other law enforcement agencies; fire departments, including volunteer firefighters; the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard; the Army and Air National Guard; actively drilling reservists; and civil servants on a military base.
Educators: employees of accredited public or private schools and school boards, including Pre K, Head Start, and school bus drivers; state certified teachers at Head Start, Pre K, or day care programs; and employees of accredited colleges and universities.
Nurses and healthcare: employees of state licensed healthcare facilities, such as hospitals, medical and dental offices, health departments, nursing homes, assisted living, home health care, labs, pharmacies, and public and mental health facilities.
Source: Georgia Dream Seller Guide, section 401.2b. Your lender confirms eligibility.
Income and price limits near me
| Where the home is | Max price | Income, 1 or 2 people | Income, 3 or more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hall, Jackson, Banks, Habersham, Lumpkin, White, and other counties outside the metro groups | $475,000 | $101,700 | $116,955 |
| Atlanta metro group, including Gwinnett, Barrow, Forsyth, and Dawson | $625,000 | $137,555 | $158,188 |
Georgia Dream Standard and Peach Select limits, effective July 8, 2026. Household income counts everyone 18 and older who will live in the home. Braselton crosses county lines, so the limit depends on the exact address.
Other Georgia Dream options
Peach Plus: for FHA and VA buyers who don't meet the traditional Georgia Dream rules. Down payment help of 3.5% of the price up to $10,000, or 4% up to $12,500 for PEN and Choice. Higher limits: $575,000 price and $152,550 or $175,433 household income in Hall and Jackson counties; $725,000, $206,333, and $237,282 in the Atlanta metro group.
Peach Advantage: for conventional loan buyers. Down payment help from 2% up to 5% of the first loan amount, with household income up to 150% of the area median income and a $575,000 price limit in Hall and Jackson counties ($725,000 in the Atlanta metro group).
Peach Select VA: a lower interest rate VA loan with no Georgia Dream down payment help, using the same limits as Standard.
Source: DCA program pages and the Georgia Dream brochure, July 2026 edition.