California: Your Resources for Buying a Home Here.

California is expensive. Nobody needs to tell you that. But here’s what most California buyers DON’T know: the state has serious programs built to close the gap between your savings and your down payment.

I’m licensed in California, and I help buyers across the state — from the Inland Empire to Sacramento to LA. Let me show you what’s possible.

MyHome Assistance Program

This is CalHFA’s workhorse program, and it’s available year-round. It gives you a deferred second loan worth up to 3.5% of your purchase price for down payment or closing costs.

Here’s the best part: no monthly payments on that second loan. You don’t pay it back until you sell, refinance, or pay off your mortgage. It just sits quietly and helps you get in the door.

Dream For All

This is California’s big one — a shared appreciation loan that can cover a major chunk of your down payment, with no monthly payments. The catch? It runs on limited funding through a lottery system, and when it opens, it moves FAST.

My advice: don’t build your whole plan around the lottery. Get ready with MyHome as your foundation, register for Dream For All when it opens, and keep moving either way. The buyers who win are the ones who are pre-approved and ready before the window opens.

The WISH Program — $4 for Every $1 You Save

This one flies under the radar, and it shouldn’t. The WISH Program (Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership) comes from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and serves California buyers.

Here’s how it works: it MATCHES your money 4-to-1. You bring roughly $8,000 of your own savings, and the program can add over $32,000 on top — up to $32,837 in 2026 — for your down payment and closing costs.

The fine print, plain and simple:

• First-time buyers only (no home owned in the last 3 years)
• Household income must be under the limit for your area and family size
• A lien sits on the home for 5 years — stay in the home, and it’s forgiven
• Funding is first-come, first-served each year. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

If you’ve been saving steadily but the California price tag keeps moving the goalposts, WISH might be the multiplier you’ve been waiting for. But you have to be ready when the funds are — and that starts with a conversation.

More Ways to Stack Help

California programs are built to work together. Depending on your situation, we may be able to combine down payment help with closing cost assistance and bring your cash to close way down. There are also programs through other agencies — like GSFA Platinum — that are open to repeat buyers, not just first-timers.

This is where having an experienced lender matters. I don’t just know one program. I know how they fit together.

Buying Rural in California? Don’t Skip This.

Not every California buyer is shopping in LA or the Bay. If you’re looking at the Central Valley, the Inland Empire’s edges, the foothills, or the northern counties, rural programs can change your whole math:

USDA Rural Development Loans. Zero down payment for homes in USDA-eligible areas. People hear “rural” and picture farmland, but USDA eligibility covers a surprising amount of California — including suburban edges of growing metros. Income limits apply (commonly around $119,850 for a household of 1-4, higher in high-cost counties), and the home must be your primary residence. If your address qualifies, this is one of the strongest loans in America.

Stack it with state help. CalHFA assistance and other programs can often pair with the right first mortgage to handle closing costs too. The combination is where the magic happens.

HomeFlex. My company’s in-house assistance program works anywhere in California. Full details just below.

Rule of thumb: never pick your loan type before we check the address. A buyer who checks USDA eligibility first might close with almost nothing out of pocket. A buyer who doesn’t could leave real money on the table.

HomeFlex: Our Own In-House Program

Here’s something most lenders can’t say: my company has its own down payment assistance program. It’s called HomeFlex, exclusive to Homeowners Financial Group, and it works anywhere in California.

Here’s what makes it special:

• 3.5% or 5% of your purchase price in assistance for your down payment, closing costs, and prepaids
• No income limits beyond the standard loan guidelines — a big deal in a high-income, high-price state where buyers often earn too much for state programs but still can’t out-save the market
• You do NOT have to be a first-time buyer
• Works with FHA and USDA loans on your primary residence

You get to choose between two structures:

The forgivable option (3.5%). No interest. No monthly payment. The assistance is completely forgiven after 5 years, as long as you stay in the home and keep your mortgage in good standing. Minimum credit score around 640.

The repayable option (up to 5%). A small second loan with a monthly payment, repaid over time. This gets you more assistance up front if you need it. Minimum credit score around 660.

Why does this matter to you? Because California’s state programs run out of funding, run on lotteries, and come with income caps. HomeFlex is ours — which means when you work with me, there’s always a door we can check, even when other programs say no.

Thinking About Leaving California?

I have to mention this, because I see it every single week: California families realizing their money goes further in Nevada. Lower prices. No state income tax. And I’m licensed in both states — so if your plan is to sell in California and buy in Las Vegas, you don’t need two lenders. You need one Lisa.

One Conversation Changes Everything

You can spend months reading about these programs, or you can spend 20 minutes with me and know exactly where you stand. Your income, your credit, your timeline — that’s all we need to build your roadmap.