Fulton Homeownership Program

Fulton County Department of Community Development

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404-613-4176
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DownPayment.Assistance@fultoncountyga.gov
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137 Peachtree Street, SW, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30303

Fulton Homeownership Program

The Fulton County Homeownership Program (HOP) provides affordable mortgage financing for eligible first-time homebuyers. Fulton County HOP offers down payment assistance to individuals that may qualify.

The loan is deferred, no-monthly-payment loan with zero percent (0%) interest. This second mortgage loan may be used to cover down payment, closing costs, and/or interest rate buydown costs needed to support the financing of the required first mortgage—up to $22,500, based on need.

HOP provides up to 7.5% of the sales price, not to exceed $22,500, in down payment, closing cost, and interest rate buydown assistance, in accordance with your first mortgage HOP lender’s requirements.

  • No repayment is required if the home remains the primary residence of the homebuyer during the six- or eleven-year affordability period.
  • 20% of the loan is forgiven annually starting on the second anniversary of the loan closing, provided the homebuyer remains compliant with HOP Policy guidelines.

You May Qualify if...

  • You are a qualified first-time homebuyer (Have not owned a home in the past three years).
  • Your household income does not exceed the limits as shown in chart.
  • You are approved for a 1st mortgage with a HOP Participating Lender.
  • All applicant buyers must receive housing counseling before receiving HOP Program Funding and in accordance to the HOP policy guideline.
  • Home purchase price does not exceed $347,000 for existing and $367,000 for new construction homes.
  • Income Limits Updates can be found via HUD website, click here.

To determine if you’re eligible to qualify for the HOP down payment assistance gather the required items from the checklist here. 

Click here to apply to the Homeownership Program

Fulton Homeownership Program

guides & Resources 

Homeowner (Down Payment Assistance) Program Information

Fulton Homeownership Program

Frequently Asked questions

Where can I apply to become an approved participating lender?

You can submit your request to DownPayment.Assistance@fultoncountyga.gov. 

Where can we find the Lender Participation Agreement?

Above this, look at the dropdown under Guides & Resources. The Lender Participation Agreement is the file named HOP Lender Application Fillable 2025.

Or,

You can submit your request to DownPayment.Assistance@fultoncountyga.gov, and someone will provide you with the process and documents.

Where can I register with Fulton County as a Vendor?

For all newly approved lenders, it is required that within five business days of confirmation of approval, the newly approved respective Closing Entity: Title Company and/or Closing Attorney Firm must register with Fulton County as a vendor. Vendor registration is required in order to process any approved HOP loan amount to be facilitated by the respective closing entity at closing. When registering, it is recommended to select ACH as the payment method. Link to Vendor Register: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/inside-fulton-county/fulton-county-departments/purchasing-and-contract-compliance/vendor-registration-information

Where can we find the following documents related to this program?

Click here to see the Program Guidelines/Program Details. 

Click here to see the Customer/Lender Submission Checklists. 

Are there any application fees associated with your homebuyer assistance program?

No

Does Fulton County require a copy of the credit report from the lender?

Yes.

Would your agency be willing to accept the credit report directly from the customer versus the lender?

No. The credit report should come from the lender application submission.

Does the agency require income documents from all members in the household beyond the borrower and co-borrower?

Yes.

Would your agency be willing to accept the non-borrower income documents directly from the customer?

 No. All documents are submitted in the portal by the lender.

Where can clients find the lender list?

Click here to find the lender list. 

Are there certain realtors for this program, or can clients reach out to anyone?

Yes, a Georgia licensed Realtor. 

How long is the application review process?

Once a complete application is submitted, it may take up to 20 days to receive an answer.