---
title: "First-Time Home Buyer Program"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/08abb0bc-b112-4441-93dd-c3416cd32ad0
source_url: "https://ggcity.org/neighborhood-improvement/first-time-home-buyer-program"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/finance/stack/b0837516-dd98-49e5-a3b9-838af00f2125
summary: "The City of Garden Grove offers a First-Time Home Buyer Program providing deferred, zero-interest loans of up to $110,000 for down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income households. NeighborWorks Orange County hosts free virtual Homebuyer 101 workshops, which fulfill the HUD-approved education requirement for the program, with sessions scheduled from September through December 2026."
tags: "first-time-homebuyer, down-payment-assistance, garden-grove, housing-program, neighborworks, hud-counseling, affordable-homeownership"
key_entities: "NeighborWorks Orange County (organization), Garden Grove (location), City of Garden Grove (organization), HUD (organization), First-Time Home Buyer Program (concept), Advantage 3 (concept), Shalom Center (organization), Homebuyer 101 Virtual Workshops (event)"
classification: "reference"
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acp_version: "0.2"
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visibility: public
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status: "final"
---

# First-Time Home Buyer Program

Homebuyer 101 Virtual Workshops NeighborWorks Orange County, A HUD Approved Counseling agency, will now be offering FREE workshops designed to prepare first-time homebuyers with the fundamentals of homebuying featuring City of Garden Grove's down payment assistance of up to $110,000. Registration is required! Zoom links will be provided to all attendees. Upcoming Workshop Dates September 8, 2026 October 13, 2026 November 10, 2026 December 8, 2026 NeighborWorks Orange County Homebuyer 101 Virtual Workshops Looking to purchase your first home? The City of Garden Grove invites you to come join the Garden Grove family! The City is offering loans for eligible first-time home buyers. Qualifying families who are looking to purchase a home in Garden Grove can apply and utilize the funding for down-payment and/or closing cost assistance. Program Details Loan of up to $110,000 for low-income households (see income chart below) Loan of up to $50,000 for moderate-income households (see income chart below) 30-year deferred loan 0% interest GAP Financing Minimum of 3% down payment Apply Now! Click Here for Application (PDF) Program Checklist Click Here for Checklist (PDF) Program Requirements Have not owned a home within last three years Attend the First-Time Home Buyer Workshop (see below for HUD-approved counseling agencies) Home is located within Garden Grove Owner must occupy the home Total housing cost cannot exceed 45% of household income Applicant cannot use the down-payment assistance to purchase a home in the Density Bonus Program Must income-qualify (see chart below) Household Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total Annual Household Income for Low Income (80%) $104,200 $119,100 $134,000 $148,850 $160,800 $172,700 $184,600 $196,500 Total Annual Household Income for Moderate Income (120%) $116,400 $133,050 $149,650 $166,300 $179,600 $192,900 $206,200 $219,500 Program Flyers English Program Flyer Spanish Program Flyer Vietnamese Program Flyer Required Workshop The first step to qualify for the City's First-Time Home Buyer Program is to attend a first-time home buyer workshop with a HUD-approved counseling agency. The City of Garden Grove is working with NeighborWorks Orange County to provide various workshops to lenders and prospective homebuyers looking to utilize the City's First-Time Home Buyer Program, and they are a HUD-approved counseling agency that offers the required 8-Hour Home Buyer Education Course. Please click on the button below to view the program flyer and contacts to get started. You are not required to use NeighborWorks Orange County to fulfill the education requirements for the City's program, and the HUD-approved counseling agencies that are located in California can be accessed by clicking on the button below. NeighborWorks Orange County Homebuyer Education Course Shalom Center Homebuyer Education Course HUD-Approved Counseling Agencies - California Advantage 3 – A Smarter Way to Buy Your First Home As part of Garden Grove’s First-Time Homebuyer Program, the Advantage 3 option makes homeownership more affordable and within reach: 3% down payment – just 1% from you, with the rest from a gift or grant No mortgage insurance – lower monthly payments No income limits – more residents qualify Below-market interest rates – long-term savings Works for resale, new construction, single-family homes, townhomes, and condos (no FHA/HUD approval required) With Advantage 3, first-time buyers in Garden Grove can achieve the dream of homeownership faster and more affordably. Home Advantage "3" Program Required Application Documents Income Most current W2's for 3 years Most current 30 days of pay stubs, must be consecutive 3 years Personal Tax Returns (all pages, these are your 1040's) 3 years Business Tax Returns (if you are self employed or own a business) Most current benefit award letter (social security, pension, etc.) if you are retired Most current retirement statement, if you are direct deposit, bank statement will suffice Assets and ID Most current 6 months bank statements (all pages) - review your deposit, if you have $500.00 and above and it's not payroll, please provide an explanation 401K, IRA, CD's, 203B's, etc., 2 months of the most current statements, or if quarterly most current quarter (all pages) Terms of withdrawal (if using money from retirement account such as 401K) Copy of drivers' license or any government issued ID Copy of resident alien and social security card if not US citizen Miscellaneous Documents Homebuyer Workshop Certificate (Required from all person(s) listed on title) VA loan - DD214 Child support order & divorce decree (all pages) or 3 months of bank statements If you filed bankruptcy in the past 7 years, all pages of the bankruptcy documents including discharged If you do not have 2 years of employment and are attending school, a copy of the diploma or transcripts First-Time Homebuyer Program Guidelines Guidelines (PDF) For further questions regarding these programs, please call one of the contacts below. Dana Yang danay@ggcity.org (714) 741-5131 Kathy Nguyen kathyn@ggcity.org (714) 741-5143 Photos From Workshops