Washington State's WSHFC: down payment programs across the river.

A lot of the buyers I work with are on the Washington side — Clark County, Vancouver, Camas, Washougal. And the good news is that Washington State has a robust set of down payment assistance programs through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC). Here's what to know.

Home Advantage — the flagship program

WSHFC's Home Advantage program works like Oregon's Bond program: you get a below-market interest rate on your first mortgage, plus access to a down payment loan. The DPA comes as a second loan — typically a small percentage of the purchase price — that's deferred with no monthly payment until you sell, refinance, or pay off the home.

Home Advantage has no first-time buyer requirement. If you haven't owned recently you may still qualify, but even repeat buyers can apply — which is unusual and worth knowing.

Opportunity Belts and the House Key program

WSHFC also runs programs targeted at lower-income buyers, including the House Key Opportunity program for households below 80% of area median income. These tend to have deeper assistance amounts in exchange for tighter income requirements.

Energy Spark and veterans add-ons

Washington layers on extras for energy-efficient homes and for veterans. If you're buying an energy-efficient home or are an eligible veteran, you may qualify for additional rate reductions stacked on top of the base program — effectively making an already attractive rate even better.

What Clark County buyers should know

• Income and purchase price limits apply and are set by county.
• A homebuyer education course is required — a short online class that's genuinely useful.
• The DPA second loan is deferred: no monthly payment, repaid when you sell or refinance.
• You need to work with a WSHFC-approved lender — I am one.

Washington's programs are genuinely competitive, and most Clark County buyers I work with don't know they exist.

If you're looking at homes in Vancouver or anywhere in Clark County, let's check current WSHFC program availability for your income and the homes you're considering. I'll run the numbers so you know exactly what you're working with.