You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners.
Connecticut First-Time Home Buyer Programs of 2021
Learn more about our editorial guidelines.
Lead Assigning Editor | international personal finance, mortgages, small business
Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of NerdWallet, but this does not influence our evaluations, lender star ratings or the order in which lenders are listed on the page. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners.
Buying a first home in Connecticut can be a financial challenge. Help is available for first-timers, whether they’re shopping for a New Britain colonial, a New Haven condo or a New London cottage. Since 1969, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, or CHFA, has assisted low- to moderate-income first-time home buyers with below-market-rate mortgages and down payment assistance. CHFA considers you a first-time buyer if you have not owned a home within three years.
National first-time home buyer programs
Many first-time home buyers take advantage of these national loan programs, which feature low down payment or flexible credit requirements. These loans are available nationwide through most lenders.
Conventional mortgage
Best for:
Low down payments, limited mortgage insurance premiums
What you need to know:
A conventional mortgage is a home loan that isn’t guaranteed or insured by the federal government. Conventional mortgages that conform to the requirements set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac allow down payments as low as 3% for first-time buyers or lower-income home buyers. Unlike FHA loans, conventional loans allow borrowers to eventually cancel their mortgage insurance or avoid mortgage insurance altogether if they put at least 20% down.
Mortgage loans from our partners
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon Rocket Mortgage
on Veterans United
Veterans United
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon Veterans United
on NBKC
NBKC
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon NBKC
on Tomo
Tomo
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet rating3%
on Tomo
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on NBKC
NBKC
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon NBKC
on Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon Rocket Mortgage
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Figure
Figure
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Figure
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Figure
Figure
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Figure
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Mortgage loans from our partners
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon Rocket Mortgage
on Veterans United
Veterans United
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon Veterans United
on NBKC
NBKC
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon NBKC
on Tomo
Tomo
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet rating3%
on Tomo
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on NBKC
NBKC
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon NBKC
on Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingon Rocket Mortgage
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Figure
Figure
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Figure
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union
5.0
NerdWallet rating5.0
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
on New American Funding
New American Funding
4.0
NerdWallet rating4.0
NerdWallet ratingon New American Funding
on Figure
Figure
4.5
NerdWallet rating4.5
NerdWallet ratingN/A
on Figure
on Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union
5.0
NerdWallet rating