Georgia Dream Homeownership Program (2026)
Georgia Dream gives first-time buyers $10,000 toward down payment and closing costs (5% of the purchase price or $10,000, whichever is less), or $12,500 if you are a public protector, educator, health care worker, active military (PEN) or a household member has a disability (CHOICE). It is a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell or refinance. Income limit $137,555 for one or two people and $158,188 for three or more; home price up to $625,000; 640 minimum credit. Effective July 8, 2026.
The three tiers
| Tier | Assistance | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $10,000 5% of the purchase price or $10,000, whichever is less | Any eligible first-time buyer |
| PEN | $12,500 6% of the purchase price or $12,500, whichever is less | Public protectors (law enforcement, fire, ems, corrections), educators (k-12 and public college or university staff), health care workers (nurses, hospital and clinic staff) and active military |
| CHOICE | $12,500 6% of the purchase price or $12,500, whichever is less | A household member with a disability, or a family member with a disability who will live in the home |
Who qualifies
| Requirement | Georgia Dream Standard |
|---|---|
| Income limit | $137,555 (1 to 2 people) / $158,188 (3 or more), household income |
| Purchase price | Up to $625,000 statewide; some MSA and county maximums are lower |
| Credit score | 640 (660 for manufactured housing) |
| Debt-to-income | 45% maximum for credit scores 640 to 699; per automated underwriting approval at 700 and above; 36% if manually underwritten |
| Liquid assets after closing | no more than $20,000 or 20% of the sales price in liquid assets after closing |
| Your contribution | $1,000 minimum from the borrower |
| First-time buyer | no ownership of a primary residence in the past three years, waived in DCA targeted areas |
| Education | homebuyer education through a HUD-approved counseling agency |
| First mortgage | FHA, VA, USDA or conventional first mortgage through a Georgia Dream participating lender |
| Property | single-family, one unit: detached, attached (townhome or condo), or manufactured. Two-to-four-unit properties are not eligible |
| The second mortgage | 0% interest, no monthly payment, deferred; repaid in full when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage |
Income is household income for Georgia Dream Standard, so a spouse or adult who will live in the home counts even if they are not on the loan. Getting a few thousand dollars over the limit is a lender conversation, not a dead end: Peach Plus uses a higher limit and accepts repeat buyers.
Georgia Dream, Peach Select, Peach Plus, Peach Advantage
| Product | Income limit (1-2 / 3+) | Price cap | Buyers | DPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Dream Standard | $137,555 / $158,188 | $625,000 | First-time only | Yes |
| Peach Select VA | $137,555 / $158,188 | $625,000 | Veterans, first-time and repeat | No (rate benefit instead) |
| Peach Plus | $206,333 / $237,282 | $725,000 | First-time and repeat, FHA or VA | Yes |
| Peach Advantage | Up to 150% of area median income | $725,000 | First-time and repeat, conventional | Yes |
Which Georgia cities fit under the $625,000 cap
The cap is a ceiling on the home, not on your loan, so what matters is whether the homes you would actually buy sit under it. These are our live city pages with the current median list price against the statewide maximum.
| City | Active listings | Median list price | vs $625,000 cap | Georgia Dream DPA at the median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta (Fulton) | 2,485 | $349,200 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Cumming (Forsyth) | 541 | $619,900 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Decatur (DeKalb) | 478 | $274,995 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Lawrenceville (Gwinnett) | 460 | $399,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Marietta (Cobb) | 392 | $480,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Macon (Bibb) | 356 | $183,250 | Under the cap | $9,162 |
| Brunswick (Glynn) | 354 | $320,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Mcdonough (Henry) | 319 | $365,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Gainesville (Hall) | 302 | $490,950 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Douglasville (Douglas) | 300 | $349,450 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| St. Simons Island (Glynn) | 289 | $825,000 | Above the cap | $10,000 |
| Lithonia (DeKalb) | 284 | $239,450 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Alpharetta (Fulton) | 265 | $799,000 | Above the cap | $10,000 |
| Dallas (Paulding) | 264 | $375,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Newnan (Coweta) | 247 | $430,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Covington (Newton) | 240 | $329,950 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Conyers (Rockdale) | 237 | $299,900 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Buford (Gwinnett) | 230 | $490,575 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Athens (Clarke) | 224 | $399,900 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Stone Mountain (DeKalb) | 213 | $284,999 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Acworth (Cobb) | 205 | $430,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Loganville (Gwinnett) | 204 | $405,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Canton (Cherokee) | 202 | $560,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Fayetteville (Fayette) | 191 | $495,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Snellville (Gwinnett) | 187 | $399,900 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Smyrna (Cobb) | 179 | $450,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Rome (Floyd) | 173 | $369,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Dacula (Gwinnett) | 169 | $520,000 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
| Suwanee (Gwinnett) | 160 | $627,500 | Above the cap | $10,000 |
| Griffin (Spalding) | 151 | $344,900 | Under the cap | $10,000 |
Listing counts and medians from the live MLS feed on our city pages as of 2026-09-06; the cap comparison is the city median against the statewide Georgia Dream maximum, and a city above the cap still has homes under it. DPA column is 5% of the median, capped at $10,000. Listing data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and changes daily.
How the closing works
You apply through a Georgia Dream participating lender, not through DCA directly. The lender reserves the assistance when your contract is signed, DCA underwrites the second mortgage alongside the first, and both close together. Expect the homebuyer education certificate to be a condition of closing; do it early. Sellers and listing agents in Georgia see these files regularly, and a well-written offer that discloses the program up front closes on the same timeline as a conventional one.
Questions buyers ask
How much does Georgia Dream give you?
Is Georgia Dream down payment assistance a grant?
What are the Georgia Dream income limits?
What is the maximum home price for Georgia Dream?
What credit score do you need for Georgia Dream?
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Can I use Georgia Dream on a townhome or condo?
Can I have savings and still qualify?
Read next
- Homes for sale in Georgia by city
- Homes for sale in Atlanta
- Cost of living in Atlanta
- Moving to Atlanta
- Georgia property tax by county
- Seller net proceeds calculator
- First-time home buyer guide for Florida
- Every Georgia down payment assistance option, compared
- First-time home buyer guide for Georgia
Momentum Realty LLC is a Georgia real estate brokerage, not a lender, mortgage broker or the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Nothing on this page is a loan offer, a pre-qualification or a promise of approval or of continued funding. Program terms are reproduced from DCA materials dated 2026-07-08 and change; a Georgia Dream participating lender is the only place to confirm what applies to you today. Equal Housing Opportunity.