What Each IHDA Program Would Pay You
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
One input, four answers, ranked. The ranking is the part worth looking at, because it flips below roughly $150,000.
The calculator
| Program | Rate | Cap | Would pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| IHDAccess Home (first-time only) | 6% | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| IHDAccess Repayable | 10% | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| IHDAccess Deferred | 5% | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| IHDAccess Forgivable | 4% | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Your minimum investment | 1% | floor $1,000 | $2,500 |
Assistance is the lesser of the rate and the cap. Your minimum investment is the greater of 1% and $1,000.
Reading the result
Rates and caps are those published in the IHDA program directory.
Three things to take from it.
First, whether IHDAccess Home is actually your largest option. Above $250,000 it always is. Below about $150,000 it is not, because 10% of a smaller price beats 6% of it.
Second, whether you can use IHDAccess Home at all. It is first-time-buyer only unless you are Exempt, and it carries tighter income limits and a purchase price cap $100,000 lower. The program in detail.
Third, the minimum investment row. That is money you bring, and it is not optional. What counts toward it.
What the calculator cannot settle
Whether your household clears the income ladder, which varies by county and program. The four ladders. Whether your credit and ratios clear the matrix. Credit and DTI. And whether anyone you were planning to add to the loan can be added at all. Usually not.
Send us the scenario and we will run all of it properly.
Frequently asked questions
How much assistance does IHDAccess Home pay on a $300,000 house?
$15,000, the program maximum, because 6% of $300,000 is $18,000 which exceeds the cap. The program pays the lesser of 6% and $15,000, so the cap governs at any purchase price of $250,000 or above. At $200,000 it pays $12,000 and at $150,000 it pays $9,000.
At what purchase price does IHDAccess Repayable stop being the largest?
Around $150,000. Repayable pays 10% to a $10,000 cap, so it reaches its maximum at a $100,000 purchase price and stays at $10,000 above that. IHDAccess Home pays 6% with no cap until $250,000, so it passes $10,000 at a purchase price of about $167,000. Between those points the two are close.
What is my minimum investment on a $180,000 Illinois home?
$1,800, because 1% of $180,000 exceeds the $1,000 floor and IHDA requires the greater of the two. It must come from your own funds or properly sourced gift funds where the automated underwriting system allows, and it appears on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure. Earnest money and borrower-paid appraisal, inspection and prepaid insurance count toward it.
Does this calculator confirm I will receive that assistance?
No. It shows what each program pays at a given purchase price under its published rate and cap. Eligibility depends on income limits for your county and household, credit score and debt ratios, household composition rules, property type and completion of homebuyer education. IHDA also states that funding and availability are subject to change and are not guaranteed until a complete reservation is placed.
Can I combine two IHDA assistance programs?
No. IHDA's programs are alternatives rather than layers, and the guide states a borrower can only have one IHDA Mortgage loan at the time of closing. The calculator shows what each would pay separately so you can choose, rather than a combined total.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. IHDA program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Illinois Housing Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them and IHDA's own disclaimer applies, that funding and availability are subject to change and are not guaranteed until a complete reservation is placed. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.