Send Us the Scenario and We Will Run It
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
The fastest route to a real answer is four facts and an address. Everything else we can work out from there.
What to send
- The county the property is in, or the counties you are shopping. The subject property county sets the income limit, not where you live now.
- Total household income for everyone who will live there and be on the loan.
- How many people will live in the home. It changes the IHDAccess Home limit, though not the general one.
- Ownership history. Has anyone, including a spouse who will not be on the loan, owned a principal residence in the last three years?
- An address, if you have one. We will check targeted status with you.
What you get back
Which of the four programs your household clears, what each would pay at your price point, what your minimum investment would be, and the honest answer if none of them fit yet and what would change that.
If the answer is that you are over the IHDAccess Home limit but fine on the others, we will say so plainly rather than steering you toward an application. The four programs.
The two questions we get most
Can my parent co-sign? No, and it is worth understanding why before you restructure anything. The explanation.
Can I buy with nothing down? Not on an IHDA loan. You contribute the greater of 1% of the purchase price or $1,000, though earnest money and a borrower-paid appraisal count toward it. What counts.
Reach us
IHDA publishes its own program information in the IHDA program directory. Call (480) 296-6513 or send the form. Our team reviews every Illinois scenario and reaches out shortly, usually with a read on which programs fit and what the next step is.
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555. Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. Equal Housing Lender.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which Illinois DPA program I qualify for?
Send us the county the property is in, your total household income for everyone who will live there and be on the loan, how many people will live in the home, and whether anyone including a non-borrowing spouse has owned a principal residence in the last three years. We run all four IHDAccess programs against the limits in effect and tell you which you clear.
Do I need an address before you can help?
No, but it helps. Without an address we can run the county income ladders and tell you which programs fit. With an address we can also check targeted status, which waives the first-time homebuyer requirement and raises the IHDAccess Home income limit, worth $24,300 for a one or two person household in Cook County.
Is there any obligation if I contact you?
No. We will tell you which programs your household clears and what each would pay, including the answer that none of them fit yet and what would need to change. There is no obligation to apply and no pressure to.
How quickly will someone respond?
Our team reviews every Illinois scenario and reaches out shortly, usually with a read on which of the four IHDAccess programs fit your household, what each would pay at your price point, and what your minimum investment would be.
Do you lend across all of Illinois?
Yes, statewide across all 102 counties. Because IHDA's purchase price cap of $666,354 and the $832,750 conforming loan limit are identical in every Illinois county, the county matters for your income limit rather than for loan size. Kendall County carries the highest income limit in the state at $190,120.
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.