What Is First Front Door?

Written by Steven PorrelloSeptember 14th, 20224 minute read

👉 Jump to section: How FFD works | Eligibility | Income limits | How to apply | Summary

First Front Door (FFD) is a grant program that gives first-time home buyers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia up to $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.

The grant assistance is a 3-to-1 match: for every dollar you contribute, the Federal Home Loan Bank will put in $3. So a contribution of $1,667 would give you the full $5,000.

As long as you’re an eligible first-time home buyer and you live in your home for at least five years, you won’t need to repay the grant money you receive. And if you do move early, you won't have interest or monthly payments.

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How does First Front Door work?

Funding is limited, so participating lenders offer the First Front Door program on a first-come, first-served basis.

Your FFD grant can be used toward numerous types of properties, including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, modular units, and manufactured homes (if affixed to a site). You can't use your FFD grant toward investment properties.

Once you’ve secured your grant, you won’t have to repay it if you live in your house for at least five years. If you sell your house before then, you’ll have to repay the Federal Home Loan Bank part of your grant — prorated $1,000 per year.

For example, if you received $5,000 and you sold your house after three years, you'd owe the Federal Home Loan Bank $2,000 (for years 4 and 5).

Who is eligible for First Front Door?

To qualify for the First Front Door program, you must meet six criteria:

  • Be a first-time home buyer
  • Contribute your own funds as a part of the down payment or closing costs
  • Have a household income that’s below 80% of the area median income (learn more)
  • Complete at least four hours of home counseling (including the subject of predatory lending)
  • If you’re a student, work a minimum of 30 hours per week
  • Get your mortgage through the same lender who’s offering you the FFD grant

Unlike other assistance programs, you don’t need a minimum credit score, debt-to-income ratio, or down payment amount to qualify.

First-time home buyer

A first-time home buyer is an applicant who has not owned a single-family home in the past three years.

This includes married couples in which one person owned a property but the other hasn’t. If you owned a property within the past three years while you were married, but you’re now single and you haven’t owned a property in that many years, you’re also eligible.

Loan limits

There are no limits for a First Front Door grant. As long as you meet the criteria above, you’re eligible for the FFD program.

Minimum contributions

To receive the full grant, you’ll need to contribute at least $1,667 toward your closing costs or down payment. The FFD program matches your contributions 3-to-1, up to $5,000. That means you’ll receive $3 for every $1 you put in.

đź’° What counts as a valid contribution?

Home buyer contributions can be savings, gifts, tax refunds, inheritances, or any other funds that you personally contribute. The only contributions that aren't valid are those you receive from other loans, grants, or assistance programs.

Income limits

To get an FFD grant, your gross household income must be at or below 80% of your area median income. You also can’t have assets that total more than $50,000 (not including retirement accounts).

For example, if you live in Adams County, PA, where the area median income is $90,300, your household income would have to be below $72,250 for you to receive the grant.

You can find your area median income and income limits on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or refer to our charts below.

Income limits in Delaware (2022)
County
Median income
Household size
1
2
3
4
5
6
7+
Kent
$77,200
$43,250
$49,400
$55,600
$61,750
$66,700
$71,650
$76,600
New Castle
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Sussex
$91,900
$47,050
$53,800
$60,500
$67,200
$72,600
$78,000
$83,350

Income limits in Pennsylvania (2022)
County
Median Income
Household size
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Adams
$90,300
$50,600
$57,800
$65,050
$72,250
$78,050
$83,850
$89,600
Allegheny
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Armstrong
$76,400
$42,650
$48,750
$54,850
$60,900
$65,800
$70,650
$75,550
Beaver
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Bedford
$68,900
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Berks
$90,700
$50,800
$58,050
$65,300
$72,550
$78,400
$84,200
$90,000
Blair
$72,400
$40,850
$46,650
$52,500
$58,300
$63,000
$67,650
$72,300
Bradford
$71,500
$40,850
$46,650
$52,500
$58,300
$63,000
$67,650
$72,300
Bucks
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Butler
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Cambria
$73,900
$41,000
$46,850
$52,700
$58,550
$63,250
$67,950
$72,650
Cameron
$62,100
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Carbon
$90,600
$50,750
$58,000
$65,250
$72,500
$78,300
$84,100
$89,900
Centre
$97,300
$54,500
$62,300
$70,100
$77,850
$84,100
$90,350
$96,550
Chester
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Clarion
$67,600
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Clearfield
$67,700
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Clinton
$71,700
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Columbia
$74,000
$41,450
$47,400
$53,300
$59,200
$63,950
$68,700
$73,450
Crawford
$69,000
$40,850
$46,650
$52,500
$58,300
$63,000
$67,650
$72,300
Cumberland
$94,300
$52,850
$60,400
$67,950
$75,450
$81,500
$87,550
$93,600
Dauphin
$94,300
$52,850
$60,400
$67,950
$75,450
$81,500
$87,550
$93,600
Delaware
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Elk
$78,000
$43,700
$49,950
$56,200
$62,400
$67,400
$72,400
$77,400
Erie
$75,000
$42,000
$48,000
$54,000
$60,000
$64,800
$69,600
$74,400
Fayette
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Forest
$51,600
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Franklin
$85,800
$46,600
$53,250
$59,900
$66,550
$71,900
$77,200
$82,550
Fulton
$71,400
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Greene
$79,000
$44,000
$50,250
$56,550
$62,800
$67,850
$72,850
$77,900
Huntingdon
$70,800
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Indiana
$79,800
$41,150
$47,000
$52,900
$58,750
$63,450
$68,150
$72,850
Jefferson
$66,900
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Juniata
$77,200
$42,700
$48,800
$54,900
$61,000
$65,900
$70,800
$75,650
Lackawanna
$74,100
$41,550
$47,450
$53,400
$59,300
$64,050
$68,800
$73,550
Lancaster
$90,200
$50,550
$57,750
$64,950
$72,150
$77,950
$83,700
$89,500
Lawrence
$73,200
$41,000
$46,850
$52,700
$58,550
$63,250
$67,950
$72,650
Lebanon
$85,600
$47,750
$54,550
$61,350
$68,150
$73,650
$79,100
$84,550
Lehigh
$90,600
$50,750
$58,000
$65,250
$72,500
$78,300
$84,100
$89,900
Luzerne
$74,100
$41,550
$47,450
$53,400
$59,300
$64,050
$68,800
$73,550
Lycoming
$77,900
$42,650
$48,750
$54,850
$60,900
$65,800
$70,650
$75,550
McKean
$69,500
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Mercer
$78,300
$41,750
$47,700
$53,650
$59,600
$64,400
$69,150
$73,950
Mifflin
$65,000
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Monroe
$85,600
$47,950
$54,800
$61,650
$68,500
$74,000
$79,500
$84,950
Montgomery
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Montour
$85,800
$48,100
$54,950
$61,800
$68,650
$74,150
$79,650
$85,150
Northampton
$90,600
$50,750
$58,000
$65,250
$72,500
$78,300
$84,100
$89,900
Northumberland
$66,100
$40,850
$46,650
$52,500
$58,300
$63,000
$67,650
$72,300
Perry
$94,300
$52,850
$60,400
$67,950
$75,450
$81,500
$87,550
$93,600
Philadelphia
$105,400
$59,050
$67,450
$75,900
$84,300
$91,050
$97,800
$104,550
Pike
$89,100
$49,400
$56,450
$63,500
$70,550
$76,200
$81,850
$87,500
Potter
$64,600
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Schuylkill
$75,400
$42,250
$48,250
$54,300
$60,300
$65,150
$69,950
$74,800
Snyder
$75,700
$42,400
$48,450
$54,500
$60,550
$65,400
$70,250
$75,100
Somerset
$71,100
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Sullivan
$69,000
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Susquehanna
$74,000
$41,450
$47,400
$53,300
$59,200
$63,950
$68,700
$73,450
Tioga
$68,000
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Union
$83,200
$45,850
$52,400
$58,950
$65,500
$70,750
$76,000
$81,250
Venango
$68,700
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Warren
$69,900
$40,800
$46,600
$52,450
$58,250
$62,950
$67,600
$72,250
Washington
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Wayne
$77,900
$43,650
$49,850
$56,100
$62,300
$67,300
$72,300
$77,300
Westmoreland
$95,400
$53,100
$60,700
$68,300
$75,850
$81,950
$88,000
$94,100
Wyoming
$74,100
$41,550
$47,450
$53,400
$59,300
$64,050
$68,800
$73,550
York
$93,300
$51,250
$58,600
$65,900
$73,200
$79,100
$84,950
$90,800

Income limits in West Virginia (2022)
County
Median Income
Household size
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Barbour
$58,000
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Berkeley
$72,000
$40,350
$46,100
$51,850
$57,600
$62,250
$66,850
$71,450
Boone
$54,500
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Braxton
$55,000
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Brooke
$71,500
$41,550
$47,450
$53,400
$59,300
$64,050
$68,800
$73,550
Cabell
$65,400
$36,650
$41,850
$47,100
$52,300
$56,500
$60,700
$64,900
Calhoun
$51,000
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Clay
$66,400
$37,200
$42,500
$47,800
$53,100
$57,350
$61,600
$65,850
Doddridge
$68,900
$38,400
$43,900
$49,400
$54,850
$59,250
$63,650
$68,050
Fayette
$57,500
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Gilmer
$62,400
$34,950
$39,950
$44,950
$49,900
$53,900
$57,900
$61,900
Grant
$65,800
$35,400
$40,450
$45,500
$50,550
$54,600
$58,650
$62,700
Greenbrier
$57,000
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Hampshire
$96,400
$51,000
$58,250
$65,550
$72,800
$78,650
$84,450
$90,300
Hancock
$71,500
$41,550
$47,450
$53,400
$59,300
$64,050
$68,800
$73,550
Hardy
$59,700
$33,450
$38,200
$43,000
$47,750
$51,600
$55,400
$59,250
Harrison
$80,600
$44,200
$50,500
$56,800
$63,100
$68,150
$73,200
$78,250
Jackson
$70,200
$38,650
$44,200
$49,700
$55,200
$59,650
$64,050
$68,450
Jefferson
$108,800
$60,950
$69,650
$78,350
$87,050
$94,050
$101,000
$107,950
Kanawha
$66,400
$37,200
$42,500
$47,800
$53,100
$57,350
$61,600
$65,850
Lewis
$58,100
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Lincoln
$54,400
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Logan
$53,400
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
McDowell
$35,500
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Marion
$70,100
$39,300
$44,900
$50,500
$56,100
$60,600
$65,100
$69,600
Marshall
$75,400
$41,000
$46,850
$52,700
$58,550
$63,250
$67,950
$72,650
Mason
$61,500
$34,450
$39,400
$44,300
$49,200
$53,150
$57,100
$61,050
Mercer
$57,400
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Mineral
$71,300
$45,100
$51,550
$58,000
$64,400
$69,600
$74,750
$79,900
Mingo
$48,900
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Monongalia
$94,200
$47,750
$54,550
$61,350
$68,150
$73,650
$79,100
$84,550
Monroe
$56,400
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Morgan
$71,100
$39,850
$45,550
$51,250
$56,900
$61,500
$66,050
$70,600
Nicholas
$54,300
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Ohio
$75,400
$41,000
$46,850
$52,700
$58,550
$63,250
$67,950
$72,650
Pendleton
$54,300
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Pleasants
$79,000
$39,150
$44,750
$50,350
$55,900
$60,400
$64,850
$69,350
Pocahontas
$61,700
$34,550
$39,500
$44,450
$49,350
$53,300
$57,250
$61,200
Preston
$94,200
$47,750
$54,550
$61,350
$68,150
$73,650
$79,100
$84,550
Putnam
$82,100
$46,000
$52,600
$59,150
$65,700
$71,000
$76,250
$81,500
Raleigh
$69,000
$36,050
$41,200
$46,350
$51,450
$55,600
$59,700
$63,800
Randolph
$62,900
$35,250
$40,250
$45,300
$50,300
$54,350
$58,350
$62,400
Ritchie
$57,500
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Roane
$55,200
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Summers
$54,500
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Taylor
$68,600
$38,450
$43,950
$49,450
$54,900
$59,300
$63,700
$68,100
Tucker
$64,200
$35,950
$41,100
$46,250
$51,350
$55,500
$59,600
$63,700
Tyler
$63,400
$35,500
$40,600
$45,650
$50,700
$54,800
$58,850
$62,900
Upshur
$61,400
$34,400
$39,300
$44,200
$49,100
$53,050
$57,000
$60,900
Wayne
$65,400
$36,650
$41,850
$47,100
$52,300
$56,500
$60,700
$64,900
Webster
$51,000
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Wetzel
$58,300
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850
Wirt
$69,500
$37,900
$43,300
$48,700
$54,100
$58,450
$62,800
$67,100
Wood
$69,500
$37,900
$43,300
$48,700
$54,100
$58,450
$62,800
$67,100
Wyoming
$56,300
$33,250
$38,000
$42,750
$47,450
$51,250
$55,050
$58,850

How to apply for First Front Door

  1. Find a FFD lender
  2. Check for available funding
  3. Apply
  4. Complete homeownership counseling
  5. Apply for a mortgage within 6 months

1. Find a participating First Front Door lender

Not all lenders or banks will offer the First Front Door program. To find a FFD provider, you can see all participating lenders on the First Front Door homepage, or you can ask your real estate agent if they know reputable FFD lenders in your area.

2. Check if funding is available

Participating lenders will offer FFD funding on a first-come, first-served basis. Lenders will often close registration once their funds are gone, opening again in the spring with a fresh restock of funding.

đź’° What should I do if funding is unavailable?

Many lenders will post on their websites when they no longer have FFD funding. Even so, it’s a good idea to reach out to these lenders, as they might be able to tell you when registration will open again — perhaps even putting you on a waiting list.

3. Apply

If funding is available, your lender might want to meet in-person to discuss eligibility. You’ll have to provide proof of income and show you’re a first-time home buyer. Once you’ve submitted your documents, your lender will review your application with the Federal Home Loan Bank, and you’ll hear back from your lender within 10 business days.

4. Complete the homeownership counseling course

The Federal Home Loan Bank requires you to complete a home counseling course. Your lender might know of a course in your area, though you can find several free online homeownership classes (such as the one offered by PHFA). Just be sure the course is offered by an approved counseling agency and satisfies all requirements: it must be at least four hours long and offer a topic on predatory lending.

5. Apply for a mortgage within 6 months

Once you’re approved, you have six months to find a home, complete your mortgage application (with your FFD lender), and use your grant.

Summary of First Front Door

  • First Front Door is a grant offered to first-time home buyers in DE, PA, and WV.
  • The program matches your contributions 3-to1, up to $5,000. If you put in $1, you’ll get $3. To receive the full $5,000, you have to contribute at least $1,667.
  • The Federal Home Loan Bank requires you to complete a 4 hour home counseling course (with a mandatory topic on predatory lending).
  • FFD grants are available through participating lenders. Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis and recharges every spring.