Luminate Path, Chenoa Fund, Essex NHF, Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes & VLIP grants for Fannie/Freddie — lower cash to close with The 2 Mortgage Guys.
Close with less cash out of pocket. The 2 Mortgage Guys layer in-house Luminate Path , Chenoa Fund, Essex NHF, Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes, and VLIP grants for Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac — so Indiana buyers can get to the closing table without draining savings.
Can afford the payment but not 3.5–5% cash at closing? Down payment assistance fills that gap with grants, soft seconds, or forgivable layers — so you close with less cash out of pocket and keep reserves for the move-in.
DPA program options
Start with featured in-house Luminate Path — our go-to recommendation for most buyers. Chenoa Fund and Essex NHF are FHA partner DPA options; Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes, and VLIP grants support Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac conventional loans. These DPA programs are not stackable — we'll help you choose the one that best fits your file.
These are extra state and local down payment assistance options available through Luminate Bank — beyond the featured national and Indiana programs above.
( )
Compare options
See how Luminate Path, Chenoa Fund, Indiana Housing (IHCDA), Hoosier Homes, VLIP, and Essex NHF stack up on assistance amount, credit, income rules, and who each program fits — then open the program page that matches your file.
Hover or focus any underlined feature or abbreviation for a plain-English definition.
All programs: require the home be used for primary residence; temporary buydowns are not allowed; co-signers are not allowed; renovation products are not allowed; homebuyer education is required if all borrowers are first time homebuyers. Essex NHF additionally requires homebuyer education for at least one borrower (stricter than the first-time-only rule above).
Guidelines, income limits, and rates change. This comparison is educational — Ryan and Steve underwrite your scenario against current program rules before you write an offer.
Lender overlays
These overlays apply to Luminate Path, Chenoa Fund, IHCDA, and VLIP. Payment-shock reserve rules apply to Path, Chenoa, Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes, and Essex — not VLIP.
Payment shock reserves — Path, Chenoa, Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes & Essex
If payment shock is greater than 100% (for example, current rent is $1,000 and the new payment is $2,250 — payment shock is 125%: $1,250 ÷ $1,000), or the borrower lives rent-free, 2 months of reserves are required . Gift funds cannot be used to meet the reserve requirement. If rent is not clearly noted on the bank statement, it must be verified with a VOR.
Talk with Ryan and Steve about Luminate Path, Chenoa Fund, Essex NHF, Indiana Housing, Hoosier Homes, and VLIP grants — then get a clear pre-approval that accounts for assistance up front.