GSFA Platinum down payment assistance
Your home goals deserve a clear plan. Explore GSFA Platinum with Amy and our team, from help with purchase costs to the payments that come afterward.
Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) connects eligible California homebuyers with assistance through participating lenders. Platinum can support first-time and repeat buyers purchasing a primary residence. It works alongside an eligible first mortgage; it does not replace that mortgage.
We will help you compare the money needed at closing, the full monthly house spending plan, and what happens when you sell or refinance. Start with your questions, even if you are still exploring.
Understand the help and the repayment
Up to 5% of your first mortgage amount, provided as a second mortgage repaid over 15 years. It has monthly payments and the same interest rate as the first mortgage.
This can reduce upfront cash needs, but adds another loan payment to your spending plan.
GSFA Standard overview (PDF)Combines a repayable second mortgage with possible gift funds. Eligible occupations include healthcare, education, law enforcement, and fire or emergency services. Certain qualifying loan types also provide a pathway.
Gift availability depends on current program pricing and conditions. The loan portion still has monthly payments.
GSFA Select overview (PDF)For people employed directly by a GSFA member county. Living or working within a county is not enough; the county must be your employer. Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo are among the listed member counties.
The assistance includes a deferred second loan with no interest or monthly payments, plus potential gift funds. The deferred balance is repaid when you sell or refinance.
Assist-to-Own overview (PDF)GSFA's broad overview advertises up to 5.5%, but the amount depends on the first mortgage and option. The published loan-specific term sheets differ, as shown below. We will confirm the applicable terms and availability before you make plans.
Your mortgage and assistance work together
The FHA mortgage finances the home; Platinum helps with eligible down payment and closing costs. FHA mortgage insurance and underwriting still apply.
Percentages use the first mortgage amount. Assistance cannot provide cash back. Read GSFA's government-loan term sheet or explore FHA financing with Amy.
GSFA uses Freddie Mac HFA Advantage, a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage. Its published term sheet caps assistance at 5%:
County income limits apply. Homebuyer education is required when all borrowers are first-time buyers. Mortgage insurance, property rules, and the full loan review also matter. See GSFA's conventional term sheet and our conventional loan page.
Platinum also supports eligible VA and USDA financing. Assistance can help address closing costs even when a down payment is not required. Military eligibility or USDA property and income requirements still apply. Ask us to compare these combinations for your situation.
Ask for a side-by-side review of cash to close, both loan payments, mortgage insurance, taxes, insurance, and longer-term costs. More assistance is useful only if the complete plan works for your life.
Eligible properties can include one-to-four-unit homes, approved condos, townhomes, and certain manufactured homes. You must occupy the home; property eligibility depends on the first mortgage. Vacation homes and investment-only purchases do not qualify.
Check the official income limits and current lender guide. A credit score or income figure alone does not establish eligibility.
Timing matters: the posted Select expansion promotion ended August 31, 2026. We are not treating that temporary offer as currently available. Check GSFA's program updates.
Make room for your questions
Start with the topic you are wondering about most. These articles provide background; use the current program guidelines above when reviewing GSFA terms.
No. Platinum is open to eligible first-time and repeat buyers. We still need to review your mortgage, property, and assistance eligibility.
No. Standard is a loan. Select and Assist-to-Own may include a gift, but their second-loan balances remain repayable. Ask for the loan and gift amounts separately.
Yes, through the eligible GSFA first-mortgage products. The assistance structures differ by loan type; see the comparison above before relying on a headline percentage.
Not necessarily. Your closing costs, down payment, available assistance, and other permitted funds determine the amount you bring. Ask us to review a written estimate with you.
No. Check the conventional county limits using qualifying income. GSFA does not impose separate limits on FHA, VA, or USDA, but the loan agency may.
The second mortgage must be addressed. Standard and Select balances become due on sale, refinance, or first-mortgage payoff. Assist-to-Own repayment is triggered by sale or refinance. The published terms do not allow the second loan to stay behind a new first mortgage through subordination.
Residence alone does not qualify you. You must work directly for an eligible GSFA member county and document that employment. A qualifying county employee can purchase a primary home elsewhere in California.
Apply through a GSFA participating lender. Start a conversation with Amy about your goals, then confirm current program availability and receive a personalized document checklist. Never send sensitive documents through an ordinary contact form.
Tell us where you hope to buy, what monthly payment feels comfortable, and how much you want to keep in savings. Amy and our team can help you compare paths and confirm which programs are available through our lending channel.
Explore our First-Time Home Buyer Hub, down payment assistance options, and CalHFA MyHome and Dream For All overview, or prepare with our pre-approval guide.
Start With a ConversationGuidelines reviewed September 27, 2026 against GSFA's published overview, term sheets, income guidance, and bulletins. Assistance, gift availability, and lender participation are subject to confirmation. This page is educational, not a loan approval or commitment. Visit GSFA's official Platinum page.
