If you’re a first-time home buyer in Aurora, Illinois, this might be the most important blog post you read all year. There are two powerful homebuyer assistance programs available right now that can combine for over $33,000 toward your home purchase — and most people have no idea they exist.
I’m Miguel Castillo, your local Aurora REALTOR®, and I break this all down in my TikTok video below. Keep reading for the full details, including a transcript of the video for your reference.
🎥 Watch the Video
@miguel_the_realtor
💰 Program #1: The IHDA Grant (Illinois Housing Development Authority)
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) offers several programs to help first-time home buyers with down payment and closing costs. The flagship program is called IHDAccess Home, and here’s what you need to know:
- Up to $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance
- Assistance is provided as a 0% interest, deferred loan — meaning no monthly payments
- Paired with a 30-year fixed-rate FHA or Conventional mortgage
- Available to both first-time and non-first-time home buyers (income limits apply)
- Must work with an IHDA-approved lender
There’s also the IHDAccess Repayable option, which offers up to 10% of the purchase price (up to $10,000) repaid over 10 years at 0% interest — giving you flexibility depending on your situation.
The key benefit of the IHDA program is that it stacks beautifully with local assistance programs — like Aurora’s own program below.
🏠 Program #2: The Choose Aurora Homebuyer Assistance Program
The City of Aurora recently launched the Choose Aurora Homebuyer Assistance Program, and it’s a game-changer for anyone looking to buy in the Aurora area. Here are the highlights:
- Up to $27,000 in total assistance — combining a deferred loan and a closing cost grant
- Up to $20,000 as a 0% interest deferred loan based on income eligibility
- Up to $5,000 closing cost grant (doesn’t need to be repaid if you stay in the home)
- Must be at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI) to qualify
- Requires a minimum buyer contribution of $1,000 (earnest money or similar)
- Must obtain a 30-year fixed FHA or Conventional mortgage
- Home must be located within the City of Aurora
- There is also a forgivable loan option for buyers at or below 80% AMI
This program is brand new and designed to make Aurora a destination city for homeownership. It’s one of the most generous municipal homebuyer programs in the Chicago suburbs right now.
💡 How to Stack Both Programs
Here’s where it gets really exciting. You can combine the IHDA grant with the Choose Aurora program — and on top of that, some lenders (including those I work with) offer their own $6,000 closing cost grants. That means:
- Choose Aurora: up to $27,000
- IHDA IHDAccess: up to $6,000+ (lender-specific closing grant)
- Combined total: $33,000+ in financial support to buy a home
That kind of assistance can dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket costs and make homeownership a real possibility — even if you thought you couldn’t afford to buy right now.
✅ Who Qualifies?
To take advantage of both programs, you’ll generally need to:
- Be purchasing a home within Aurora, IL
- Meet income limits (typically 80%–120% of AMI depending on the program tier)
- Use a 30-year fixed-rate FHA or Conventional loan
- Complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education course
- Contribute at least $1,000 of your own funds
- Work with an IHDA-approved lender
📋 Video Transcript
The following is a transcript of the TikTok video above by Miguel Castillo, REALTOR®:
“The city of Aurora has a homebuyer program where you can get up to $27,000 in financial support to buy a home. Combine that with my lender’s $6,000 closing grant and that’s over $30,000 in financial support. I’m a Realtor with HomeSmart Connect.”
📞 Ready to Get Started?
If you’re serious about buying a home in Aurora and want to take advantage of these programs, the first step is getting pre-qualified with an IHDA-approved lender and connecting with a local REALTOR® who knows how to navigate these programs.
That’s exactly what I’m here for. Call or text me at 630-777-5176, or reach out through the contact form on this site. Let’s find you a home — and every dollar of assistance you’re entitled to.
Miguel Castillo | REALTOR® | HomeSmart Connect | Aurora, IL
