Homeownership

The median sales price of primary homes sold in Vermont reached $325,000 in 2023, increasing by 5% during that period compared to the prior year, according to recent Vermont Property Transfer Tax (PTT) records. This continues a trend in which no county in Vermont has seen a decline in annual home sale prices since 2019.

VHFA is pleased to be partnering with and participating in the upcoming community investment forum “Leveraging Partnerships and Capital: Unlocking Barriers to Affordable Housing and Economic Development” on April 16 in Manchester, presented by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. The Manchester forum will be one of eight events throughout New England as part of the series. 

The State of Vermont has renewed funding for the First Generation Homebuyer Program. Originally released as a pilot program in 2022, the program is now widely available and offers eligible homebuyers a $15,000 grant to help with down payment and closing costs.

Last week, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners awarded Vermont State Affordable Housing Tax Credits for homeownership development projects across the state. Once sold to investors, the credits will yield nearly $3 million in equity for downpayment assistance for newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated single-family homes as well as energy-efficient manufactured homes.

The Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program (VHAP) has updated its program terms to allow homeowners that previously received grants from the program to apply again for additional assistance, and has increased the total amount available to households to $40,000.

As previously announced, the Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program (VHAP) will no longer accept new applications after June 12, 2023. All new or currently pending applications must be submitted to the applicant portal on vermonthap.vhfa.org by 5:00 PM on Monday.

The Missing Middle-Income Homeownership Development Program (Missing Middle) recently received an additional $9 million through the Fiscal Year 2023 State Budget Adjustment Act. This funding is available to both applicants who previously submitted applications earlier this year as well as new applicants to the program.