MassHousing DPA
Up to $30,000 toward down payment and closing, as a 0% deferred second with no monthly payment, or up to $25,000 as an amortizing second. The same amount statewide.
Cornerstone First Mortgage · Mike Certo NMLS #260555
Massachusetts home loans, from MassHousing's $30,000 down payment help and the ONE Mortgage to Boston and Cambridge jumbo lending.
Massachusetts-licensed lending from the Boston suburbs to the Berkshires. Straight numbers on MassHousing's down payment assistance, the ONE Mortgage with no PMI, the Boston-metro loan limits that are lower than most people think, and the deeds excise. A Cornerstone branch manager who works the file himself instead of handing it to a call center.
The Massachusetts programs Mike runs
MassHousing and the Mass Housing Partnership anchor the first-time and assistance side. Around them sit the loan types an expensive state needs, including high-balance financing. Here is the menu.
ONE Mortgage
A 3% down first mortgage with no private mortgage insurance and a state subsidy that trims the payment, for first-time buyers. Pairs with the down payment help.
Operation Welcome Home
MassHousing's program for veterans, active-duty service members, and Gold Star families. The current veteran path, since MassDREAMS has closed.
High-balance & jumbo
Boston-metro conforming up to $962,550, island conforming to $1,249,125, and jumbo above that, for the high-priced eastern Massachusetts market.
FHA & VA
FHA from 3.5% down with the higher Boston-metro limits, and VA at zero down for veterans. Both work in the expensive markets where prices run high.
Self-employed & investor
Bank-statement and 1099 loans for business owners, plus DSCR loans for rentals, including ratios below 1.0, and bridge financing.
The 2026 Massachusetts Home Loan Guide
Every Massachusetts loan type compared by credit and down payment. Free.
Every Massachusetts loan type compared by credit and down payment. Free.
Why work with Mike
Most Massachusetts buyers who search for MassHousing help land on a national aggregator that sells the lead three times before anyone calls back. That is not us. Mike Certo is a branch manager with Cornerstone First Mortgage who works Massachusetts files himself, and he will tell you straight which path fits: the ONE Mortgage when you want the lowest carrying cost, MassHousing assistance when you need help with the down payment, a high-balance conforming loan when your Boston-metro price crosses the baseline. He closes these across Greater Boston, Worcester, and the western part of the state, and he knows the parts that trip Massachusetts buyers up, the seller-paid deeds excise, the island Land Bank fees, and the gap between the Boston-metro and island loan limits.
Complex files are the specialty
Self-employed income, jumbo with student debt, DSCR investor loans below a 1.0 ratio, buy-before-you-sell bridge financing, doctors still in residency. These are the files that stall at a call-center lender and close with Mike. If your situation has a wrinkle, that is the reason to call, not a reason to wait.
Massachusetts home-loan FAQ
What down payment assistance does MassHousing offer?
MassHousing gives up to $30,000 toward your down payment and closing costs, the same amount in every Massachusetts city and town. The main option is a 0% deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, or pay off the first mortgage. There are also amortizing options up to $25,000. You pair the assistance with a MassHousing first mortgage, and credit requirements run from 640 to 700 by loan type.
How is the ONE Mortgage different from MassHousing down payment help?
They are different products that work together. The ONE Mortgage, from the Mass Housing Partnership, is a first mortgage: 3% down, no private mortgage insurance, and a state subsidy that lowers your payment by about 20%, for first-time buyers. MassHousing down payment assistance is a second mortgage worth up to $30,000, available with a MassHousing first mortgage. The ONE Mortgage keeps the down payment low on its own, and it can use an eligible down payment program or gift.
What is the conforming loan limit in the Boston area for 2026?
$962,550 in Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, and Plymouth counties, for both conforming and FHA loans, which happen to match there. That is the high-cost figure for the Boston metro, and it is lower than the $1,249,125 many websites quote. Only Dukes and Nantucket counties reach that $1,249,125 ceiling. The rest of Massachusetts uses the $832,750 baseline.
Can Massachusetts towns charge a transfer fee on expensive home sales?
No, not today. A local-option transfer fee on high-value sales was proposed and then removed from the 2024 Affordable Homes Act. It survives only as pending legislation, so as of 2026 no Massachusetts town actually levies one. What sellers do pay is the state deeds excise, about $4.56 per $1,000, plus higher rates on Cape Cod and the islands.
What is the fastest way to find out if you can help me?
Call (480) 296-6513 and ask for Mike, or send your scenario through the contact form. Our team calls you back shortly. Pre-approval typically takes 24 to 48 hours once your credit and income documents are in.