Montgomery County and Conroe Down Payment Assistance, 2026
Up to $12,600 toward down payment, closing costs and prepaids through Montgomery County's HOME program, administered by Easter Seals Greater Houston, for first time buyers under 80% of area median income whose home is outside the Conroe city limits.
Montgomery County's Down Payment Assistance Program provides up to $12,600 per household as a direct HOME subsidy for down payment, closing costs and prepaids, administered by Easter Seals Greater Houston. Buyers must be first time buyers with household income below 80% of area median income, the price cap is $282,000 for an existing home or $292,000 for a new one, and the home must be in Montgomery County outside the City of Conroe. No City of Conroe program was found on an official Conroe source as of September 3, 2026; Conroe addresses use the statewide programs.
The 2026 terms, from the May 2026 program flyer
| Amount | Up to $12,600 per household, contingent on available funds. Covers down payment, closing costs and prepaids; no cash back at closing. |
| Structure | The flyer calls it a direct HOME subsidy and does not state whether it is a grant or a forgivable lien, or any affordability period. HOME funded homebuyer subsidies normally carry a recapture period; ask Easter Seals for the current terms in writing. |
| Income limit | Below 80% of area median income. Table below. |
| Price cap | $282,000 existing home, $292,000 new home. |
| Credit and ratios | No score is printed on the flyer. Housing debt to income 43% including fixed scheduled debts. Minimum $500 average cash assets. |
| Buyer status | First time buyer (no home owned in the last 3 years). U.S. citizen or permanent resident. |
| Where | Montgomery County outside the City of Conroe. The property must not pay City of Conroe taxes. |
| Property | Must pass an HQS inspection at program expense. Pre 1978 homes fail if deteriorated paint is found. Double wide manufactured homes not older than 15 years are allowed. |
| Education | HUD approved homebuyer class. |
2026 household income limits (80% AMI)
| Household size | 80% AMI limit (2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $58,250 |
| 2 people | $66,600 |
| 3 people | $74,900 |
| 4 people | $83,200 |
| 5 people | $89,900 |
| 6 people | $96,550 |
| 7 people | $103,200 |
| 8 people | $109,850 |
HUD FY2026 income limits for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, effective June 1, 2026. Household income counts everyone in the home, not only the people on the loan.
Conroe, The Woodlands and the price cap problem
Two things trip Montgomery County buyers. The county program excludes homes that pay City of Conroe taxes, and the price cap of $282,000 or $292,000 sits below most of The Woodlands and much of Spring. Buyers in either spot use the statewide programs: TSAHC up to 5% with a $156,000 income limit and no price cap on assistance only loans, SETH 5 Star up to 5% with a $183,925 limit, and TDHCA. Rural parts of the county also qualify for USDA zero down financing on the USDA map. The checker above reads all of them from one set of answers.
How to apply
- Contact Easter Seals Greater Houston. 832-808-6244 or housing@eastersealshouston.org. They are the HUD certified counseling agency that runs the county's program.
- Qualify for a 30 year fixed first mortgage. FHA, conventional, USDA or VA. Housing debt to income of 43% counting the mortgage payment plus fixed scheduled debts, and at least $500 in average cash assets.
- Complete a HUD approved homebuyer class. Required before funding.
- Pick a home outside Conroe that passes inspection. The county pays for an HQS inspection. Homes built before 1978 fail if deteriorated paint is found. Double wide manufactured homes up to 15 years old are allowed.
- Close with the subsidy at the title company. It covers down payment, closing costs and prepaids with no cash back to you.
Where these numbers come from
Sources, read September 3, 2026
- https://eastersealshouston.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-MCDP-program-flyer-1.pdf
- https://eastersealshouston.org/housing-montgomery-county/
- https://www.mctx.org/departments/departments_a_-_c/community_development/community_resources.php
Program terms change with funding and with each guideline revision. The program's own document controls; this page records what it said on the date above. Where a program does not publish a term, this page says so.
Questions buyers ask
Does Montgomery County have down payment assistance in 2026?
Yes. The county's HOME funded program provides up to $12,600 per household toward down payment, closing costs and prepaids, administered by Easter Seals Greater Houston, for first time buyers under 80% of area median income buying outside the Conroe city limits, while funds last.
Is there a Conroe down payment assistance program?
No City of Conroe program was found on an official Conroe source as of September 3, 2026, and Conroe addresses are excluded from the county program because they pay city taxes. Conroe buyers use TSAHC, SETH 5 Star or TDHCA, which cover the whole city.
What are the income limits for Montgomery County down payment assistance?
Household income below 80% of area median income: $58,250 for one person, $66,600 for two, $74,900 for three, $83,200 for four, $89,900 for five, $96,550 for six, $103,200 for seven and $109,850 for eight, per the May 2026 flyer and HUD's FY2026 table.
What is the purchase price limit for the Montgomery County program?
$282,000 for an existing home and $292,000 for a new home. Most of The Woodlands is above that cap, so Woodlands buyers usually use TSAHC or SETH instead.
Does the Montgomery County assistance have to be repaid?
The May 2026 flyer calls it a direct HOME subsidy and does not state repayment or forgiveness terms. HOME funded subsidies normally carry a recapture period, so ask Easter Seals for the current terms in writing before you rely on it.
Can I get down payment assistance in The Woodlands?
Yes, through the statewide programs. TSAHC and SETH 5 Star have no price cap on their assistance only loans and cover The Woodlands. The county's own program rarely fits because of its $292,000 price cap.
Confirm it in one call
The checker reads the published limits. A short call confirms which program fits your address, your household and your timeline, and what it does to your cash to close.
Run the checker above Book 15 minutes with Ben
InSync Homes and Loans. Ben Helstein, Texas real estate broker and mortgage loan originator, NMLS #1577314. InSync Loans NMLS #1829321. Equal Housing Opportunity. Nothing on this page is a commitment to lend or a guarantee of terms; every loan is subject to lender underwriting, property review, and credit approval. Cap rate estimates are screens built from public listing data and market rents, not appraisals.