Texas Down Payment Assistance
Texas Purchase Price Limits for Down Payment Assistance (2026)
When Texas down payment assistance caps the home price, the 2026 TDHCA and TSAHC purchase price limits by area, and the FHA and conforming loan limits that also matter.
Tyler Allen
Reviewed by 
Byron Davis, NMLS #621780
You’ve found the house, run the numbers, and then someone mentions a “purchase price limit.” It’s a reasonable thing to worry about, especially if you’re shopping in a market where prices climbed fast. The good news is that most Texas down payment assistance doesn’t cap the price of the home at all, and where a cap does apply, it’s higher than many buyers expect. This guide shows when purchase price limits apply, the 2026 figures by area, and the other limits that affect how much you can spend.
Two Assumptions That Trip Buyers Up
- “Every down payment assistance program has a price cap.” Not true. TSAHC’s main Home Sweet Texas and Homes for Texas Heroes options, and TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home, have no program purchase price limit, according to TSAHC’s county tool and TDHCA’s limits table.
- “The cap is around the median home price.” It’s well above it in most of the state. Where a limit applies, the 2026 figure for a 1-unit home starts at $566,354 and reaches $598,019 in the Austin area.
If a price cap was what kept you from looking at assistance, check which program you’d actually use first.
When Purchase Price Limits Apply
Purchase price limits come from the federal rules behind tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds and Mortgage Credit Certificates. That’s why they apply to some options and not others:
Which Texas programs have a purchase price limit
| Program or option | Purchase price limit? |
|---|---|
| TDHCA My First Texas Home | Yes |
| Mortgage Credit Certificate (TDHCA or TSAHC) | Yes |
| TSAHC bond-funded assistance | Yes |
| TSAHC Home Sweet Texas, non-bond, no MCC | No |
| TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes, non-bond, no MCC | No |
| TDHCA My Choice Texas Home | No; loan type guidelines apply |
Sources: TDHCA income and purchase price limits and TSAHC county income limits tool.
2026 Purchase Price Limits by Area
TDHCA and TSAHC use the same purchase price limits. These are the 2026 figures from TDHCA’s limits table, effective July 13, 2026:
Purchase price limits, 2026
| Area | 1-unit, non-targeted | 1-unit, targeted | 2-unit, non-targeted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin area (Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, Williamson) | $598,019 | $730,912 | $765,585 |
| Dallas area (Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, Rockwall) | $589,596 | $720,617 | $754,809 |
| Fort Worth area (Johnson, Parker, Tarrant) | $589,596 | $720,617 | $754,809 |
| San Antonio area (Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Wilson) | $583,580 | $713,265 | $747,066 |
| Houston area (Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, and more) | $566,354 | $692,211 | $725,146 |
| Most other counties (balance of state) | $566,354 | $692,211 | $725,146 |
Source: TDHCA income and purchase price limits, effective July 13, 2026. Targeted limits apply only to homes in qualified targeted census tracts. A few counties have their own rows, such as Kendall and Medina ($583,580) and Wise ($589,596); Glasscock County’s limit is $850,703.
Targeted areas are specific census tracts, marked with an asterisk in TDHCA’s table, and some counties have none. Your lender can check whether a particular address qualifies.
Loan Limits Also Cap What You Can Spend
Even with no program price cap, your loan type has its own maximum loan amount. For 2026:
2026 loan limits for a 1-unit home in Texas
| Loan type | Limit |
|---|---|
| FHA, Austin metro (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop) | $571,550 |
| FHA, Dallas-Fort Worth metro | $563,500 |
| FHA, San Antonio metro | $557,750 |
| FHA, Houston metro and most other counties | $541,287 |
| Conventional (conforming) | $832,750 |
Sources: HUD FHA mortgage limits, HUD’s 2026 loan limit announcement, and FHFA’s 2026 conforming loan limit.
These are limits on the loan, not the price, so a larger down payment can let you buy above them. VA loans for borrowers with full entitlement don’t have a VA loan limit, though lenders still set their own maximums. Our guides to FHA loans in Texas and conventional loans in Texas cover each loan type in more detail.
How the Price Limit Affects Your Program Choice
- Shopping near or above the limit? Look at TSAHC’s Home Sweet Texas or Heroes without an MCC, or TDHCA’s My Choice Texas Home, since none of them carries a program price cap.
- Want the Mortgage Credit Certificate? Keep the price under your area’s limit. Our MCC guide explains how the tax credit works.
- First-time buyer comparing rates? My First Texas Home carries TDHCA’s lowest rates, and its price limit is the one above.
- Check income too. Price limits and income limits are separate tests. See our TSAHC income limits and TDHCA income limits guides.
What to do: Before you write an offer, tell your lender which program you plan to use so they can confirm the price and loan limits for that address. If you’d like help, you can see what you may qualify for and get connected with a licensed mortgage professional in our Texas partner network.
A purchase price limit sounds like a hard stop, but for most Texas buyers it isn’t the number that decides things. Pick the program first, and the price question usually answers itself.
Buying a new build? For a home that isn’t finished, the reasonable cost of completing it counts toward the price. Our guide to new construction down payment assistance covers builder incentives and rate-lock timing.
Texas Purchase Price Limits: Frequently Asked Questions
Texas purchase price limits: frequently asked questions
What is the TDHCA purchase price limit for 2026?
Does TSAHC have a purchase price limit?
Does My Choice Texas Home have a purchase price limit?
What is the FHA loan limit in Texas for 2026?
Can I buy above the purchase price limit with a bigger down payment?
† ShopDPA is The Texas Down Payment Assistance Marketplace, a home loan and down payment assistance referral service. We are not a mortgage lender, mortgage broker, or loan officer, and we do not originate, fund, or service loans. We connect Texas homebuyers with licensed mortgage professionals and with down payment assistance programs. We are not affiliated with TDHCA, TSAHC, HUD, FHFA, the VA, or any government agency. Purchase price limits, loan limits, and program terms are set by each agency and change periodically; figures on this page are based on TDHCA’s limits table effective July 13, 2026, HUD’s 2026 FHA limits, and FHFA’s 2026 conforming limit, and may lag the official sources. Confirm limits for your address with a participating licensed lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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