Xcel Residential Mortgage Inc · NMLS 2829251 · Equal Housing Opportunity
California down payment help, at half the cost.
CalHFA helps first-time buyers with their down payment. Most lenders charge double what we charge to do it — our lender fee is up to 50% lower, and that money stays in your pocket for closing.
- Up to 50% lower lender fees than most CalHFA lenders charge
- Example: save $5,000 in lender fees on a $500,000 loan
- 60-second quiz — see your own savings number, no obligation
How it works
Down payment help shouldn’t get eaten by lender fees. Here’s the simple version:
Take the 60-second quiz
Tell us where you want to buy, your price range, and what you have saved. We estimate your loan and show you exactly what a typical lender fee would cost you vs. ours.
We check your CalHFA options
We review your eligibility, the income limits for your county, and the down payment help programs you may qualify for — then confirm your savings number in a clear side-by-side.
Get pre-approved and shop
With your pre-approval in hand and thousands less needed for closing, you and your agent can make a stronger offer — one that’s less likely to fall apart over cash to close.
Common questions
Straight answers, no jargon.
What is CalHFA down payment help?
CalHFA (the California Housing Finance Agency) offers loans that help eligible first-time buyers cover their down payment and closing costs, paired with a CalHFA first mortgage. Instead of saving for years, many buyers use the help to buy sooner — with as little as their own cash as possible. Eligibility, income limits, and property rules apply, and we check all of it for you.
How is your lender fee up to 50% lower?
On CalHFA loans, the buyer usually pays the lender’s fee directly — and a typical charge is a lender fee equal to 2% of the loan amount. We charge half that: a lender fee equal to 1% of the loan amount. On a $500,000 loan that’s $5,000 instead of $10,000 — money that can stay in your pocket for closing costs, moving, and getting settled. The 50% comparison is about the lender fee only; other closing costs (title, escrow, taxes, insurance) are set by third parties and don’t change.
I’ve owned a home before — can I still qualify?
Often, yes. CalHFA generally counts you as a first-time buyer if you haven’t owned a home you lived in during the last 3 years, and there are exceptions for some buyers and some programs. Tell us your situation in the quiz and we’ll check every option before ruling anything out.