Do I Earn Too Much for CalHFA Down Payment Help in Woodland Hills?

Jonathan Lopez, Jim Sandoval Group | Woodland Hills Realtor | CA DRE #02282844 · Updated October 2026

Many first-time buyers assume that Woodland Hills prices put state help out of reach. Whether you qualify for California's down payment assistance depends first on income, so it is worth checking the actual limit before ruling it out.

The Current Income Limit

CalHFA Program Bulletin 2026-07 says new income limits apply to reservations received on or after June 30, 2026, covering CalHFA first mortgages, Dream For All, the MyHome Assistance Program, and the MyAccess Program. CalHFA's 2026 limits table lists Los Angeles County at $214,000 for government and conventional first mortgages and subordinate mortgages. The limit is by county, and CalHFA says prior reservations continue under the old limits. Dream For All uses a separate table, which I did not review for this page.

What MyHome Provides

CalHFA's MyHome summary says assistance is up to 3.5% of the sales price or appraised value, whichever is less, for FHA loans, and up to 3.0% for conventional, USDA, or VA loans. It is a deferred junior loan, payments are deferred, and it comes due on transfer of title, sale, payoff or refinance of the first loan, or a notice of default. The summary says MyHome must be combined with a CalHFA first mortgage, the buyer must occupy the home within 60 days of closing, and homebuyer education is required. The summary I found carries a February 28, 2022 revision date, so its details should be confirmed with a CalHFA-approved lender.

The Dollar Math at the Local Median

Movoto's Woodland Hills page (updated October 7, 2026) shows a median price of $1,299,000. At that price, 3.5% is $45,465 and 3.0% is $38,970. Those are illustrations of the percentages, not a quote, since actual assistance depends on the loan type, the appraised value, and CalHFA's current program rules and any price limits that apply.

Who Counts as a First-Time Buyer

CalHFA defines a first-time buyer as someone who has not had an ownership interest in a principal residence, or lived in a home owned by a spouse, during the previous three years. That is stricter than some federal definitions. If you owned a home within three years, you may not qualify even if you rent today.

What to Do Next

Add up your qualifying income and compare it to the limit. Then ask a CalHFA-approved lender whether assistance is currently available and what the combined payment would be. For other pieces of the puzzle, see how much down payment you really need, whether an FHA loan works at Woodland Hills prices, and what credit score you need.

Frequently Asked Questions