You don't need 20% down.
You might not need much at all.

It depends on the program, and the differences matter — so here's the honest breakdown of all three structures.

A grant. No lien, no repayment once it seasons — TSAHC's guidelines specify no repayment after six months from closing. Available on FHA, VA and USDA loans. Not available on conventional.

A forgivable second lien. 0% interest, no monthly payment, and fully forgiven at the third anniversary as long as it stays your primary residence. If you sell, refinance or move out before then, the balance comes due.

A deferred repayable second lien. 0% interest and no monthly payment, but this one is repaid — when you sell, refinance, or at the end of 30 years. It's real debt sitting quietly behind your mortgage, and anyone who calls this a “grant” is being sloppy with your money.

Beto tells you exactly which structure you're getting, and what it costs you at exit, before you commit to anything.

Here's the honest version: assistance covers the down payment, a seller credit can cover closing costs, so your cash to close can get very low — but it's not literally free. You still need earnest money up front (usually credited back at closing), you still have a mortgage payment, and DPA-backed loans often carry a slightly higher interest rate (roughly half a point to a point), since that spread is what funds the assistance. For most buyers who'd otherwise wait years to save, that tradeoff is well worth getting in now. Beto shows you both paths so you decide with open eyes.

Most assistance programs start at 620 for FHA, VA and USDA loans, and 640 for conventional. A few sit outside that: SETH 5 Star requires 640 across the board, and the City of San Antonio's HIP 80 program states that no credit score is required at all when it's open. Some lender-funded grant programs set their own floors, which is another reason having more than one lender matters. If you're below 620, don't count yourself out — Beto can look at your report and give you a specific, short plan. It's usually a couple of targeted moves, not years of work.

Yes — and they are dramatically higher than almost anyone expects. In Bexar County right now, TSAHC's Homes for Texas Heroes program allows household income up to $178,339, and Home Sweet Texas up to $157,358. The purchase price limit runs to about $583,580 — and TDHCA's My Choice Texas Home and SETH 5 Star have no purchase price cap at all.

Needing help with a down payment is not a low-income situation. Plenty of people earning very good money have never managed to save $30,000 while paying San Antonio rent. That's a cash-flow problem, not an income problem, and it's exactly what these programs exist for. Limits vary by county, household size and program, and they change — Beto runs your actual number in about two minutes.

It's a normal, common part of an offer — called a seller concession or seller credit. FHA allows the seller to contribute up to 6% of the price toward your closing costs and prepaids; conventional allows 3% when you put less than 10% down. Whether a given seller agrees depends on the market and how the offer is structured — that's where having a sharp broker and agent matters.

This is the single most common thing people get wrong. For several major Texas programs, no. TSAHC's own lender guidelines say it plainly: “Borrowers are not required to be first-time home buyers. Borrowers may have previously owned or may currently own a home.” TDHCA's My Choice Texas Home and SETH 5 Star also have no first-time-buyer requirement. Where it does apply — a Mortgage Credit Certificate, bond-funded assistance, or the City's HIP program — “first-time” usually just means you haven't owned in the last 3 years, and that's often waived for veterans and in targeted areas. If you've owned before and assumed you were disqualified, you were probably wrong.

Nothing. It's a free 10-minute call to see what you qualify for and whether the numbers work for you. No pressure, no obligation — and if now isn't the right time, he'll tell you that too.