Down Payment Assistance in Burien, Washington: ONE+ and WSHFC Programs Explained (2026)

You've been saving. You've been patient. And somehow the finish line keeps moving. Groceries cost more than they did two years ago — the same cart that used to run $180 now hits $230 without anything special in it. Rent went up. Gas stabilized for about six months and then crept back. The raise happened, the direct deposits land, and the savings account still looks approximately the same as it did eighteen months ago. This is the quiet math that nobody talks about when people say "just save up a down payment." The problem isn't discipline. The problem is that every dollar you save competes against the same inflation that's been eating household budgets across the entire Puget Sound for two years running.

Here's what changes the equation. ONE+ by Rocket Mortgage puts a buyer into a home with 1% down. Rocket Mortgage contributes the other 2% — up to $7,000 — as a grant. Not a deferred loan. Not a second lien that gets repaid when they sell or refinance. A grant that simply disappears from the liability column at closing, permanently. The buyer who was $10,000 short now needs a fraction of what they thought. And this isn't a first-time buyer exclusive — repeat buyers qualify too, as long as household income stays within the program ceiling for King County, which we'll cover in detail below. For buyers outside ONE+'s parameters, Washington's WSHFC Home Advantage program steps in with a $164,400 income ceiling that covers a huge swath of dual-income Burien households.

ONE+ has a purchase price ceiling of $350,000, and the honest truth about Burien's housing market is that most single-family homes here sit well above that figure. That's not a reason to dismiss ONE+ — it's a reason to understand exactly what it applies to, and where Washington's state programs take over. This guide covers both, compares them side by side, and helps you figure out which one fits your actual purchase.

ONE+ by Rocket Mortgage: Washington's Only True Grant

Every other down payment assistance program available to Burien buyers operates as a deferred second mortgage. Washington's state programs — excellent programs, genuinely — give buyers 3%, 4%, or 5% of their loan amount as a second lien that sits quietly until the home is sold or refinanced. At that point, the balance comes due. ONE+ operates on a completely different structural logic. Rocket Mortgage contributes 2% of the purchase price — up to $7,000 — as a true grant with no repayment obligation, ever. The buyer brings 1%. Combined, that's 3% equity at close, and the buyer's actual out-of-pocket contribution to the down payment was one-third of what a standard 3% conventional loan would have required.

The mechanics are straightforward. The maximum loan amount is $350,000, which translates to a purchase price up to roughly $353,500 depending on how down payment and closing credits are structured. Income must fall at or below the ONE+ limit for King County — a single-figure household income ceiling of $114,800. The loan is a 30-year fixed conventional only, requiring a minimum 620 credit score. Repeat buyers are fully eligible — there is no first-time buyer requirement. PMI applies until the loan reaches 20% equity, which is standard for any low-down-payment conventional product. There is no homebuyer education seminar required, no second lien to disclose, and no financial obligation attached to the grant portion at any future closing.

The ONE+ Ceiling: What It Means for Burien Buyers

The $350,000 loan limit on ONE+ is real, and Burien's market is not shy about exceeding it. The median home price in Burien sits at $660,000, which means the average listing is nearly double the ONE+ loan ceiling. Single-family homes in Gregory Heights, Seahurst, and Downtown Burien are running $755,000 to $815,000 at the median. Three Tree Point and Maplewild are deeper into seven figures. At the entry end of the market, the only property type where ONE+ consistently applies is one-bedroom condominiums, where the median sold price is approximately $265,000. Two-bedroom condos sit around $473,000 — above the ceiling, but close enough that a negotiated purchase or minor concession could bring it into range. Townhomes have a median around $377,000, which also exceeds $350K but occasionally sees individual listings that fall under it.

Price Range	What's Typically Available in Burien	ONE+ Eligible?
Under $320K	1-bedroom condos, rare distressed units	✅ Yes
$320K–$350K	Select 1BR condos, occasional fixer condos	✅ Yes
$350K–$500K	2BR condos, some townhomes, entry-level SFR shells	❌ No
$500K+	Most single-family homes, majority of Burien inventory	❌ No

If you're shopping Burien specifically for a single-family home, ONE+ is unlikely to apply to the properties you'll be touring. That's not a failure of the program — it's an honest read of this market. The right move for most Burien buyers purchasing above $350K is WSHFC Home Advantage, which carries no purchase price ceiling and a $164,400 income limit that fits a wide range of King County households.

When You Need More: Washington's State DPA Programs

For buyers whose purchase price or income falls outside ONE+'s parameters, Washington State offers some of the strongest housing finance programs in the country. The WSHFC suite doesn't match ONE+'s grant structure — these are deferred second mortgages, repaid at sale or refinance — but they solve the same cash-to-close problem with meaningful dollar amounts and surprisingly generous income limits.

Home Advantage — The $164,400 Income Ceiling Program

The headline fact about Home Advantage is its income limit: $164,400 for King County households. This is not a low-income program. A dual-income Burien household where one partner works at Highline Medical Center and the other works in Seattle can qualify. The DPA comes as 3%, 4%, or 5% of the first mortgage as a deferred second mortgage at 0% interest, with no monthly payment on the DPA portion. The entire balance gets repaid when the home is sold, refinanced, or the 30-year term concludes. It's compatible with conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loan types — which matters for buyers who need FHA flexibility on credit or property condition. There is no first-time buyer requirement. A 5-hour WSHFC-approved homebuyer education seminar is required before closing, though online options are available. The key structural distinction from ONE+: this money follows you to every future closing until you pay it back.

House Key Opportunity — For Lower-Income First-Time Buyers

House Key Opportunity is designed for first-time buyers — this program does require it — with income limits capped at $157,100 for King County households. Down payment assistance reaches up to $15,000 through the companion Opportunity DPA product, structured as a 1% interest deferred second mortgage. Because House Key uses bond financing, there is a potential IRS recapture scenario: if the home is sold within 9 years, the household's income has grown substantially, and there's a capital gain on the sale, a portion of the federal tax subsidy may be recaptured. This applies in only a narrow slice of cases, but buyers should understand it exists before choosing this path.

HomeChoice — Disability Households

HomeChoice provides up to $15,000 in down payment assistance for borrowers or households where a family member has a disability. The second mortgage carries a 1% interest rate with deferred payments for 30 years. Income must fall at or below $147,400 in King County. It pairs with either the Home Advantage or House Key first mortgage.

The structural difference between ONE+ and every WSHFC program is worth naming plainly: one is a grant, the others are loans — good loans, useful loans, but loans nonetheless. Both approaches solve the immediate cash-to-close gap. ONE+ eliminates the back-end obligation entirely. WSHFC programs defer it until exit, which is workable for buyers who expect long-term tenure and steady appreciation, but matters in scenarios where equity is thin or market timing is uncertain.

ONE+ vs. Washington Bond Programs: The Direct Comparison

	ONE+ by Rocket	WSHFC Home Advantage	WSHFC House Key
Assistance type	True grant — no repayment	Deferred second loan	Deferred second loan
Max loan	$350,000	No ceiling	No ceiling
Income limit	≤$114,800 (King County)	$164,400 (King County)	$157,100 (King County)
Cash at closing	✅ $7,000 grant	✅ 3–5% of loan	✅ Up to $15,000
Repayment required	Never	Yes — at sale/refi	Yes — at sale/refi
Recapture tax risk	None	None	Yes (if 3 conditions met)
First-time required	No	No	Yes
Loan types	Conventional only	Conv, FHA, VA, USDA	Conv, FHA, VA, USDA
Who processes	Rocket Mortgage	WSHFC-approved lender	WSHFC-approved lender
Education required	No	Yes — 5-hour seminar	Yes — 5-hour seminar

For the buyer ONE+ fits — purchasing a condo or townhome under the $350K ceiling, household income under $114,800, clean credit, conventional-eligible — it is the better deal, full stop. No second lien, no seminar, no repayment conversation at the future closing table. When Home Advantage wins is equally clear: purchase price above $350K (which is most of Burien's inventory), income between $114,800 and $164,400, or when the buyer needs FHA or VA loan flexibility. In that scenario, 4–5% DPA on a $660,000 purchase is real money — $26,000 to $33,000 toward closing — and the deferred structure is workable given Burien's long-term appreciation trajectory.

What ONE+ Looks Like at the Closing Table

Item	Amount
Purchase price	$340,000 (example)
Buyer's 1% down	$3,400
Rocket's 2% grant	$6,800 — never repaid
Total down payment	$10,200 (3%)
Estimated closing costs	$6,500–$8,500 (varies by lender credits, title, county)
Buyer's estimated total cash to close	~$9,900–$11,900

The buyer contributed $3,400 toward a down payment instead of $10,200. The $6,800 grant is that difference, and it doesn't reappear at any future closing. Closing costs exist regardless of which program you use — that's unavoidable — but the down payment portion of the cash-to-close equation just dropped by two-thirds.

Does DPA Actually Work in Burien's Competitive Market?

Burien's market moves fast. Homes in ZIP 98146 have been closing at over 102% of list price with median days on market in the teens. In that environment, a DPA-assisted offer needs clean construction to compete. ONE+, processed through Rocket Mortgage, functions like a conventional offer — no government agency approvals, no secondary market delays, no seller disclosure requirements beyond standard conventional. Sellers in Burien don't see the grant mechanics; they see a conventional buyer with verified financing.

Home Advantage offers take a little more explanation at the offer stage, but experienced King County listing agents are familiar with WSHFC products — they're common enough that a well-structured offer with Home Advantage DPA doesn't automatically lose to a non-DPA conventional bid. The bigger variable is price, not program type. A DPA buyer who can move at list price or above with a clean inspection contingency is competitive in most Burien neighborhoods.

The honest limitation is inventory at the ONE+ price ceiling. One-bedroom condos and occasional fixer properties are where ONE+ applies in this market. For buyers with more flexibility on property type, the Burien condo stock — particularly around Downtown Burien and in the 98168 ZIP corridor — includes units priced in the $250,000–$320,000 range where ONE+ is fully operational. Buyers focused on single-family homes in Seahurst, Gregory Heights, or anywhere near the waterfront neighborhoods should go straight to Home Advantage conversations.

Local Expert Takeaway: For most Burien buyers, WSHFC Home Advantage is the working tool — the $660,000 median price puts the bulk of inventory well above ONE+'s $350K ceiling, and the $164,400 King County income limit means dual-income households at $140K–$160K are fully in play. ONE+ is the right answer for condo buyers targeting the 98146 and 98168 ZIP codes where sub-$350K units exist, especially households under $114,800 — the grant structure beats every deferred-loan alternative dollar for dollar. Don't choose a program before you know your purchase price; run both scenarios with a lender who can model the back-end repayment on Home Advantage against the clean exit ONE+ offers.

Quick Takeaways & FAQs

✅ ONE+ by Rocket Mortgage offers a $7,000 true grant with no repayment — the strongest single-transaction benefit available to Burien buyers purchasing under $350K.

⚠️ Most Burien inventory sits above ONE+'s ceiling — single-family home buyers should plan around WSHFC Home Advantage, which has no purchase price ceiling and a $164,400 King County income limit.

📍 Condos and townhomes are where ONE+ gets traction in Burien — one-bedroom condos median around $265,000 and two-bedrooms around $473,000, with select units landing inside the $350K ONE+ range.

Is there down payment assistance in Burien, Washington?

Yes — Burien buyers have access to two strong paths. ONE+ by Rocket Mortgage provides a $7,000 grant (no repayment) for purchases under $350,000 with qualifying income. WSHFC Home Advantage covers purchases at any price with up to 5% of the loan amount as a deferred second mortgage, with a $164,400 income ceiling for King County households.

What is the income limit for Washington Home Advantage?

For King and Snohomish County borrowers, the WSHFC Home Advantage income limit is $164,400. This is a household income figure — it includes all borrowers on the loan. The limit is deliberately high, making Home Advantage accessible to middle-income households that typically wouldn't qualify for needs-based assistance programs.

What is the difference between ONE+ and WSHFC DPA?

The core difference is repayment. ONE+ is a grant — Rocket Mortgage's 2% contribution is never repaid under any circumstance. WSHFC programs are deferred second mortgages — the balance sits quietly with no monthly payment but must be repaid when the home is sold or refinanced. Both solve the cash-to-close problem; ONE+ eliminates the back-end obligation entirely, while WSHFC programs defer it to a future exit event.

Explore the full Burien mortgage and relocation series:

Burien Down Payment Assistance Guide · 1031 Tax-Deferred Exchange in Burien · Burien First-Time Homebuyers Guide · Moving to Burien from California · The Ultimate Burien Relocation Guide · Is Burien Safe? · Cost of Living in Burien · Best Neighborhoods in Burien · Burien Schools & Family Life · Burien Youth Sports · Burien Parks & Recreation · Retiring in Burien