DSHA Home Again was renamed DSHA Open Door on April 16, 2026.
The Delaware State Housing Authority rebranded its single-family mortgage lending products and replaced the legacy “Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye” campaign with the new Delaware Mortgage Program. Home Again’s role as the path for repeat home buyers and households exceeding Welcome Home income limits is now filled by Open Door. Open Door is paired with the First State 3% DPA and the new Keys4You 4% DPA. This page preserves the historical Home Again program details. For current rates and to apply under the active program, call John Thomas at 302-703-0727.
DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program in Delaware
The DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program was, for over a decade, the Delaware State Housing Authority loan program for buyers who didn’t fit the DSHA Welcome Home Mortgage Loan — either because they had owned a home in the past three years, or because their household income exceeded Welcome Home’s first-time buyer income limits. Home Again offered below-market interest rates, paired with DSHA down payment assistance, and was available statewide. On April 16, 2026, DSHA renamed Home Again to DSHA Open Door as part of its larger Delaware Mortgage Program rebrand. If you searched for “DSHA Home Again” expecting the program to still exist, you’re in the right place — Open Door is the direct successor, and most buyers who would have qualified for Home Again will now qualify for Open Door. Call the John Thomas Team at 302-703-0727 or APPLY ONLINE to find out which DSHA program fits your situation today.
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Table of Contents
What Happened to the DSHA Home Again Program?
On April 16, 2026, the Delaware State Housing Authority announced a complete rebrand of its single-family mortgage lending products. The longtime “Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye” homeownership campaign and website were retired. All DSHA mortgage information now lives at destatehousing.com/homeownership-loans under DSHA’s official branding. As part of that rebrand, several program names changed and two new down payment assistance programs were added to the lineup.
The DSHA Home Again program was renamed DSHA Open Door. The role of the program — a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage for repeat home buyers and households exceeding Welcome Home income limits — did not change. The eligibility framework was preserved. What changed was the name, the down payment assistance lineup, and the marketing umbrella the program lives under. If you were considering Home Again before April 16, 2026, your application path now is Open Door, and the John Thomas Team is a DSHA-approved lender for the current product.
A few key things every Home Again-era buyer should know about the rename:
- Open Door is open to both first-time and repeat buyers — same as Home Again was under DSHA’s expanded eligibility rules.
- Open Door has higher income limits than Welcome Home — same positioning Home Again held.
- The DPA lineup that pairs with Open Door is updated. Open Door pairs with First State 3% DPA and the new Keys4You 4% DPA. Take5 (5% DPA) and Diamond in the Rough (5% + FHA 203k) are Welcome Home only.
- DSHA also retired the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program on August 15, 2025 — separate from this rebrand. The MCC tax credit benefit largely shifted into the below-market interest rates that Welcome Home and Open Door provide. See the Delaware MCC page for full historical detail.
Home Again vs. Open Door: How the Programs Compare
Here’s a side-by-side of the legacy DSHA Home Again program and the current DSHA Open Door program that replaced it. If you found this page searching for “DSHA Home Again,” the right-hand column is what’s available today.
| Feature | DSHA Home Again (Legacy — Renamed April 16, 2026) | DSHA Open Door (Current — Replaced Home Again) |
|---|---|---|
| Program Status | Renamed on April 16, 2026. Not accepting new reservations under the Home Again name. | Active. Available statewide in Delaware. |
| Loan Type | 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage | 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage |
| Who Qualifies | Repeat buyers OR first-time buyers exceeding Welcome Home income limits | Repeat buyers OR first-time buyers exceeding Welcome Home income limits |
| Minimum Credit Score | 620 (660 for manufactured homes) | 620 (housing counseling required for 620–659) |
| Eligible Loan Types | FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional | FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional |
| Income Eligibility | Household income; higher than Welcome Home limits | Qualifying income on the loan application; household-size-based limit tier |
| DPA Pairings Available | First State Home Loan, Delaware Diamonds, Home Sweet Home (legacy lineup) | First State 3% DPA and Keys4You 4% DPA |
| Required Lender | DSHA-approved lender only | DSHA-approved lender only (the John Thomas Team is approved) |
| Where to Apply | Program closed to new applications under this name | Call 302-703-0727 or apply online at myloan.primeres.com |
What Were the Guidelines for the DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program?
The DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program was available to buyers purchasing a primary residence in the State of Delaware who met the following requirements:
- Minimum credit score of 620 for all borrowers
- Minimum credit score of 660 for a manufactured home
- Must purchase as a primary residence
- Must be under the household income limits
- Must complete 8 hours of home buyer counseling if credit score was below 660
- Must purchase a home in the State of Delaware
- Must use a DSHA-approved lender only
- Mortgage interest rates were set daily by DSHA and were the same across all approved lenders
- Eligible to use the Delaware Mortgage Credit Certificate if guidelines were met (MCC ended August 15, 2025)
- Must qualify for a DSHA FHA Loan, DSHA VA Loan, DSHA USDA Loan, or DSHA Conventional Loan
Home Again was always designed to catch the Delaware buyers who fell just outside Welcome Home — either because they had owned a home in the past three years or because their household income exceeded Welcome Home’s first-time buyer income caps. For a meaningful share of Delaware buyers — especially dual-income households and rising-career professionals — Home Again was the right path. The rates were below market, the DPA options were real, and the eligibility rules were realistic. Today, those same buyers fit Open Door. The framework didn’t go away; the name and the DPA pairings did.
Who Qualified for the DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan?
Home Again eligibility in plain terms: you qualified for Home Again if you were buying a primary residence in Delaware, had at least a 620 credit score, were under the Home Again household income limits for your county, and planned to use one of the four Home Again-eligible loan types (FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional). You did not need to be a first-time home buyer. You did need to work with a DSHA-approved lender — that’s us at Primary Residential Mortgage in Newark, DE, both then and now under the current Open Door program.
The most common Home Again buyer profile looked like this: a household with one or two working adults, combined income somewhere between the Welcome Home limit and the Home Again limit, good-but-not-perfect credit (often in the 640–720 range), and a purchase price in the $250,000–$400,000 range somewhere in New Castle, Kent, or Sussex County. If that sounds like you and you’re buying today, you should be talking to a DSHA-approved lender about DSHA Open Door — the program that replaced Home Again. Call 302-703-0727 and we’ll verify your numbers in the same phone call.
What DSHA Down Payment Assistance Programs Paired With Home Again?
Under the legacy DSHA structure, Home Again paired with a few different DSHA down payment assistance programs. These DPAs were structured as zero-interest deferred second mortgages with no monthly payments — repaid only when the home was sold, refinanced, or no longer used as a primary residence.
- DSHA First State Home Loan DPA Program — 3% of the loan amount, zero interest, deferred. The most commonly used Home Again DPA pairing. Still active and now pairs with both Welcome Home and Open Door.
- DSHA Delaware Diamonds DPA Program — additional DPA for qualifying essential workers (teachers, first responders, healthcare, state employees, active military, and veterans). Note: Diamonds was historically available in this lineup; for current Diamonds-style assistance under the new Delaware Mortgage Program, call to confirm current eligibility and structure.
- DSHA Home Sweet Home DPA Program — historical DPA option for qualifying buyers in specific situations (legacy lineup).
Which DPA pairing makes the most sense depends on your loan amount, your cash-to-close goal, and whether you qualify for first-time-buyer programs. We map all of this out during pre-approval so you can see the real numbers side by side before choosing. See our Delaware Down Payment Assistance Programs hub for the full current lineup.
What Were the Eligible Property Types for the Home Again Loan?
The DSHA Home Again Loan Program allowed Delaware home buyers to purchase the following types of homes:
- Single-family residence (SFR)
- Townhomes and rowhomes
- 2–4 unit property (FHA, VA, or USDA only)
- Warrantable condo
- Manufactured home (660+ credit score and FHA loan only)
The DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program had a maximum purchase price set by each county (chart below shows historical limits). The current Open Door program also has county-specific purchase price limits — call 302-703-0727 for the most up-to-date figures.
What Were the Income Restrictions for the DSHA Home Again Loan Program?
To qualify for the DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program, your household income had to be under the limit set by DSHA for your county. Under the legacy Home Again rules, all members of the household were REQUIRED to provide income documents to calculate the total household income — regardless of whether a person was going on the mortgage loan or not. So if the husband was purchasing a home by himself, DSHA still required the wife’s income documents to calculate the household income for qualifying purposes.
This was one of the most misunderstood parts of the Home Again program. Many buyers assumed only the borrower’s income mattered — under Home Again, it didn’t. DSHA ran eligibility based on the household, not the borrower. That income-counting rule has been refined under the current programs: under DSHA Open Door, only the qualifying income on the loan application counts, while household size still sets the limit tier. This is one of the most consequential changes in the rebrand for dual-income households where one spouse isn’t going on the loan.
Below is the historical household income limits chart by county for the DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program. For current Open Door income limits, call 302-703-0727 — Open Door limits are higher and update more frequently.
What Were the Most Common Mistakes Delaware Buyers Made With DSHA Home Again?
After 20+ years originating DSHA loans in Delaware — including the full lifespan of Home Again — these are the mistakes I saw most often with Home Again applicants. Most of them apply equally to the current Open Door program, so they’re worth knowing if you’re shopping today.
- Not counting all household income (legacy Home Again rule). Buyers assumed only the borrower’s income mattered. Under Home Again, DSHA counted every adult in the household. Under the current Open Door program, only the qualifying income on the loan application counts — but household size still sets the income limit tier. This rule change matters; ask about it explicitly.
- Assuming you have to be a first-time buyer. Home Again never required first-time buyer status, and Open Door doesn’t either. Many repeat buyers skip past DSHA programs entirely because they assume they don’t qualify.
- Not checking Welcome Home first. If you qualify for Welcome Home, the rates are typically lower and the DPA lineup is broader (Take5 5% and Diamond in the Rough 5% are Welcome Home only). We always run both programs side by side before recommending one.
- Choosing the wrong DPA pairing. First State 3%, Keys4You 4%, Take5 5%, and Diamond in the Rough each come with different terms, eligibility, and program restrictions. The right choice depends on your loan size, cash on hand, profession, and whether you’re buying a fixer-upper. That’s exactly what a pre-approval consultation is for.
- Not knowing about the Delaware transfer tax. Delaware’s 4% transfer tax is typically split 2% buyer / 2% seller under a standard Delaware Association of Realtors contract, but home builders write their own contracts and may require the buyer to pay the full 4%. Know this before you go under contract, especially on new construction.
- Waiting too long to get pre-approved. DSHA rates move when new bond funding is issued. Getting pre-approved early protects your rate and gives your real estate agent a tight letter to submit with offers.
- Searching for “Home Again” instead of the current program name. The biggest 2026 mistake. Buyers see outdated articles, third-party websites, and old DSHA documents that still say “Home Again” — and assume the program still exists by that name. It doesn’t. DSHA Open Door is the current name.
How Do I Apply for the Program That Replaced DSHA Home Again?
If you would have applied for DSHA Home Again before April 16, 2026, the program you apply for today is DSHA Open Door. Give the John Thomas Team with Primary Residential Mortgage a call at 302-703-0727 or APPLY ONLINE. We’ll pull credit, review your qualifying income, confirm Open Door eligibility, and identify whether First State 3% or Keys4You 4% is the right DPA pairing for your situation.
- Call or apply online. 302-703-0727 or myloan.primeres.com. We’ll start with a soft credit pull and collect basic income documentation.
- Confirm DSHA eligibility. We verify your income against the current Open Door county limits and identify the best DPA pairing for your loan amount and cash-to-close goal.
- Housing counseling if needed. Required for credit scores 620–659. We’ll connect you with a HUD-approved Delaware agency.
- Pre-approval issued. Your pre-approval letter will reflect the current DSHA program (Open Door or Welcome Home), the rate, and the DPA amount so your real estate agent can write strong offers.
- Go under contract and close. DSHA loans close like any standard mortgage. Settlement in Delaware is handled by a licensed attorney or title company.
Related DSHA and Delaware Home Buyer Resources
- DSHA Open Door Loan Program (the current program that replaced Home Again)
- DSHA Welcome Home Mortgage Loan (for first-time buyers under income limits)
- DSHA Loan Programs in Delaware — Complete Guide
- DSHA First State Home Loan DPA Program (3% DPA — pairs with Open Door)
- DSHA Keys4You Home Loan (4% DPA — pairs with Open Door, the largest DPA available to repeat buyers)
- DSHA Take5 Home Loan (5% DPA — Welcome Home only, first-time buyers)
- DSHA Diamond in the Rough (5% DPA + FHA 203k renovation — Welcome Home only)
- Delaware Down Payment Assistance Programs
- Delaware First Time Home Buyers Guide
- Delaware Mortgage Credit Certificate Program (also a legacy reference page — MCC ended August 15, 2025)
- Delaware FHA Loans | Delaware VA Loans | Delaware USDA Loans | Delaware Conventional Loans
About John Thomas — DSHA-Approved Delaware Mortgage Lender
John Thomas, NMLS #38783
John Thomas is a DSHA-approved mortgage loan officer and branch manager at Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. in Newark, Delaware. With over 20 years of experience and 3,000+ Delaware buyers helped, John originated DSHA Home Again loans throughout the program’s lifespan and is now a DSHA-approved lender for the current Delaware Mortgage Program — including Open Door, Welcome Home, First State 3% DPA, Keys4You 4% DPA, Take5 5% DPA, and Diamond in the Rough. John specializes in DSHA programs, FHA, VA, USDA, and first-time and repeat home buyer loans across all three Delaware counties, and is the author of Your Guide to Buying Your First Home in Delaware.
John’s firsthand knowledge of the Home Again program — the legacy guidelines, income rules, property eligibility, DPA pairings, common mistakes, and now the rebrand to Open Door — is the kind of expertise national aggregator and bank sites simply cannot match. If you want real answers about DSHA Home Again, what replaced it, and what’s right for you today, you’re in the right place.
FAQ — DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program
What was the DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program?
The DSHA Home Again Mortgage Loan Program was a 30-year fixed-rate Delaware mortgage offered through the Delaware State Housing Authority for home buyers who did not qualify for the Welcome Home program. Home Again was open to both first-time and repeat home buyers, had higher income limits than Welcome Home, and could be combined with DSHA down payment assistance. The program was available for purchases in all three Delaware counties — New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. On April 16, 2026, DSHA renamed Home Again to DSHA Open Door as part of the rebranded Delaware Mortgage Program. Open Door is the current direct successor.
What replaced the DSHA Home Again program in 2026?
DSHA Open Door replaced DSHA Home Again on April 16, 2026 as part of DSHA’s larger Delaware Mortgage Program rebrand. The program role is the same — a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage for repeat home buyers and households that exceed the Welcome Home income limits. Open Door pairs with two down payment assistance programs: First State at 3% of the loan amount, and the new Keys4You at 4%. To apply for the current program, call John Thomas at 302-703-0727. Visit the DSHA Open Door page for full current details.
Was DSHA Home Again only for first-time home buyers?
No. This was one of the key differences between Home Again and Welcome Home. DSHA Home Again was specifically designed for Delaware buyers who were NOT first-time home buyers, as well as for first-time buyers whose household income exceeded the Welcome Home limits. If you owned a home within the past three years, or earned more than the Welcome Home income cap, Home Again was the DSHA path built for you. The current Open Door program preserves this same eligibility — repeat buyers and higher-income first-timers both qualify.
What were the DSHA Home Again income limits?
Home Again had county-specific household income limits that were higher than Welcome Home limits. Under the legacy Home Again rules, all household members had to provide income documentation regardless of whether they were on the mortgage loan. The historical income limits chart is preserved on this page for reference. The current Open Door program uses different income-counting rules — only qualifying income on the loan application counts, while household size still sets the limit tier. For up-to-date Open Door income limits and to verify your household qualifies today, call 302-703-0727.
What down payment assistance programs paired with DSHA Home Again?
Under the legacy Home Again structure, the program could be combined with the DSHA First State Home Loan (3% of the loan amount, zero interest, deferred), Delaware Diamonds (additional DPA for teachers, first responders, healthcare workers, state employees, and active military or veterans), and Home Sweet Home. All three were structured as zero-interest deferred second mortgages with no monthly payments. Today, the current Open Door program pairs with First State at 3% and the new Keys4You at 4% — Keys4You is currently the largest DPA available to Delaware repeat buyers.
What credit score did the DSHA Home Again program require?
The DSHA Home Again program required a minimum 620 credit score for most loan types, or 660 for a manufactured home. If your credit score fell between 620 and 659, you were required to complete 8 hours of HUD-approved home buyer counseling before closing (typically a 125 dollar fee). The current Open Door program uses the same 620 minimum and the same 620–659 housing counseling requirement. We help you find an approved housing counseling agency in Delaware as part of the application process.
What property types were eligible for DSHA Home Again?
Home Again allowed purchases of single-family residences, townhomes and rowhomes, warrantable condos, 2-4 unit properties (FHA, VA, or USDA financing only), and manufactured homes (minimum 660 credit score, FHA only). The property had to be located in Delaware and used as your primary residence. Investment properties, second homes, and vacation homes did not qualify. The current Open Door program preserves the same eligible property type list.
Did all household members’ incomes count for DSHA Home Again?
Yes — under the legacy Home Again rules. This was one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of the program. DSHA Home Again required income documentation from every adult in the household, not just the borrowers on the mortgage. If one spouse was purchasing alone, the other spouse’s income still had to be documented and counted toward the total household income. This rule changed under the current Open Door program — only the qualifying income on the loan application is counted, although household size still sets the income limit tier. This is one of the most consequential changes in the rebrand for dual-income households.
How do I apply for the program that replaced DSHA Home Again?
Apply by calling the John Thomas Team with Primary Residential Mortgage at 302-703-0727 or online at myloan.primeres.com. The current program that replaced Home Again is DSHA Open Door. You must work with a DSHA-approved lender — DSHA does not accept applications directly. We will review your credit, pull income documentation, confirm Open Door eligibility, and identify whether First State 3% or Keys4You 4% is the right DPA pairing for your situation. The process typically takes 24 to 48 hours to get a full pre-approval letter.
Why is this page still up if the DSHA Home Again program ended?
This page is preserved as a historical reference because DSHA Home Again is still widely referenced across the internet — in older DSHA documents, third-party real estate sites, news releases, and homebuyer forums — and many Delaware buyers continue to search for the program by its original name. Rather than redirect away those visitors, we keep the full Home Again program detail on this page, clearly mark the program as renamed, and route every visitor directly to the current DSHA Open Door program and the active DPA options. Buyers searching for Home Again get the most accurate, complete answer in one place. Call 302-703-0727 for current program details and today’s rates.
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DSHA Home Again was renamed DSHA Open Door on April 16, 2026. I’ll review your income, credit, county, and purchase goal, confirm Open Door eligibility, and identify whether First State 3% or Keys4You 4% is the right DPA pairing. No pressure, no obligation. Just straight answers from a DSHA-approved lender with 20+ years in Delaware.
Last Updated: April 27, 2026
John Thomas, NMLS #38783 | Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. | 248 E Chestnut Hill Rd, Newark, DE 19713 | 302-703-0727 | delawaremortgageloans.net | Licensed by the Delaware State Bank Commissioner | Equal Housing Lender
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