Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program: Up to 5% Down Payment Assistance for Healthcare Workers

If you are a nurse or healthcare professional in Delaware or Maryland, you may qualify for a home loan with little to no money out of pocket – even with complex income like overtime, shift differentials, or travel contracts. The Nurses Home Loan Program combines flexible underwriting with up to 5% down payment assistance, helping you buy a home faster and with less stress.

I am John Thomas, NMLS #38783, and I have been helping Delaware and Maryland healthcare workers buy homes for over 20 years from my Newark office at 248 E Chestnut Hill Rd. If you are a higher-income physician, dentist, or other doctor-level professional, you may also want to compare the Doctor Loan Program, which offers low or zero down payment with no mortgage insurance. For everyone else in healthcare, this Nurses Program is typically the right fit. Call 302-703-0727 or apply online to see what you qualify for.

Nurses Home Loan Program vs Nurse Next Door: What Delaware Buyers Should Know

If you have searched “nurses home loan program,” you have probably seen Nurse Next Door and similar national sites at the top of the results. The honest answer most nurses do not get up front: those sites are typically lead-generation aggregators that pass your information to a local mortgage broker – they are not themselves the lender. The Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program on this page is different. It is a real PRMI lender program available to Delaware and Maryland healthcare workers, offered directly through a licensed Delaware-based loan officer (John Thomas, NMLS #38783). Here is how the two compare side by side.

The bottom line: there is no national grant program specifically for nurses. Programs that advertise themselves that way are usually marketing wrappers around standard FHA, VA, USDA, or Conventional loans plus whatever DPA the local broker can access. This page tells you up front exactly what assistance is available, who the lender is (PRMI), and who underwrites and closes your loan in Delaware. Call 302-703-0727 or Schedule Appointment to compare the math on your specific scenario.

What Is the Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program?

The Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program is a specialty mortgage program designed for nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, dentists, and other healthcare professionals in Delaware and Maryland who face unique challenges qualifying for a traditional home loan. The program combines flexible mortgage underwriting with up to 5% down payment assistance – so you can buy a home with little to no money out of pocket.

Healthcare workers deal with complex income structures – shift differentials, overtime, travel nursing gaps, per diem pay, and W-2 plus 1099 income – that most lenders do not know how to handle correctly. Our team specializes in exactly these scenarios. Call 302-703-0727 to speak with John Thomas today or apply online now.

What Is a Silent Second Lien?

A silent second lien is a second mortgage layered behind your primary mortgage that does not require monthly payments and stays “silent” against the property title until the home is sold, refinanced, or paid off. On the Nurses Program First-Time Home Buyer track, the 3% down payment assistance is structured as a silent second lien with a reduced interest rate on the first mortgage as a trade-off. You do not make monthly payments on the silent second; it is due only at sale or refinance. This structure keeps your monthly housing payment lower than carrying a payable second mortgage would.

Basic Program Guidelines

• Available for purchase or refinance
• Not limited to first-time home buyers (Standard track is open to all healthcare workers)
• Works with Conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA loan programs
• Credit scores as low as 580 (620+ recommended for best terms; lender overlays may apply)
• Debt-to-income ratios up to 56% with compensating factors
• Primary residence only – no investment properties or second homes
• 1 to 4 unit single family, detached PUDs, and warrantable condos eligible
• Repayable assistance options have no income limits
• Forgivable assistance options have income limits that vary by county and household size – call for current limits in your area

Who Qualifies for the Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program?

The program is not limited to registered nurses. Any licensed or credentialed healthcare professional working in Delaware or Maryland may qualify, including:

If you are a physician, dentist, or high-income healthcare professional, you may also want to compare the Doctor Loan Program, which offers low or zero down payment options without mortgage insurance and is typically a better fit for doctor-level incomes. The Nurses Mortgage Program below is the right fit for everyone else in healthcare.

Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program – Assistance Options by Loan Type

The Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program offers two tracks depending on whether you are a first-time home buyer. Each track has different assistance amounts, loan type eligibility, and repayment structures. All assistance is structured as a second lien.

The Standard Program is available on FHA, VA, and USDA loans. FHA borrowers can receive 3.5% or 5% of the purchase price as either a forgivable or repayable second lien – forgivable options have income restrictions while repayable options have no income limits. VA and USDA borrowers can receive 1.5% or 2% as a repayable second lien with no income limits. The First-Time Home Buyer track is available on FHA, Conventional, VA, and USDA loans and provides 3% assistance as a silent second lien with a reduced interest rate. Contact John Thomas at 302-703-0727 for current income limits and program availability in your county.

Not Sure Which Option Fits Your Situation?

Call John Thomas and we will review your income, credit, and purchase price to find the right fit in minutes. 302-703-0727 | Schedule Appointment | Apply Online

Nurses Program vs DSHA: Which Should a Delaware Nurse Use?

Most Delaware nurses I talk to have heard about DSHA (Delaware State Housing Authority) down payment assistance programs and are not sure how the Nurses Program compares. The short answer: they are different programs from different sources, and which one is better for you depends on your credit, income, household size, and whether you are a first-time buyer. Here is how the two stack up for a Delaware healthcare worker.

The simple decision rule: if you have complex healthcare income (heavy shift differentials, travel nursing gaps, mixed W-2 and 1099) and the Nurses Program will get you approved when DSHA standard underwriting will not, the Nurses Program is the right fit. If your income is straightforward W-2 and you qualify under DSHA limits, DSHA Welcome Home or DSHA Open Door paired with Keys4You 4% DPA may give you a better overall package. Call 302-703-0727 and we will walk through both side by side with your actual numbers.

Why Healthcare Workers Struggle With Traditional Lenders

Traditional mortgage lenders are built for 9-to-5 salaried workers. Healthcare professionals do not fit that mold – and most loan officers do not know how to handle the unique income and employment patterns that come with a career in healthcare.

Complex Income Types Traditional Lenders Struggle With

Income Type	The Problem With Traditional Lenders	How We Handle It
Shift differentials and overtime	Often excluded or averaged incorrectly	Counted when documented as likely to continue
Travel nursing gaps	Employment gaps trigger automatic denials	We understand contract-to-contract employment structures
Per diem and non-taxable income	Ignored entirely in qualifying calculations	Properly grossed up to reflect actual buying power
W-2 + 1099 combined income	Complicated tax returns cause confusion	Full picture review of all income sources

Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program vs Traditional Mortgage

Feature	Nurses Program	Traditional Lender
Overtime Income	Counted correctly	Often excluded
Travel Nurse Gaps	Accepted	Often denied
Down Payment	Up to 5% assistance	Full down payment required
Approval Flexibility	High	Low
Healthcare Expertise	Specialized	Generic

This is why many healthcare workers get denied elsewhere – and approved here.

Eligible Properties for the Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program

Note on manufactured homes: PRMI may consider manufactured home financing on FHA only, double-wide or larger, with a minimum 660 credit score and a permanent foundation. Single-wide manufactured homes are not eligible. If you are buying a manufactured home and a doublewide is on the table, call 302-703-0727 to confirm whether the Nurses Program can layer with a manufactured-home FHA loan in your specific scenario.

How to Document Your Healthcare Income

The key to a smooth approval as a healthcare professional is proper documentation of all your income sources. Here is exactly what to gather before applying:

• Pay stubs for the past 60 to 90 days covering all income types
• Final pay stub from the prior year showing year-end totals of base pay, overtime, differentials, and per diem
• W-2s for the past 2 years from all employers
• If self-employed or 1099: federal tax returns for the past 2 years – see 1099 Mortgage Loan Program or Self-Employed Bank Statement Loan for additional options
• Employer letter confirming shift differentials and overtime are expected to continue – many employers will provide this on request
• HR department contact name and number for your lender to verify employment
• If you changed employers: final pay stub and W-2 from each employer over the past 2 to 3 years

Travel nurses: Employment gaps between contracts are normal and expected. We understand how to document contract-to-contract income properly so your gaps do not disqualify you.

Real Example – Delaware Nurse Home Loan Scenario

A registered nurse in New Castle County earning roughly $85,000 per year with overtime and shift differentials may qualify for:

• An FHA loan with 3.5% down
• Up to 5% down payment assistance through the Standard Nurses track
• Little to no out-of-pocket cost at closing when assistance is layered with FHA-allowed seller credits

Every scenario is different and the specific numbers depend on credit profile, county, purchase price, and current PRMI program details. Call 302-703-0727 to walk through your actual numbers.

Healthcare Workers We Help Across Delaware and Maryland

The Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program serves healthcare workers across every Delaware county and the Maryland border markets. Whether you commute into Wilmington, work nights in Dover, do per diem in Sussex County, or cross over to a Maryland hospital, our Newark office (just minutes from Christiana Hospital and Route 4, with easy I-95 access) is positioned to serve you. Here is who we typically work with:

• New Castle County nurses near ChristianaCare, Christiana Hospital, Wilmington Hospital, and Nemours Children’s Health – the largest concentration of Delaware healthcare workers. Our Newark mortgage loan and Wilmington mortgage loan pages cover the local market context.
• Kent County healthcare workers near Bayhealth Kent Campus and Bayhealth Sussex Campus – many Dover and Smyrna nurses commute to either campus and need a lender who knows the Kent County purchase price ranges and DSHA Kent and Sussex income limits.
• Sussex County healthcare workers near Beebe Healthcare, TidalHealth Nanticoke, and Bayhealth Sussex – Lewes, Rehoboth, Milford, and Seaford nurses buying in the lower beach-region markets.
• Maryland border healthcare workers at TidalHealth, University of Maryland Medical System, and other systems just across the line. Our Maryland license covers buyers purchasing in Maryland while working in Delaware, or vice versa.
• Travel nurses on contracts in any Delaware or Maryland hospital – we routinely structure mortgages around 13-week, 26-week, and rolling travel contracts that traditional lenders reject.

Located at 248 E Chestnut Hill Rd in Newark, our office is approximately 4 miles from Christiana Hospital, 12 miles from Wilmington Hospital, and accessible from I-95 (Exit 1B) and Route 4. Call 302-703-0727 or Schedule Appointment to discuss your healthcare role and target market.

When This Nurses Loan Is NOT a Good Fit

Most healthcare workers who qualify will benefit from the Delaware Nurses Mortgage Program. But it is not the right tool for every situation. Here is when you should look at a different program:

• You are a physician, dentist, or doctor-level professional with high income and student debt. The Doctor Loan Program typically gives MDs, DOs, DDS, DMD, OD, DPM, and DVM buyers a better deal – low or zero down with no mortgage insurance and special handling of medical school student loans. Compare both before choosing.
• You are a straightforward W-2 first-time buyer with no income-complexity issues. If your income is clean salary, your credit is 660+, and your household income fits DSHA limits, DSHA Welcome Home paired with Keys4You 4% DPA may be a better overall package than the Nurses FTHB track.
• You have 20%+ down and a credit score above 740. Standard Conventional financing without down payment assistance will usually be cheaper over the life of the loan than any DPA-layered product, since you avoid the second lien and the interest-rate adjustment.
• You are 100% self-employed or 1099 with no W-2 income at all. The Nurses Program works best with W-2 income or W-2 plus 1099 mix. If you are purely 1099 (independent contract physical therapist, traveling locum tenens nurse practitioner with no W-2), the 1099 Mortgage Loan Program or Self-Employed Bank Statement Loan may be a better doc path.
• You are buying an investment property, second home, or vacation home. The Nurses Program is primary-residence-only. For investor scenarios, look at DSCR investor loans or conventional second home financing.
• You want a single-wide manufactured home. The Nurses Program does not cover single-wide manufactured homes. Double-wide manufactured with permanent foundation on FHA is possible at a 660 minimum credit score – call to confirm whether your specific manufactured scenario can be structured.

If you are not sure which program fits, that is exactly what we sort out on the first call. Call 302-703-0727 or Schedule a 30-minute review and we will walk through the right path for your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions