Ohio Heroes · Police officers
Ohio Heroes for police officers
Ohio police officers can use Ohio Heroes for a discounted OHFA 30-year fixed rate and forgivable down payment help of 3% to 3.5% of the price.
Who is covered
OHFA lists police officers among the Ohio Heroes occupations. It does not publish a minimum length of service or how the job is verified. Your lender explains what proof it accepts.
Ohio Heroes is a 30-year fixed OHFA mortgage with a discounted interest rate for Ohio teachers, police, firefighters, EMTs, healthcare workers and veterans. You can add optional OHFA Down Payment Assistance of 3% (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, forgiven after seven years. OHFA does not publish the size of the rate discount, so a participating lender quotes it.
Overtime and the income limit
OHFA counts all income of the borrowers who will live in the home toward the county limit. If your pay swings with overtime, have a lender run the numbers against your county limit early.
If you already own a home
Ohio Heroes follows the first-time buyer rule: no ownership interest in a primary residence in the last three years. Officers who are also honorably discharged veterans are exempt. Other owners can look at OHFA's Next Home loan, which offers assistance but not the hero rate.
Papers to pull together
- Last three years of tax returns and W-2s
- 30 days of pay stubs
- 30 days of bank statements
- Your Social Security number
- Proof of your police employment, as your lender requests
Reader questions
Do sheriff's deputies qualify?
OHFA's list says police officers. A participating lender confirms how your agency role is treated.
Is there a time-on-the-job rule?
OHFA does not publish one. Ask your lender before you apply.
What credit score do I need?
640 for conventional, VA and USDA loans, and 650 for FHA.
