A straight answer
Are there home buying programs for teachers?
The direct answer
Yes. Teachers can use the homebuyer assistance programs I offer, and HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door names teachers from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. I review your school, your pay and the property. I'm Zach von der Linden (NMLS 1652805), a mortgage broker with West Capital Lending, based in San Clemente.
There is no teacher-only mortgage. For teachers, the career benefit sits in homebuyer assistance and in Good Neighbor Next Door. I arrange CalHFA, Utah Housing and OHCS down payment programs for eligible buyers, and each sets its own written rules. I put the financing together with a lender; the lender and the program set the rules. I work with buyers in California, Utah, Oregon and Arizona.
Zach von der Linden, mortgage broker and Branch Manager, West Capital Lending · NMLS 1652805
Wholesale pricing · California, Utah, Oregon and Arizona
5.0 across 66 reviews on Experience.com (read on 2026-09-24) · Text reaches Zach directly · Last updated 2026-10-19
Tell me your profession or income situation, the property state, and whether you're buying or refinancing. I'll explain which program requirements we need to review.
No credit pull happens from a text or a call. Texts and calls go to Zach's cell.
What happens after you text me?
Texts go straight to my cell, and I answer them myself when I'm free. I'll ask for the few details that actually matter, tell you whether the structure looks worth pursuing, and explain the next step. If I don't think the loan fits, I'll tell you that too.
A text or phone conversation does not pull your credit.
How does Good Neighbor Next Door work for teachers?
HUD's program lets "teachers (pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade)" buy eligible HUD homes in revitalization areas (HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door). The teacher must be "Employed as a full-time teacher by a state-accredited public school or private school that provides direct services to students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12." That job must "serve students from the locality where the home is located."
Only HUD homes listed through the program qualify. You must "commit to live in the property for 36 months as his/her principal residence." When more than one eligible buyer bids on a home, HUD picks "by random lottery" (HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door).
Is there assistance for teachers in California?
Yes, through GSFA. Its Platinum "Select" feature "applies to certain occupations and types of Mortgage Loans," and its list includes employees of California public, charter and private schools, California State University, junior colleges and private colleges, "including school administration and staff" (GSFA Platinum). I arrange eligible GSFA financing through a GSFA-participating lender. GSFA is California only.
I arrange eligible CalHFA financing through a CalHFA-approved lender.
In Utah and Oregon, the assistance I arrange follows each state agency's rules. Do doctors, teachers and nurses get special mortgages? lists each agency's rules.
How does a teacher salary count?
Fannie Mae counts "a set salary" as fixed base income, and "A minimum history is not required for inclusion as qualifying income" (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-3.3-01). Fannie Mae's guide has no rule written for teachers.
Summer school, coaching or tutoring pay is read separately from the salary. My pay is commission, bonus, or overtime. What counts toward a mortgage? covers how extra pay is averaged.
What should I have ready?
Your teaching contract or employment letter, recent pay stubs and W-2s, and statements for the accounts that will cover closing. Do not text documents or account numbers; I will tell you what to send and how.
Questions people ask next
Is there a special mortgage just for teachers?
No. There is no teacher-only mortgage. For teachers, the benefits on this page are homebuyer assistance and Good Neighbor Next Door, which work alongside a standard first mortgage. I check which assistance fits your state, income and property before you plan around it.
Can I buy any house with Good Neighbor Next Door?
No. Only HUD homes listed through the program in revitalization areas qualify, and HUD picks by random lottery when more than one eligible buyer bids (HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door).
What should I text Zach?
Your school type and grade level, the property state, and whether you are buying or refinancing. Do not text documents or account numbers; I will tell you what to send and how.
What clients say
Zach was so easy to work with. He made a stressful situation into a very positive experience for us and did push us one way or another. He listened to what we hoped we could accomplish and made it happen.
Word for word from Experience.com. Read all reviews.
Sources and checked dates
Sources: Confirmed by Zach, October 2026 (checked 2026-10-19) · HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door (checked 2026-10-19) · Golden State Finance Authority, GSFA Platinum (checked 2026-10-19) · Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-3.3-01, Base Income (checked 2026-10-19).
Show each claim on this page, what it depends on, and the date it was checked (5)
| What we say, and what it depends on | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| There is no teacher-only mortgage. | Confirmed by Zach, October 2026 | 2026-10-19 |
| I arrange CalHFA, Utah Housing and OHCS down payment programs for eligible buyers. I arrange eligible CalHFA financing through a CalHFA-approved lender. I arrange eligible GSFA financing through a GSFA-participating lender; GSFA is California only. | Confirmed by Zach, October 2026 | 2026-10-18 |
| HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door: "Law enforcement officers, teachers (pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade) firefighters and emergency medical technicians" can buy homes through the program; "an eligible buyer must commit to live in the property for 36 months as his/her principal residence"; "If more than one person submits an offer on a single home a selection will be made by random lottery." A teacher must be "Employed as a full-time teacher by a state-accredited public school or private school that provides direct services to students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12," and that employment must "serve students from the locality where the home is located." | HUD, Good Neighbor Next Door | 2026-10-19 |
| Golden State Finance Authority, GSFA Platinum: "The Platinum "Select" feature applies to certain occupations and types of Mortgage Loans." Its qualifying occupations include "Medical and health care workers" and employees "of a California accredited Private, Charter or Public School District or California State University, Junior College or Private College, including school administration and staff." GSFA describes Platinum for a primary residence in California. | Golden State Finance Authority, GSFA Platinum | 2026-10-19 |
| Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-3.3-01, Base Income (03/04/2026): "Fixed base income refers to a set salary or fixed hourly rate with guaranteed minimum hours." For fixed base income, "A minimum history is not required for inclusion as qualifying income." "Variable base income refers to a fixed hourly rate with fluctuating hours, or an hourly rate that varies," and "A minimum 12-month history of receiving variable income is required." | Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-3.3-01, Base Income | 2026-10-19 |
Written for and accountable to: Zach von der Linden, Mortgage broker and Branch Manager, West Capital Lending.
Last updated 2026-10-19.
Verify him: NMLS Consumer Access, ID 1652805 · 66 reviews on Experience.com.
Sources for product claims are listed on this page, with the date each was checked.