Prospective Home Buyers

Application Process 

  1. Please thoroughly review the brochure for the First Time Home Buyer Program prior to applying. 
  2. Please see the Lead-Based Paint brochure to inform yourself of the potential dangers of lead-based paint for homes built prior to 1978.
  3. After review, please complete the application for the program. The application is available in PDF format or online format. 
  4. Please include the following documents for all household members over the age of 18:
    • Federal tax return for the most recent tax year
    • W-2s for the most recent tax year 
    • Income verification (pay stubs, benefit information, etc.) for the past two months
  5. For printed applications, please submit the completed application and supporting documents to the Community Development office via mail to the mailing address listed on the top of the application or in our Division's secure drop box located outside our office on the 4th floor of City Hall located at 316 N. 26th Steet. 
  6. City staff will contact you via mail, phone or email during the application review process. Please allow 5 to 10 business days for initial review of your application. 

Incomplete applications will cause a processing delay.

Household Income Limits 

Eligible households (or individuals) must have an annual income of less than or equal to 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI), as established by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD income limits for Billings can be located here. 

First Time Homebuyer Class

Pre-purchase home buyer education is a requirement of the City's First Time Home Buyer program. These 8-hour classes are designed to assist prospective homebuyers throughout the purchasing process. Do not wait until you have found a home to attend the class! Please call The Home Center at 406-247-4732 or visit https://thehomecenter.org/home-buyers/ to register and learn more information about the class. Pre-registration is required so providers can prepare for the class and can confirm the date you will be attending.

Program Process Flowchart

Here is a flowchart that shows the process of going through the First Time Home Buyer program.

City-Owned Properties

The City manages a program to purchase vacant, foreclosed homes to remodel and offer for sale to low-income homeowners. The application for this program is the same as the First Time Home Buyer process as noted in the above brochure and application.

Accommodation Request

The Community Development Division and affiliated agencies make reasonable accommodations for any known disability that may limit participation in any program, service or activity. If you have questions, need clarification for your application, or need any alternatively formatted documents, please call 406-860-9126 to make a request for accommodation (Montana Relay: 711). 

Homeownership in Montana 

HUD Website - Homeownership in Montana: A list of housing counseling agencies, assistance programs, etc.