Buying a first home can feel like a lot, and living with a disability can add a few more questions. A plan and the right resources make it manageable. This guide covers your rights, what a lender can and can't do, what to do if your rights are violated, and the programs that can help.

Your rights as a homebuyer with a disability

• The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to discriminate against a homebuyer because of a disability. A seller can't refuse to sell or negotiate, be dishonest about available housing, add extra criteria, tack on extra fees or extend the waiting period because of your disability. HUD's Fair Housing Act overview explains what housing the law covers and what sellers can't do.
• The Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) enforces the rights of every homebuyer, including people with physical or mental disabilities. It funds state and local agencies with a proven record of enforcing fair housing practices.
• Regulation B, from the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, protects your right to credit regardless of factors such as race, age or disability status. It also gives you the right to hear about status changes on your application and the criteria used to approve or decline your loan.

What a mortgage lender must do

Most buyers make a down payment from savings and borrow the rest from a bank or credit union. When you apply for a mortgage, three things happen:

1. The lender runs a credit check.
2. The lender determines how much you're eligible to borrow.
3. The lender helps you apply for the loan, if you choose to.

Loan offers can't change because of a disability. Specifically:

• A lender can't discourage you from applying because of a disability, can't change the loan's terms (like a higher interest rate or down payment) for that reason, and can't deny the loan for that reason alone.
• A lender must consider public assistance income the same way as any other income. If you ask them to count Social Security benefits, they may ask for information about them. Unless the Social Security Administration's paperwork shows a specific end date, the lender must assume the benefit will continue.

If you think your rights were violated

Your homebuying rights are backed by the Department of Justice, which treats discrimination against homebuyers with disabilities as a serious offense. In 1996, the Department of Justice told federally regulated banks what counts as discrimination and how cases would be handled, administratively or in court. Organizations with a pattern of discrimination can face lawsuits from the Department of Justice.

• File a Housing Discrimination Complaint Form with HUD online or by mail. The same page explains how to reach your local HUD office.
• If you're considering legal action against a lender, contact your state's attorney general. The National Association of Attorneys General site lists every state's office.

Programs that help first-time buyers with disabilities

• HUD housing counselors offer guidance free or at very low cost. HUD also lists approved housing counseling agencies by state for budgeting, the lending process and homebuyer education.
• The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has a government-insured loan program through approved lenders, available to qualified homebuyers with disabilities.
• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers two grants to service members and veterans with service-connected disabilities: the Specially Adapted Housing Grant and the Special Housing Adaptation Grant. If you qualify, they can go toward buying or building a home or modifying the one you own.
• Habitat for Humanity often builds affordable homes for people with disabilities or who have a family member with a disability.
• Disabled World, an online community, keeps a list of state programs that may help homebuyers with disabilities.

Many programs for low-income and first-time homebuyers are open to people with disabilities too.

Get ready to buy

• Check your credit with a free annual credit report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• Check the home's safety. The CDC's home fall prevention checklist for older adults is a good starting point.
• Plan for modifications. Our guide to home accessibility funding and grants covers ways to pay for changes like ramps, grab bars and accessible showers.

Common questions

Can a seller refuse to sell me a home because of my disability?

No. Under the Fair Housing Act, a seller can't refuse to sell, add extra fees or criteria, or extend the waiting period because of a disability.

Can a lender count my Social Security disability income?

Yes. A lender must treat public assistance income like any other income and must assume it will continue unless your Social Security paperwork shows an end date.

Are there grants for veterans with disabilities to buy or adapt a home?

Yes. The VA offers the Specially Adapted Housing Grant and the Special Housing Adaptation Grant to eligible service members and veterans with service-connected disabilities.

Where do I report housing discrimination?

File a Housing Discrimination Complaint Form with HUD online or by mail, or contact your local HUD office. For legal action against a lender, contact your state's attorney general.

Related help

• Easy aging-in-place projects for your home
• Home accessibility modifications and mobility aids
• Home accessibility funding and grants
• Accessible home design solutions
• Accessibility and home modification resources