Tulsa is affordable, has an unusually generous county program, and is one of the only cities in America that will pay you $10,000 to move there. It also has a state housing agency whose down payment assistance is widely — and wrongly — described as a grant.
Here is what is real, what you repay, and what you keep.
The Tulsa market
Redfin reports a Tulsa County median sale price of about $299,155 as of June 2026, up 1.8% year over year. The City of Tulsa proper runs lower — Redfin’s city page last showed around $251,500, though that figure is older, so the county number is the safer current reference.
Against OHFA’s GOLD purchase price cap of $349,525, most Tulsa homes fit comfortably. Income limits are the real gate.
Tulsa County First Home Program
Administered by the Tulsa County Home Finance Authority, this is the main local product and it is a good one.
- 3.5% of the note amount, up to $17,882, for down payment and closing costs.
- A forgivable loan, not a grant: 0% interest, deferred, on a five-year second mortgage. Due in full if you sell, refinance, or stop occupying the home within five years.
- Income limits: $97,877 for one or two people, $112,559 for three or more in non-targeted areas; $108,360 and $126,420 in targeted areas.
- Purchase price limits: $544,232 non-targeted, $665,173 targeted.
- First-time buyer required in non-targeted areas, waived in fifteen HUD-designated targeted census tracts.
- HUD-approved homebuyer education required before closing, for every buyer on the title.
The program does not publish a funding or reservation status, so confirm availability with a participating lender before you rely on it.
North Tulsa Forward — a true grant
Run by Be Well Community Development Corporation, this is genuine free money, though narrowly targeted.
- Up to $5,000 as a true grant for down payment or closing costs, plus free financial and homebuying education.
- Income at or below 80% of area median for the Tulsa metro; 620 credit score, or a realistic path to it within a year.
- A five-year owner-occupancy commitment.
- Geographically limited to Tulsa City Council District 1 — zip codes 74106, 74110, 74126, 74127 and 74130.
- Note the unusual first-time buyer definition here: no single-family purchase anywhere in Oklahoma in the previous five years, not the usual three.
Currently accepting applications, with in-person classes on scheduled Saturdays through the year.
Tulsa Remote — $10,000 if you move here for work
This is not a mortgage program, but it is real money and it is current. Tulsa Remote pays remote workers to relocate, and members can elect to take the $10,000 as a lump sum after closing on a qualifying home instead of receiving it in monthly installments.
- The home must be inside Tulsa city limits, you must be named on the deed, and it must be your primary residence for a year after closing.
- The property cannot generate income for that first year.
- Eligibility: 18 or older, authorized to work in the US, employed full-time remotely for an employer outside Oklahoma, living outside Oklahoma for the full prior year, and able to relocate within twelve months.
- There is no income limit.
One practical note: treat this as taxable income and plan for the tax bill. It is a relocation incentive, not a housing subsidy, and it is not structured to be tax-free.
OHFA — and the “silent second” that is not a grant
The Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency runs two first mortgage programs: GOLD (first-time buyers, waived in targeted tracts) and DREAM (no first-time requirement). Both come with down payment assistance of 3.5% of the total loan amount.
That assistance is not a grant. OHFA’s own FAQ says it plainly: all OHFA financing received for down payment and closing cost assistance must be repaid. The product is described as a “Silent 2nd,” which means zero interest, zero fees and zero monthly payments — but it is a deferred second mortgage that comes due at maturity of your first mortgage, or on sale, refinance, transfer of ownership, or when the home stops being your primary residence.
The word “silent” refers to the absence of payments, not to forgiveness. Several consumer sites describe this as gift money. It is not.
Program details
- GOLD: first-time buyers, purchase price up to $349,525 non-targeted or $427,198 targeted. Tulsa County income limits are $98,474 for one or two people and $113,245 for three or more in non-targeted areas.
- DREAM: no first-time buyer requirement, $150,000 statewide income cap, purchase price up to $356,362 on government loans.
- Minimum credit score 640.
- Reduced rates for teachers, law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and state employees — an automatic 0.125% rate reduction.
- Homebuyer education is not required on government loans — only a DPA video. That is genuinely unusual, and worth knowing since almost every other program in the country requires a full course.
Putting it together
A Tulsa buyer in the right zip code who also qualifies for the county program can stack real money: $5,000 from North Tulsa Forward that you never repay, plus up to $17,882 from Tulsa County that forgives in five years. If you are also relocating as a remote worker, the Tulsa Remote $10,000 sits on top of that.
Outside District 1, the county program plus an OHFA first mortgage is the standard path — just go in understanding that the OHFA assistance portion is a deferred loan you will settle when you sell.
- Check your zip code against North Tulsa Forward’s District 1 list first — a true grant is worth structuring your search around.
- Complete HUD-approved homebuyer education, required by the county program for everyone on title.
- Ask a participating lender to confirm Tulsa County First Home funding availability.
- If you are moving to Tulsa for remote work, apply to Tulsa Remote before you close, and elect the home purchase lump sum.
- When comparing OHFA options, ask the lender to quote your payoff on the silent second at year seven and year ten so you can see it plainly.
Frequently asked questions
Is OHFA down payment assistance a grant?
No. OHFA’s own FAQ states that all down payment and closing cost assistance must be repaid. The 3.5% assistance is a deferred zero-interest second mortgage — a “silent second” — due when your first mortgage matures or when you sell, refinance or move out.
How much down payment help can I get in Tulsa?
Tulsa County First Home offers 3.5% of the note amount up to $17,882 as a five-year forgivable loan. In Council District 1, North Tulsa Forward adds up to $5,000 as a true grant. OHFA adds 3.5% more, but that portion is repayable.
Does Tulsa really pay you to move there?
Tulsa Remote pays eligible remote workers $10,000, and members can take it as a lump sum after closing on a home inside Tulsa city limits. You must work remotely for an employer outside Oklahoma and have lived outside Oklahoma the prior year. Plan for it to be taxable.
Do I need homebuyer education in Oklahoma?
It depends on the program. Tulsa County First Home requires HUD-approved education for everyone on the title. OHFA does not require it on government loans — only a DPA video — which is unusual nationally.
What are the income limits for Tulsa programs?
Tulsa County First Home allows $97,877 for one or two people and $112,559 for three or more in non-targeted areas. OHFA GOLD in Tulsa County allows $98,474 and $113,245. North Tulsa Forward requires income at or below 80% of area median.