Housing

Singapore Central Provident Fund (CPF)

The Singapore Central Provident Fund (CPF) is a comprehensive mandatory social security savings scheme that provides working Singaporeans and Permanent Residents with a robust framework for retirement income, healthcare financing, home ownership, and family protection through employer and employee contributions to individual accounts managed by the CPF Board.

Type: Benefit Amount: Combined employer and employee contributions can reach 37% of wages Deadline: Rolling Location: Singapore

South Carolina Homestead Exemption

Property tax exemption that shields up to $50,000 of a primary residence's fair market value for eligible South Carolina seniors and residents with disabilities.

Type: Benefit Amount: $50,000 reduction in taxable value on a primary legal residence Deadline: Apply with your county auditor or assessor between January 1 and July 15 for the current tax year Location: South Carolina

South Dakota Assessment Freeze for the Elderly and Disabled

Freezes the assessed value of a principal residence for qualifying South Dakota seniors and disabled homeowners.

Type: Benefit Amount: Locks assessed value at the year of approval, limiting property tax increases Deadline: File application with county treasurer by April 1 Location: South Dakota

Stop Foreclosure and Catch Up on Housing Bills: Homeowner Assistance Fund Grants Up to $75,000 in COVID Hardship Help

If you’re behind on your mortgage (or property taxes, or HOA dues, or utilities) and your finances took a hit after January 21, 2020, the **Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)** is one of the rare government programs that can actually change your mo...

Amount: Up to $75,000 depending on the state program; average awards range from $10,000 to $40,000 Deadline: Varies by state (many programs accepting applications until funds are exhausted in 2025) Location: United States

Tennessee Property Tax Relief: Get Up to $1,500 Off Your Property Taxes if You Are Elderly, Disabled, or a Veteran

State-funded reimbursements that cover part of the property taxes on a primary residence for qualifying Tennessee homeowners.

Type: Benefit Amount: Varies by county Deadline: Apply through your county trustee by 35 days after the April tax delinquency date (typically early April or mid-May depending on county) Location: Tennessee

USDA Section 502 Direct Home Loan

Zero-down payment mortgage for very low- and low-income rural homebuyers financed directly by USDA Rural Development.

Type: Loan Amount: Loan limit varies by county; payment assistance can reduce effective interest rate to 1% Deadline: Rolling Location: United States - Rural

USDA Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants

Provides low-interest loans and grants to very low-income rural homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize dwellings.

Type: Benefit Amount: Loans up to $40,000 at 1% interest; grants up to $10,000 for seniors Deadline: Rolling Location: United States

USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Direct Loan Guide: How to Secure 1 Percent Financing for Rural Affordable Housing

If you work in affordable housing and rural communities keep coming up short, the USDA Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Direct Loan program should be on your short list of tools. It is not flashy. It is not fast.

Amount: Up to 100% of development costs (or appraised value) with 1% effective interest rate and up to … Deadline: Annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and rolling applications through USDA Rural Development state offices Location: United States

VA Home Loan Benefits 2025: How Veterans Can Buy a Home with $0 Down

If you’re a Veteran, service member, or surviving spouse and you think you “can’t afford a house,” the VA home loan program might change your mind very quickly. This isn’t a tiny perk buried in your benefits packet.

Type: Benefit Amount: Loan amounts up to conforming limits with zero down; funding fee varies 0.5%–3.3% Deadline: rolling application Location: United States

Vermont Homestead Declaration and Property Tax Credit

Reduces school and municipal property taxes for Vermont resident homeowners through income-based credits linked to the annual homestead declaration.

Type: Benefit Amount: Credits vary; up to $8,000 or more depending on income and property tax Deadline: File Homestead Declaration Form HS-122 and Property Tax Credit Claim Form HI-144 by April 15 (automatic extension to October 15 for income tax filers) Location: Vermont