WHEDA Easy Close
Up to 6% of the purchase price toward your down payment, as a ten-year second mortgage with a monthly payment at your first loan's rate. A repayable second, not a grant.
Cornerstone First Mortgage · Mike Certo NMLS #260555
Wisconsin home loans, from WHEDA's Easy Close and Capital Access down payment help to Milwaukee and Madison lending.
Wisconsin-licensed lending from the Milwaukee suburbs to the rural counties. Straight numbers on WHEDA's two down payment programs, which are second mortgages you repay rather than the grants some sites describe, the mortgage credit certificate, USDA across rural Wisconsin, and the seller-paid transfer fee. A Cornerstone branch manager who works the file himself instead of handing it to a call center.
The Wisconsin programs Mike runs
WHEDA, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, anchors the first-time and assistance side. Around it sit the standard loan types and a few niche paths. Here is the menu.
WHEDA Capital Access
$7,500 toward your down payment, as a 0% deferred second with no monthly payment, repaid when you pay off the first mortgage. The 2026 supply is limited to 78 loans.
WHEDA Tax Advantage (MCC)
A federal income-tax credit on your mortgage interest, for the life of the loan, capped at $2,000 a year. A higher credit rate applies for veterans and target areas.
FHA, VA & USDA
FHA from 3.5% down, VA at zero down for veterans, and USDA at zero down across rural Wisconsin. Each pairs with a WHEDA loan.
Jumbo & self-employed
Above the $832,750 conforming limit, plus bank-statement and 1099 loans for business owners whose tax returns understate their income.
Investor & bridge
DSCR loans for rentals, including ratios below 1.0, and bridge financing so you can buy the next home before selling the current one.
The 2026 Wisconsin Home Loan Guide
Every Wisconsin loan type compared by credit and down payment. Free.
Every Wisconsin loan type compared by credit and down payment. Free.
Why work with Mike
Most Wisconsin buyers who search for WHEDA help land on a national aggregator that sells the lead three times before anyone calls back. That is not us. Mike Certo is a branch manager with Cornerstone First Mortgage who works Wisconsin files himself, and he will tell you straight which path fits: Capital Access when you want the 0% deferred help and the supply is open, Easy Close when you want the larger amount and can carry the second payment, a plain conventional or FHA when WHEDA adds nothing. He closes these across metro Milwaukee, Madison, and the rural counties, and he knows the parts that trip Wisconsin buyers up, the difference between the two WHEDA programs, the seller-paid transfer fee, and where USDA reaches out in farm country.
Complex files are the specialty
Self-employed income, jumbo with student debt, DSCR investor loans below a 1.0 ratio, buy-before-you-sell bridge financing, doctors still in residency. These are the files that stall at a call-center lender and close with Mike. If your situation has a wrinkle, that is the reason to call, not a reason to wait.
Wisconsin home-loan FAQ
What is the difference between WHEDA Easy Close and Capital Access?
They are both down payment help, but they are structured differently. Easy Close gives up to 6% of the purchase price as a ten-year second mortgage that you repay with a monthly payment, at the same rate as your first loan. Capital Access gives $7,500 as a 0% deferred second with no monthly payment, repaid only when you pay off the first mortgage. Capital Access is capped at 78 loans for 2026, so its supply can run out.
Is WHEDA down payment assistance a grant you never repay?
No. Neither WHEDA program is a grant. Easy Close is a repayable second mortgage with a monthly payment. Capital Access defers, meaning no monthly payment, but you still repay the full $7,500 when you sell, refinance, or pay off the loan. Some websites call Easy Close a 6% grant, which is wrong. Both are loans, and Mike will show you the repayment on each.
Who pays the transfer fee in Wisconsin?
The seller. Wisconsin charges a real estate transfer fee of $3.00 per $1,000 of price, which is 0.3%, and state statute imposes it on the grantor, meaning the seller. On a $360,000 home that is $1,080. There is also a flat register-of-deeds recording fee, usually around $30 per document. For a buyer, the transfer fee is not part of your cash to close.
Is much of Wisconsin eligible for a zero-down USDA loan?
Yes. Outside the Milwaukee, Madison, and Green Bay metro cores, much of Wisconsin qualifies, including the farm counties and small towns. USDA asks for no down payment. Eligibility is address-specific and income-capped near $119,850 for a one-to-four-person household in most counties as of 2026, so confirm your address at USDA's tool.
What is the fastest way to find out if you can help me?
Call (480) 296-6513 and ask for Mike, or send your scenario through the contact form. Our team calls you back shortly. Pre-approval typically takes 24 to 48 hours once your credit and income documents are in.