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Family Opportunity Mortgage Loan Program

Family Opportunity Mortgage Program

Family Opportunity Mortgage: Buy a Home for a Parent or Disabled Adult Child

Help the people you love own a home — without living there yourself.
We help families buy a home for an elderly parent or a disabled adult child using conventional, owner-occupant financing with a low down payment.

See If You Qualify Call (916) 271-4405 Email Paul
Paul Bozek · NMLS #189572 · Email Paul · (916) 271-4405 Unified Home Loans · NMLS #1965830 2270 Douglas Blvd Ste 215, Roseville, CA ★ 5.0 on Google — 133 reviews
Updated October 15, 2026 · Paul Bozek, NMLS #189572
Updated for Fannie Mae’s November 2025 credit-score change. Desktop Underwriter no longer applies a fixed 620 minimum credit score. Most guides online still say it does — this page reflects the current guideline.
Key Takeaways
Buy for family, priced like your own home. Purchase a home for an elderly parent or a disabled adult child with owner-occupied rates and a low down payment.
You do not have to live there. Your family member occupies the home as their primary residence — there is no distance requirement between their home and yours.
Standard conventional financing. Fannie Mae guidelines: no fixed minimum credit score since late 2025 — your full credit profile, documented income and assets, and debt-to-income up to 50% with strong underwriting findings.
Often the affordable path. Frequently costs less than assisted living or the higher rates and down payments of second-home and investment financing.
See How It Works

Family Opportunity Mortgage, Explained

The Basics

What is a Family Opportunity Mortgage?

It’s a conventional loan option that lets you buy a home for a family member and still get owner-occupied pricing and terms — even though you won’t be the one living there. Parents or legal guardians can buy for a disabled adult child, and adult children can buy for an elderly parent whose income isn’t enough to qualify on their own. Either way, you get the same low down payment and pricing as a primary residence purchase — not an investment property.

5%
Minimum Down Payment
No Floor
Minimum Credit Score
50%
Max Debt-to-Income
133
Five-Star Reviews

Why families choose this program

Low down payment. Low down payment options — far less than what is typically required on a second home or investment property.
Much lower interest rates. Treated as an owner-occupied primary residence purchase, so you qualify for primary-residence rates instead of investment-property pricing.
Possible tax deduction. Mortgage interest and property taxes may be deductible — talk to your tax professional about your specific situation.
No occupancy requirement. You are not required to live in the home yourself; the family member you’re buying for occupies it as their primary residence.
Qualifying

Who qualifies, and for what home

Qualifying works just like a standard conventional loan through Fannie Mae guidelines — with a few program-specific rules layered on top.

Borrower. Must be the parent/legal guardian of the child living in the home, or the child of the elderly parent living in the home. A non-occupant co-borrower is permitted.
Occupancy. The child or elderly parent must occupy the home as their primary residence, suitable for year-round living, with no outside management firm in control.
Property type. Single-family homes are the typical fit; 2–4 unit properties may be possible with different down payment requirements. Timeshares and investment properties are not eligible.
Credit & income. No fixed minimum credit score under current Fannie Mae automated underwriting — your full credit history is evaluated, and higher scores mean better pricing. Lender guidelines may apply. Standard income, employment and asset documentation required.
Debt-to-income. Up to 50% across all monthly debts on the credit report plus the new housing payment, with strong automated-underwriting findings.
Cost Comparison

Could be cheaper than assisted living

Many families are looking at paying for assisted living out of pocket. Buying a home for a parent can be a more affordable, more comfortable alternative — and it supports multi-generational living. For an elderly parent, their income must not be sufficient to qualify on their own, and they must occupy the home as a primary residence, and there’s no distance requirement between homes — the parent is not a co-borrower, the adult child is, and may already own their own primary residence. For a disabled child, the same underwriting guidelines apply, and the home must be for the child’s use — it cannot be used as an investment or rental property.

Worth Knowing

A few things to weigh first

It is your loan, long term. As the borrower, the mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance and upkeep are your responsibility — and the payment counts in your debt-to-income ratio if you finance something else down the road.
Ownership stays with you. Equity and appreciation belong to you as the owner, which can carry estate and tax planning implications. A conversation with your tax professional is worth having before you buy.
Plan for change. If your family member’s health or living situation changes later, you still own the home — most families are glad to have the asset, but it helps to think through that scenario up front. We walk through all of this with you on the first call.
How To Get One

Five steps to a Family Opportunity Mortgage

1. Tell us the scenario. Who the home is for, which state, and your timeline. That’s the eligibility check — no credit pull, no obligation.
2. Document the occupant’s situation. For a parent: proof their income isn’t enough to qualify on their own (a Social Security award letter or pension statement usually does it) or that they’re unable to work. For a disabled adult child: documentation of the disability and income.
3. Get pre-approved on your own numbers. You qualify on your income, credit and assets, carrying your current housing payment plus the new one. Your parent or child is not on the loan.
4. Find the home and go under contract. Standard primary-residence appraisal and underwriting. Occupancy is documented at closing.
5. Close, and your family member moves in. The home is their primary residence; you own it and hold the mortgage at primary-residence terms.
Client Reviews

What families are saying

“Unbeatable rates and top-notch service!”Juan H. Perez
“Paul was amazing on my Family Opportunity transaction.”Royal Kirkland
“I had a great experience working with John Ussery…”Terrence Navarra
Beyond the Family Opportunity Program

Our other loan products

Fixed & ARM loans FHA loans VA loans USDA loans Jumbo loans First-time home buyer programs Low down payment options Investment property loans No income doc loans Refinance loans HELOCs & home equity loans
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PB
About the Author

Paul Bozek, NMLS #189572

Producing owner of Unified Home Loans (NMLS #1965830, CA DRE #02116409), a mortgage brokerage and correspondent lender in Roseville, California. Paul has personally originated Family Opportunity Mortgage loans for adult children buying homes for their parents, and reviews every page on this site against the current Fannie Mae Selling Guide.

Questions about your family's situation? Check your options or call (916) 271-4405.

FAQ

Family Opportunity Mortgage FAQs

What is a Family Opportunity Mortgage? A conventional loan that lets you buy a home for a parent or adult child using owner-occupied pricing and terms, even though you won't be the one living there.
Who qualifies for a Family Opportunity Mortgage? Parents or legal guardians buying for a disabled adult child, and adult children buying for an elderly parent whose income isn't enough to qualify on their own.
Do I have to live in the home myself? No. The family member you're buying for occupies the home as their primary residence — you don't have to live there or even nearby.
What credit score and down payment do I need? There's no fixed minimum credit score under current Fannie Mae underwriting — approval depends on your overall credit profile and lender guidelines — and down payments start at 5%, the same as a standard primary-residence purchase.
Is this the same as an investment property or second home loan? No. Because an immediate family member occupies the home as their primary residence, it qualifies for owner-occupied pricing and rates instead of the higher rates and larger down payments required for investment or second-home financing.
What states are you licensed in? The Family Opportunity Mortgage is a Fannie Mae guideline available in all 50 states. Unified Home Loans lends directly in California, Indiana and Florida; if you're buying elsewhere, call us and we'll point you to a lender who offers it.
Does my family member need to be a co-borrower on the loan? Usually not. In the parent-buying-for-a-child scenario the parent is typically the sole borrower, and in the adult-child-buying-for-a-parent scenario the child is typically the sole borrower.
Can I use this program for a sibling, grandparent, or other relative? This specific program is built around the parent-child relationship. If you are looking to help a different family member, call us and we can point you toward other options.
Is there a limit to how many homes I can buy this way? This program is designed to help with one family member's residence, not to build a rental portfolio. Ask us about investment property options instead.
What are the income and credit requirements? Standard conventional underwriting applies: documented income and employment, standard asset verification, and a full credit review rather than a fixed score cutoff.
What are the pros and cons of a Family Opportunity Mortgage? Pros: primary-residence pricing and down payment instead of investment-property terms, no requirement for you to live there, no distance rule, and your parent or child doesn't need to be on the loan. Cons: it is your mortgage for the full term, it counts in your debt-to-income ratio for anything you borrow later, you have to qualify carrying two housing payments, and family arrangements need to be clear up front.
What are the interest rates on a Family Opportunity Mortgage? It is priced as a primary residence — the same rate sheet as buying your own home, without the pricing adjustments applied to second homes and investment properties. Your actual rate depends on credit, loan size, down payment and the market on the day you lock. We quote rates for your specific scenario rather than publishing them here.
What are the limitations of a Family Opportunity Mortgage? It covers two relationships only (child buying for a parent, parent buying for a disabled adult child). The family member must live in the home as their primary residence, the home can't be used as a rental or investment, and it is a Fannie Mae conventional guideline — FHA, VA and USDA loans don't use this exception. You must qualify on your own income and credit.
Is there a maximum down payment? No. 5% is the minimum; you can put down as much as you like. At 20% or more, mortgage insurance is not required.

Ready to see if you qualify?

Tell us about your family's situation and we'll walk you through your options — no obligation.

See If You Qualify Call (916) 271-4405 Email Paul
Where It's Available

The Family Opportunity Mortgage is available in all 50 states

This is a Fannie Mae guideline, not a lender-specific product, so a home for an elderly parent or disabled adult child can be financed this way anywhere in the United States. Unified Home Loans lends directly in California, Indiana and Florida (marked ✓). If you're buying in another state, reach out anyway — we'll explain how the program works in your situation and point you to a lender who offers it.

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCalifornia ✓ColoradoConnecticutDelawareFlorida ✓GeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndiana ✓IowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Unified Home Loans · NMLS #1965830 · CA DRE #02116409 · Company licensing: CA, IN, FL. Paul Bozek NMLS #189572.