Demand for the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program has been significant. The portion of Cook County funding available through the Land Home Financial Services lending channel has now been fully allocated. Lenders that access the Cook County program through Land Home may no longer be able to reserve the County-funded assistance for new borrowers.
A limited amount of Cook County-funded assistance may still be available through Wintrust Mortgage. To be considered through the Wintrust lending channel, a buyer must obtain the first mortgage through Wintrust Mortgage and complete Wintrust’s full mortgage application and eligibility-review process.
Funding and participation are not guaranteed. Assistance subject to:
→ available program funding;
→ Cook County program requirements;
→ mortgage and property eligibility;
→ Wintrust underwriting and approval; and
→ the availability of funds when a reservation is requested.
You are not required to change lenders.
You may choose to:
→ continue working with your current lender and ask about other available down payment assistance or mortgage options;
→ explore whether you qualify for the remaining Cook County-funded assistance through Wintrust Mortgage; or
→ ask Club 720 to help you understand the options available through the Illinois Marketplace.
Club 720 will not transfer you information or change your lender without your permission.
The Cook County-funded program may provide eligible buyers with assistance of up to 5% of the final first mortgage amount, not to exceed $25,000.
The terms below describe the Cook County-funded program. They do not necessarily describe other continuously funded down payment assistance products available from individual lenders. Program funding must be reserved through an eligible lending channel and is not guaranteed until the reservation has been confirmed.
Assistance up to 5% of the final first loan amount
FHA, VA, and Freddie Mac loan limits apply
Affordable 5-year loan forgiveness
No income limit in Targeted Areas*
First-time and repeat homebuyers
*”Targeted Areas” are “Disproportionately Impacted Areas (DIA)” or “Qualified Census Tracts (QCT)” as defined by the State of Illinois. For a description of DIA and QCT, or to determine if a specific property is located in any one of those targeted areas, buyers and lenders should refer to this website.”
Example Rate Buy-down Table
7. If approved and eligible, Wintrust will determine whether Cook County funds remain available for reservation.
* Club 720’s screening and marketplace tools help buyers understand potential program eligibility and next steps. They are not a mortgage approval, prequalification, loan commitment, or guarantee of down payment assistance.
Cook County and Club 720 are beginning Community Marketplace Activation work to organize the lenders, housing counselors, real estate professionals, builders, employers, and other partners serving Cook County residents.
Marketplace participation and access to individual programs are not the same. A partner may participate in the Cook County Marketplace without being authorized to originate or deliver every program shown in the Marketplace.
Partners interested in being considered for the Cook County Marketplace may submit information about their organization, services, geographic coverage, and available homeownership products.
We’re looking for local champions—realtors, employers, and developers—who are ready to step up and help shape the future of housing in Cook County.
Whether you work with homebuyers every day, employ the workforce that keeps our communities moving, or play a role in building the homes themselves, your leadership is essential. Together, we can expand access to affordable homeownership, create new opportunities for working families, and ensure Cook County’s housing market works for everyone. This is your chance to be part of the solution.
Be Part of a Community-Led Solution: Align your brand with Cook County’s commitment to expanding homeownership and supporting residents on their path to financial stability.
Gain Access to Pre-Qualified Buyers: Connect with individuals already engaged in financial education, coaching, and pre-qualification through Club 720—buyers who are prepared and motivated.
Expand Your Reach: Be featured as a trusted local partner across Club 720’s platform and marketing efforts, increasing your visibility to new clients across Cook County.
Make a Measurable Impact: Help more families secure homes, build generational wealth, and stay rooted in the community—all while growing your business in a meaningful way.
This is more than a partnership—it’s a community investment.
Not completely.
The allocation available through the Land Home Financial Services lending channel has been fully committed. Limited Cook County-funded assistance may still be available through Wintrust Mortgage.
Availability can change quickly and is not guaranteed until a funding reservation has been confirmed.
While Cook County funds remain available through Wintrust, eligible buyers may be considered for the Cook County-funded program through the Wintrust lending channel.
Wintrust may also offer other continuously funded assistance after Cook County funds are exhausted. Those products may have different assistance amounts, rates, repayment terms, eligibility requirements, and mortgage terms.
Your Wintrust loan officer will explain which product is available and provide the required loan disclosures.
First, ask your current lender whether Cook County assistance has already been reserved for your loan.
If your assistance has been reserved, continue working with your lender unless the lender advises you otherwise.
If assistance has not been reserved and your lender can no longer access Cook County funding, you may:
Our DPA programs can be used to help cover your down payment, closing costs, or to buy down your interest rate in order to lower your monthly mortgage payment. They’re designed to reduce the upfront costs of purchasing a home and make homeownership more affordable. However, the DPA cannot be used with 203(k) renovation loans or other similar rehabilitation loan products. If you’re unsure whether your loan type qualifies, your lender can help determine eligibility based on the program guidelines.
You may continue working with your current lender, but your lender may no longer have access to the remaining Cook County-funded assistance.
At this time, limited Cook County funding may still be available through Wintrust Mortgage. To pursue that option, you would need to obtain your first mortgage through Wintrust and complete its mortgage application and eligibility-review process.
Changing lenders is your decision. Before doing so, ask both lenders how a change could affect your interest rate, fees, credit inquiry, appraisal, underwriting timeline, purchase agreement, and closing date.
Club 720 will not transfer your information to another lender without your permission.
When we say “affordable mortgage,” we mean a safe, fixed-rate loan that helps you buy a home without needing a big down payment. With this program, you get down payment assistance of up to 5% of the final first loan amount plus a 30-year mortgage that keeps your monthly payment predictable. While the interest rate might be slightly higher than a loan without assistance, it’s still competitive and often the best option when you don’t want to wait years to save up. The goal is to make buying a home possible and sustainable. That’s what affordability means to us.
Congrats on taking the first step with us! You’ll want to first figure out how much home you can afford – our trusted lending partners can help with this. If you’d rather “DIY” it, you can head over to our app, find our calculators and crunch the numbers. Our coaches are happy to assist throughout the whole process.
The area in which you are looking to purchase your home will determine the amount you’re eligible for. Refer to the program details section of this page for more information.
That is up to you! Once you’ve submitted all necessary paperwork, provided to you by your lender, the process should move very quickly. Your lender can provide a more accurate timeframe.
Typically, lenders require employment and income information, asset information, debt and liabilities, and proof of residence. They will pull your credit report to check your score, history and debt-to-income ratio.
Club 720 partners are required to respond within 24 hours of receiving your eligibility form.
You’ll need to open your homebuyer eligibility form on the app and pick up where you left off by choosing an available program. This way, we can match you with the tools you need to utilize that program, like a lender or coach.
Not at all. Club 720 conducts a soft credit pull to verify your self-reported score before connecting you with a lender.
The short answer is no. This is a forgivable second mortgage with no payments and no interest!
A coaching report is created for those who need a little extra help increasing their credit score to meet program requirements. Once you have taken the Accountability Coaching course, we will create a custom report to use as a guide to increasing your credit score.
There are certain programs that can be stacked with the Cook County DPA program. Please check with your lender for other program options! You can also visit our programs page to find other programs being offered in Illinois.
