Easy Close or Capital Access: your income decides, not your preference
Program and regulatory figures verified October 4, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
Two programs, one slot, and two completely separate income tables. Most Wisconsin guidance treats this as a preference. It is closer to an eligibility test you either pass or you don't.
What is the actual difference between the two?
Amount, structure, income table and geography, four differences, and each one can rule a borrower out on its own. The table below is assembled from the Capital Access Advantage Product Matrix and WHEDA's current program and limits documents, read 2026-10-04.
| Easy Close DPA | Capital Access DPA | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | $1,000 min, up to 6% of the lesser of purchase price or appraised value | Flat $7,500 |
| Rate | Same as the WHEDA Advantage first mortgage | zero interest |
| Term | Fully amortized, 10 years | Same term as the first mortgage |
| Monthly payment | Yes, and it counts in your debt ratio | None |
| When is it repaid | Monthly across ten years | When the first mortgage is paid in full or refinanced |
| Income limits | WHEDA Advantage compliance limits (1–2 / 3+ columns) | Separate table, by household size 1–8 |
| Property | No restriction, statewide | Must be in a high housing needs area |
| Loan purpose | Down payment, closing costs, prepaids | Purchase only: down payment, closing costs, MI premiums |
| Fees | Standard | $30 recording fee only, must stay under 1% of the loan amount |
| Assumable | — | No |
How do I know which one I qualify for?
Start with the Capital Access table, because it is the narrower of the two. If your household income is at or under the Capital Access figure for your county and household size, both programs are open to you and the choice becomes a real one. If you are over it, Easy Close is your program and the decision is already made.
| County | Capital Access, 4 people | Easy Close, 3+ people |
|---|---|---|
| Dane | $106,800 | $155,595 |
| Brown | $85,050 | $122,245 |
| Calumet | $88,950 | $127,880 |
| Most other counties | $76,800 | $121,670 |
Those are different measurements, not different roundings of the same one. Capital Access counts every person in the household separately; Easy Close collapses everyone into two brackets. Full county tables.
If I qualify for both, which should I take?
It depends on how much assistance you need and how long you expect to stay. Capital Access gives a fixed $7,500 with no payment, which protects your debt ratio and your monthly budget. Easy Close can give considerably more on a higher-priced home, since 6% of a $300,000 purchase is $18,000, but it adds a second payment for ten years and that payment is counted against you when you qualify.
Mike's read: if the $7,500 covers what you actually need and the home is in a qualifying area, Capital Access is usually the better structure, because a deferred second at 0.00% is about as cheap as assistance gets. If you need more than $7,500 to close, Easy Close is the only one of the two that can produce it.
What applies to both programs?
Both are second mortgages and both require a WHEDA Advantage first mortgage, you cannot take either one on its own. Both must sit in second lien position. The maximum combined loan to value, including an existing community second, is 105%. And WHEDA assistance never counts as the borrower's own funds toward a required minimum contribution, which matters on FHA where a 3.5% borrower investment is required.
Frequently asked questions
Can you combine Easy Close and Capital Access in Wisconsin?
No. The Capital Access Advantage Product Matrix states that Capital Access cannot be used in tandem with WHEDA Easy Close DPA. A borrower uses one or the other behind a single WHEDA Advantage first mortgage.Which WHEDA program gives more down payment assistance?
It depends on purchase price. Capital Access is a flat $7,500 regardless of price. Easy Close pays up to 6% of the lesser of the purchase price or the appraised value, so on a higher-priced home it produces more, while on a lower-priced home the flat $7,500 can be larger.Why is the Capital Access income limit so much lower?
Because the two programs target different borrowers and use different tables. Capital Access is described in its product matrix as targeting low income borrowers buying in a high housing needs area, and its limits are published by household size from one to eight. Easy Close uses the broader WHEDA Advantage compliance limits with one-to-two and three-or-more columns.Does Capital Access work anywhere in Wisconsin?
No. Capital Access requires the property to be in a high housing needs area. Easy Close carries no property restriction and can be used statewide, which is often the deciding factor when a borrower qualifies for both on income.Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. WHEDA program terms, income limits and purchase price limits are set by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and change; figures here carry the date we verified them against WHEDA's published documents. Easy Close down payment assistance is an amortizing second mortgage with a monthly payment, not a grant. Capital Access is a deferred second mortgage repayable when the first mortgage is paid off or refinanced. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.