To prepare to purchase an ARCH home, you can start by doing the following:

1) Sign up for the ARCH mailing list to be notified of housing opportunities

2) Take Homebuyer Education course ***

3) Work with a lender to get preapproved for a mortgage and determine how much you can afford

4) Gather paystubs, last year’s tax return and asset account statements

Not sure if you’re eligible to buy an ARCH Home?

Resale Homes

For affordable resales, click here to see the active listings.  Please reach out directly to sellers or seller’s agents for more information.

For resales, ARCH will work with you to verify your eligibility for purchase once you have a signed purchase and sale agreement (Eligibility Requirements).


New Construction Homes

To receive announcements on new construction homes, click here to sign up on our mailing list.  

Once on the ARCH mailing list, you will be notified of the latest information on the new homes for sale, including steps on how to apply. ARCH will work with you to verify eligibility prior to purchase (Eligibility Requirements).  Applicants must be first-time homebuyers. 

ARCH uses scoring criteria when multiple households are eligible to purchase a home but there are limited homes available. This model assigns points for various criteria such as living in King County and all areas of Bothell, household size, and approval for specific homeownership assistance programs. 

New Construction Buyer Selection Policy (effective 7/13/2025) 

  • Income (0-2 points)  

  • Household size (0-2 points)  

  • Residence in King County or anywhere in Bothell (1 point)  

  • Approved Homeownership Assistance Program (pilot program- 1 point) 

  • ADA homes prioritized for households who benefit from accessibility features 
     

Homeowner Assistance Program Details: ARCH has identified three homeownership assistance programs that a) focus on populations who are underrepresented in their rates of homeownership; b) provide significant financial assistance, for example, purchase assistance up to or exceeding 20% of the cost of the home, or long-term mortgage assistance. ARCH buyers who are working with a lender and have received full approval for one of the following programs will receive one point when applying for a new construction home.  

If you would like to learn more about these programs and determine if you qualify, please review the information provided and reach out to the programs directly.  

Program Option 1: Covenant Homeownership Program 

  • Description: The Washington State Housing Finance Commission launched the Covenant Homeownership Program in July 2024 to address past discriminatory policies by providing impacted households with significant downpayment assistance (DPA). The DPA loan has 0% interest and a maximum amount of 20% of the cost of the home, or up to $150,000. The program allows the forgiveness of Covenant Homeownership Program DPA loans for homebuyers earning under 80% Area Median Income (AMI) who stay in their homes for at least five years.

  • Eligibility: 
    1. Household income at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI). 

    2. First-time homebuyer 

    3. The homebuyer or a parent/grandparent/great-grandparent lived in Washington state before April 1968. Covenant homebuyers must provide documentation of the residency and race/ethnicity of the person (whether the homebuyer themselves or their parent/grandparent/great-grandparent) who lived in Washington state before April 1968. Housing counselors, Commission staff and other program partners are committed to helping homebuyers gather this documentation. The person who lived in Washington before April 1968 needs to be Black, Hispanic, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander*, Korean or Asian Indian in order to qualify for this program. 

    *Following the U.S. Census definitions, “Pacific Islander” includes individuals with origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands, including, for example, Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan, Fijian, and Marshallese. 

  • Contact: You can access this program by reaching out to the WA Homeownership Resource Center for information and by working directly with a WA Housing Finance Commission-trained lender to prequalify for a mortgage loan and establish your eligibility. WA Homeownership Resource Center: 877-894-4663.  

Program Option 2: Parkview Services Pre-Purchase Downpayment Assistance 

  • Description: Parkview Services funds are for borrowers with a household member with an intellectual or developmental disability as defined by Washington State Division of Developmental Disabilities. Downpayment assistance is available for up to $100,000.  

  • Eligibility: 

    1. Household member with an intellectual or developmental disability  

    2. Household income at or below 80% AMI  

    3. First time homebuyer  

    4. Homebuyer education and budget counseling required 

 

Program Option 3: King County Housing Authority Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program 

  • Description: The King County Housing Authority has launched a homeownership program to allow the use of Housing Choice Vouchers towards a mortgage payment rather than a rental payment. 

  • Eligibility - Current KCHA residents who meet program eligibility will receive official communication from the King County Housing Authority on how to move forward.  

If you are interested in receiving priority notification of homes for sale or new affordable apartments, you need to be on ARCH’s mailing list.