How One Pollinator Properties Agent Unlocked $61,000 in Assistance for a First-Time Buyer

For many first-time homebuyers, the biggest barrier to homeownership isn’t qualifying for a mortgage … it’s coming up with the cash. Between the down payment, closing costs, and related expenses, buyers can face tens of thousands of dollars due at the closing table. That reality can put homeownership out of reach entirely or leave new owners financially stretched from day one. Down payment assistance (DPA) programs can offset a meaningful portion of that burden. 

Real estate agents face a parallel challenge. Even when one or more of the 2,700-plus DPA programs nationally are available in their markets, keeping track of what’s available, who qualifies, and how to apply requires time and expertise most busy agents don’t have. Programs vary by county, municipality, and provider, and the requirements change frequently.

Crystal Presley, an agent with Pollinator Properties, a real estate firm serving buyers and sellers from western North Carolina to the Charlotte metro and Piedmont region, sees this gap firsthand. “Metro Charlotte spans so much territory, with different municipalities and different counties, and many offer down payment assistance,” Presley says. “But not all agents are well-versed in knowing what’s out there and how to access it.” 

The problem is compounded by a widespread misconception: many agents and buyers assume DPA is only for low-income households. In reality, programs can be available for homes valued up to $800,000 and for buyers across a wide range of incomes.

Making DPA Part of the Workflow

In 2022, Presley was introduced to Down Payment Resource’s (DPR) Down Payment Connect through Canopy MLS, which serves subscribers across North and South Carolina. Canopy MLS uses the DPR platform to provide members with a personalized landing page that directs buyers to available down payment and homeownership programs. When a buyer enters their information on an agent’s Down Payment Connect landing page, they receive a list of programs they may qualify for, and that information is also shared with the agent.

Presley has fully integrated this capability into her daily workflow. She includes her Down Payment Connect link in her email signature and sends it to prospects in her introductory email and welcome packet. “DPR organizes all of the program information and keeps it current so I can check on available DPA programs while working on listings or searching for properties,” she says. “DPR enables my colleagues and me to educate buyers and sellers about options they might never have considered.”

To get started, Presley completed initial training on Down Payment Connect through Canopy MLS that covered how to use the platform, personalize her link and build DPA possibilities into standard buyer conversations. From there, she goes deeper into the individual program level. “Once I use a program, I typically want to learn as much as possible about it,” she explains. After closing a transaction with House Charlotte, for example, she connected with the team at DreamKey Partners, which administers the program, to understand every requirement from property inspections to repair conditions and closing timelines. “If I didn’t know about all of that, I could cost my client the whole deal,” she says.

Finding the Right Lending Partners 

DPA success doesn’t rely on the agent alone. It also depends on having the right lending partner. Presley encourages every buyer to shop for a lender who is genuinely fluent in DPA programs and to ask directly about available incentives, program experience, and fees. She also doesn’t shy away from encouraging buyers to negotiate. “Sometimes you can even negotiate with your lender,” she tells clients. “Ask them to cover your origination fee or something.”

Over time, she has built a list of lenders who understand how to stack programs and navigate their requirements without derailing the transaction. One such lender helped her assemble a three-program package that changed the trajectory of a buyer’s life. For agents and lenders looking to build similar connections and expertise, Presley points to a DPA-focused Facebook group with more than 15,000 members, where industry professionals share ideas, stay current on programs, and troubleshoot the nuances of homeownership assistance.

What DPA Looks Like in Practice

The impact of this strategy is best illustrated by the numbers. In one Charlotte-area transaction, Presley’s client purchased a $314,000 home using three stacked programs and received $61,000 in assistance, which was nearly 20 percent of the purchase price, with far less cash required at the closing table than they had anticipated. The package combined House Charlotte, a zero-percent second mortgage on the property, support from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and an additional program out of Atlanta. “Sixty-one thousand dollars is a huge chunk of change that can make a critical difference in opening doors that might otherwise remain closed,” Presley says.

Presley also uses DPR data to strengthen her listing strategy. She runs every property through the platform to check for program eligibility and then calls it out in the MLS remarks. By letting fellow agents know that a listing qualifies for multiple down payment programs, sometimes more than a dozen at once, she attracts a wider pool of buyers and agents who understand the value of DPA. That approach has earned her business from sellers and investors who specifically seek out agents with expertise in homeownership assistance.

The results show up across her buyer pipeline as well. In the past year alone, Presley estimates that roughly two out of every five buyers she has worked with have used at least one DPA program. She checks for every buyer, every time, regardless of income. “I do tell every client about it. I send it in their welcome packet. It’s money for you out there,” she says. For one family who had lost their home in Hurricane Helene, that diligence was life-changing. With the help of DPA, seller credits and a tax credit for the life of the loan, they purchased a $199,000 property and brought approximately $35 to closing.

Changing the DPA Narrative 

Presley’s work extends beyond her own clients. As chair of the marketing and communications advisory group for Canopy MLS, she advocates for DPR tools across her network and encourages every agent to, at minimum, add their Down Payment Connect link to their email signature. She sees that simple step as a way to normalize DPA conversations and help more buyers understand what is possible.

She also believes sharing real-world outcomes is essential to changing perceptions. “Sharing the stories matters,” she says. “You keep telling other agents, telling other clients, working with the right lenders. That’s how this changes.” Her results make the case clear: When agents are equipped with the right tools, training and lending partners, down payment assistance can move from rare exception to a standard part of the homebuying conversation, opening doors for buyers who might otherwise believe homeownership is out of reach.

See how Crystal Presley puts DPA into practice. Read the full case study.

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Down Payment Resource builds tools that help mortgage lenders, real estate agents, multiple listing services and consumer listing sites build relationships with homebuyers by connecting them with the down payment help they need.

To learn how Down Payment Resource can help you support homebuyers, contact us.