HomeBase
Loading your page
Getting the information you requested ready to view.
You can still use the navigation above.
HomeBase
Getting the information you requested ready to view.
You can still use the navigation above.
Loans & assistance
Yes — gift funds are a standard, documented part of mortgage lending. The key is the paper trail, not the permission.
Every major loan type allows gifts from family (and certain others) toward your down payment and closing costs. FHA's handbook spells out acceptable donors and documentation; conventional rules are similar in spirit.
What lenders require is provenance: a signed gift letter stating the money is not a loan, plus a traceable path (the donor's statement showing the withdrawal, yours showing the deposit). Surprise cash appearing in your account shortly before closing creates delays; documented gifts don't.
Practical advice: tell your lender about gift money at preapproval, not closing week — they will hand you the exact letter template and tell you how to move the money cleanly.
Source: HUD/FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1
Who confirms it for you: Your lender — donor eligibility and documentation differ slightly by loan type.
Educational, not advice — and never an eligibility determination. Program rules and loan requirements change; the cited source and the named confirmer are the authorities for your case.