Moving from one home to the next can be costly, but there’s a program in Michigan that offers up to $5,000 to help with the move in certain counties.
Discover Southwest Michigan has launched a new program, offering $5,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers in Van Buren, Cass and Berrien counties.
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Program Manager Molly McFadden tells MLive, the offer also includes free tuition at Lake Michigan College, one-on-one help enrolling kids in local schools, a personalized tour of your new community and career counseling.
The package is valued at $14,000, according to the website.
To qualify, candidates must work and live in Berrien, Cass or Van Buren counties, McFadden said. That job has to pay at least $40,000 a year.
The program, called “Make My Move,” will drum up interest for regional employers like Whirlpool and Corewell Health.
Applications for funding are available online through Jan. 31, 2026.
Cass, Van Buren and Berrien counties make up the southwest corner of the state. Berrien and Van Buren border Lake Michigan, boasting beach towns like New Buffalo, South Haven and St. Joseph. Niles, in Cass County, sits just 11 miles north of South Bend, Indiana.