In almost every country, there is some form of public assistance for those who cannot afford to buy a home on their salary alone: public housing, down-payment assistance, purchasing a share of the property, low-interest loans, and even official housing lotteries.
The names vary from country to country, but the logic is similar. This guide explains these schemes, highlights actual programs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and other countries, and teaches you how to tell an official sweepstakes from a scam.
The Essentials
- Almost every program starts with free registration at city hall, the housing agency, or a local office.
- Official housing lotteries do exist — in New York, Barcelona, Lisbon, Singapore, and Mexico, for example — and they don't charge anything to participate.
- In shared ownership, you buy only part of the house and pay rent for the rest.
- Habitat for Humanity does not donate houses: The organization sells each house with an affordable mortgage, and the family works on the construction.
- A raffle with a house as the prize is only legal if it is authorized, and the rules vary from country to country.
Options that are available in almost every country
Before looking into your country's program, it's worth learning about the most common types of affordable housing:
The first step is almost always the same: Contact your city's housing agency and sign up. Have proof of income on hand for everyone living in the household—your household income determines which programs you qualify for.
United States
The requirements for each track are listed on the official pages of the USDA Direct Credit Program and Habitat for Humanity, which makes it clear that it does not donate homes: the family buys and pays for them.
United Kingdom
The Right to Buy may change again. A bill currently under consideration in Parliament proposes requiring 10 years as a tenant and discounts ranging from 5% to 15%. Check the current rules on the official website before applying. The details of the Shared Ownership They are also available on gov.uk.
Spain and Portugal
In the Iberian Peninsula, public housing is typically distributed through raffle among those who have registered in an official record:
To participate, sign up with the registry in your city—for example, the register of applicants from Barcelona or Lisbon Affordable Housing Program. Your subscription has a limited validity period: renew it before it expires.
Mexico
According to the Conavi, registration is free, personal, and done without intermediaries. The 2025 Infonavit reform also introduced the option of rent-to-own, in which the rent paid can count toward the purchase price—check with Infonavit directly to confirm availability.
In Brazil, the main program is “Minha Casa, Minha Vida,” which is explained in our guide to How to Get a Home Through the Government.
Singapore and Australia
Help to Buy has 10,000 spots available each year, and applications are submitted through a participating bank. The rules are available at the program's official website.
Official sweepstakes and private raffles
When there are more applicants than available housing units, some governments hold a lottery among those who have applied. In New York, for example, Housing Connect assigns a random number to each application, and there is no application fee, as explained by the official program guide. An official drawing always includes:
- Free registration, submitted online or in person at the government agency's office
- Published Rules Before the lottery: income, documents, and reserved spots
- Public results, with a list or registration number
- Press Conference After the Draw: Being selected in the lottery does not guarantee you the house if your income or documents do not meet the requirements
Raffles and giveaways of homes organized by companies or individuals are a different story. Each country requires authorization:
Before buying a ticket, Look up the license or permit number in the regulations and verify it on the website of the agency that issued it. If there is no number, do not participate.
How to Avoid Scams
Scammers know that many people wait years to buy a home. In the United States, the FTC warns that There is no fee to join the waiting list and that housing agencies do not contact anyone by phone or email to collect payment. This rule applies in any country. Be wary of:
- Registration fee in a public program or on a waiting list.
- A promise to take the lead or to secure the house by making a payment.
- Intermediaries who claim to have connections at the housing agency.
- Payment Request by bank transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency.
- Websites and profiles that impersonate government agencies, with an address different from the official one.
If someone has charged you, file a complaint with the consumer protection agency or the police in your country, and notify the housing authority.
If your income allows you to make the payments, be sure to also compare the options in our guide for buy a less expensive house, including mortgages, interest, and auctions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a program that gives away a house for free?
Almost never. Even the most generous programs require a payment or rent proportional to income. What does exist are subsidies that significantly reduce the price and, in some cases, direct assistance to the most vulnerable families.
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Are housing lotteries reliable?
Official sweepstakes, yes: they’re free, have published rules, and the results are made public. Be wary of any “home sweepstakes” that charge a fee to enter or that don’t disclose their license or permit.
Can I apply to more than one program?
Generally speaking, yes. In the United States, the government recommends signing up for the waiting list at more than one housing agency. In other countries, check the rules for each program.
Do I need credit approval?
To buy a home, usually yes, even with assistance. In shared ownership, for example, the portion you purchase is typically financed with a mortgage, and Habitat for Humanity requires that the family be able to afford an affordable mortgage.
What is shared ownership?
It involves buying only a portion of the home—in the United Kingdom, from 10% to 75%—and paying rent on the remaining portion. Later, you can buy additional portions until you own the entire property.
Where to Start
- Contact the housing agency in your city and sign up.
- Keep your proof of income up to date and renew your subscription before it expires.
- Sign up for more than one program when the rules allow it.
- Never pay to sign up and check the license for any raffle before participating.
Programs, amounts, and rules verified using each country’s official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules change frequently: always check with your country’s housing agency.
