What a Soft Second is
A Soft Second is a second mortgage behind your first mortgage. In LHC's Pathways Soft Second program, the second loan is typically deferred at 0% interest. If you live in the home for the full term (ten years in the current Pathways materials), the Soft Second can be forgiven. If you sell or refinance earlier, the principal may come due. Exact repayment rules live in the loan documents your lender uses.
It is a free public program. Nobody should charge you a "grant fee" to unlock Soft Second. You work with an LHC Pathways participating lender.
Want to see a home? Call or text Vana at (318) 310-4663, or see the homes we have now.
What it can cover (current Pathways Soft Second)
Per LHC's Pathways Soft Second program pages and guidelines (checked October 31, 2026):
- A Soft Second loan equal to 20% of the purchase price, capped at $55,000
- Plus up to $5,000 for closing costs (and related prepaid items, as the lender documents them)
- Combined help of up to about $60,000 when both pieces apply
Verify current terms with an approved lender. Caps, parish lists, and income limits change. Your lender and LHC decide what you can use, not this page.
Sources:
- LHC Pathways Soft Second
- LHC Resilience Soft Second (same headline benefits on LHC's site)
- Pathways Soft Second Program Description and Guidelines (LHC PDF library under Pathways)
Who usually qualifies
From LHC's Pathways Soft Second materials, buyers typically need to meet all of these (confirm each with your lender):
- Be a first-time homebuyer under LHC's definition (often: no ownership interest in a principal residence in the last three years, with some exceptions such as a single parent who only owned with a former spouse)
- Household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the parish and household size
- Buy a one-unit home that is not in a flood zone
- Buy in a parish on the Pathways Soft Second list (Caddo Parish appears on LHC's 2026 parish income-limits exhibit; confirm Bossier and any other parish you care about on the current list)
- Use an LHC Pathways participating lender
Duplication-of-benefits rules also apply: if you already received certain CDBG Soft Second or related housing incentive payments, you may not be eligible for more from this program. Ask the lender.
How it fits with The LN Co
Soft Second is a bank-mortgage path. Rent to own with us is a different path: we own the homes, there is no credit check and no bank qualifying with us. Some people look at Soft Second (or HAPPI) first; some start with rent to own. We will not promise Soft Second approval, stack Soft Second with our deal, or tell you a lender will say yes.
If you want a plain check of which path fits what you have to work with, take our Home-Ready quiz (self-reported answers only; we never pull your credit) or call Vana at (318) 310-4663.
What to do next
- Take the Home-Ready quiz if you want a quick local read of Ready / Close / Needs credit help.
- Call a Pathways participating lender and ask about Soft Second for the parish and price range you want.
- Or call or text Vana about our rent to own homes if a bank path is not the right fit right now.
Want to see a home? Call or text Vana at (318) 310-4663, or see the homes we have now.
Updated October 31, 2026