Many city and county governments offer Mortgage Credit Certificate programs, which grant first-time home buyers a special federal income tax write-off. Requirements vary between programs, so people wanting to apply should contact their local housing or community development office.

Here is a list of four general requirements to keep in mind:

• Some credit may be claimed only on your owner-occupied principal residence.
• There are maximum income limits, which vary by locality and family size. 
• You must be a first-time home buyer, which means you must not have had any kind of ownership interest in a principal residence during the past three years. This restriction may be waived, however, if you are buying property within certain target areas. 
• Allocations must be available. A local MCC program may have to decline new applications when it runs out of funds.