Are you a first-time homebuyer in Florida? This comprehensive guide is your indispensable resource, offering specialized assistance programs and valuable information exclusively tailored for residents of the Sunshine State. Explore a variety of programs, including down payment assistance and favorable mortgage options, designed to make homeownership more attainable. Navigate the Florida real estate market with confidence and uncover the unique opportunities that await you in the vibrant cities, pristine beaches, and diverse communities.
State-Wide Programs
| Program | Assistance Offered | Who Should Apply | Assistance Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECHFA Classic DPA Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | Any homebuyer that can meet income and purcahse price requirements | Deferred loan with a 0% interest rate |
| ECHFA Forgivable DPA Program | Up to 5% of the home loan used as down payment assistance | Any homebuyer that can meet income and purcahse price requirements | Forgivable loan |
| ECHFA Single Family Program Option | Down payment and closing cost assistance - amount not specified | Any homebuyer that can meet income and purcahse price requirements | Loan |
Regional Programs
| County/Region | Program | Assistance Offered | Who Should Apply | Assistance Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua | Down Payment Assistance | Up to $7,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Baker | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $20,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyers | Forgivable loan with a 0% interest rate |
| Brevard | Brevard County Purchase Assistance Program | Down payment assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyer that can meet income and savings requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Broward | Home Buyer Purchase Assistance | Up to $80,000 in down payment assistance | Any homebuyer who meets income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Broward | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Broward County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Charlotte | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Charlotte County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Charlotte | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Broward County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Citrus | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Clay | First Time Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance | Up to $7,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage at a 0% interest rate |
| Collier | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Collier County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Collier | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Collier County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Collier | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to 15% of the purchase price to use as down payment or closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Columbia | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Desoto | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Desoto County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Desoto | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Desoto County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Dixie | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Duval | Home Sweet Home Program | Up to $7,500 for down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage at a 0% interest rate |
| Duval | Home Sweet Home Program | Reduces up to $2,000 in mortgage interest that you pay into federal taxes for the life of your loan | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Tax credit |
| Flagler | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $40,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Franklin | HFA Big Splash Program | Up to $7,500 for down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Gadsden | HFA Big Splash Program | Up to $7,500 for down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Gilchrist | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment assistance - amount not specified | Any homebuyer that meets income requirements and buying a newly constructed home in Gilchrist county | Second mortgage |
| Gulf | HFA Big Splash Program | Up to $7,500 for down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Hardee | First-Time Homebuyer Purchase Assistance | Down payment assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyer moving or living in Hardee County | Loan |
| Hendry | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment assistance - amount not specified | Any homebuyer that meets income requirements and buying a newly constructed home in Hendry county | Second mortgage |
| Hernando | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Hillsborough | Home Sweet Home Hillsborough Program | Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | Resident first time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Indian River | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $20,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Jackson | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Jefferson | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to 10% of the home loan for down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Grant |
| Lafayette | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Lee | First Plus Program | Up to $10,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | Resident first time homebuyers who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Lee | HOME Program | Up to $20,400 in down payment assistance | Homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Lee | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $40,000 in down payment assistance | Any homebuyer that meets income requirements and buying a newly constructed home in Lee county | Second mortgage |
| Lee | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Lee County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Lee | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Lee County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Leon | Down Payment Assistance Programs | Reduces up to $2,000 in mortgage interest that you pay into federal taxes for the life of your loan | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Tax credit |
| Leon | Down Payment Assistance Programs | Up to $7,500.00 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Levy | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | Homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Not specified |
| Madison | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Manatee | Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Manatee | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Manatee | Housing Finance Authority Down Payment Assistance Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Marion | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Martin | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Miami-Dade | Homeownership Programs | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements and have been employed in the same line of work for 24 months | Second mortgage at an interest rate ranging from 0-6% |
| Okaloosa | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Okeechobee | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Not specified |
| Orange | Down Payment Assistance Program for First Time Homebuyers | Up to $30,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage |
| Osceola | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $30,000 down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Palm Beach | Housing Mortgage Programs | Low down payment home loan at 2.5%-3.5% | Any homebuyer | First mortgage with a 4% interest rate |
| Palm Beach | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Palm Beach County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Palm Beach | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Palm Beach County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Pasco | Pasco Opportunity Program (POP) | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | Any homebuyer that can meet income requirements | Not specified |
| Pinellas | First-Time Homebuyer Home Key 1st Mortgage | Up to $7,500 in down payment and closing costs assistance | Homebuyers that can meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Polk | Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance | Up to $7,500 down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyer whose income meets requirements | Second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Santa Rosa | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $40,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Sarasota | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Sarasota County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Sarasota | Own a Home Opportunity Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers buying in Sarasota County who meet income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Seminole | Purchase Assistance First Time Homebuyer Program | Up to $50,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| St. Johns | Homeownership Programs | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyer who has been employed in the same field for at least 1 year | Second mortgage |
| St. Johns | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in St. Johns County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| St. Lucie | Down Payment and Closing Costs Assistance Program | Up to $7,500 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income and credit score requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate that is partially forgiven |
| Suwannee | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Union | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $25,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Volusia | HomeBuyer Assistance Program (HBA) | Up to $60,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements and has never received housing assistance in Volusia County before | Second mortgage |
| Volusia | Affordable Housing Programs | Up to $36,000 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Deferred second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Volusia | Own a Home Opportunity Grant Program | Up to 5% of the home loan in down payment and closing cost assistance | Any homebuyer buying in Volusia County who meet income and credit score requirements | Grant |
| Wakulla | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $15,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Walton | S.H.I.P. Program | Up to $10,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Forgivable loan with a 0% interest rate |
City Programs
| City | Program | Assistance Offered | Who Should Apply | Assistance Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Raton | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Forgivable second mortgage with a 0% interest rate |
| Cape Coral | Down Payment Assistance Program | Up to 20% the purchase price of the home for down payment assistance and up to $20,000 in closing costs | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Second mortgage |
| Clearwater | Homebuyer Assistance | Up to $20,000 for existing homes and $45,000 for newly constructed homes in down payment assistance | First time homebuyers that can meet income requirements and currently reside in Clearwater | Second mortgage |
| Daytona Beach | Affordable Home Ownership Assistance Program (AHOAP) | Up to $50,000 in down payment assistance and closing costs | First time homebuyers who meet income and savings requirements | Not specified |
| Miami | HFA Program | Up to $10,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Deferred second mortgage |
| Melbourne | S.H.I.P. Program | Down payment and closing costs assistance - amount not specified | First time homebuyer that can meet income requirements and buying withint the city limits of Melbourne | Not specified |
| Orlando | Down Payment Assistance Program | Up to $40,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Forgivable loan |
| Palm Bay | Down Payment Assistance Program | Up to $17,881.50 in down payment and closing costs assistance | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Grant |
| Panama City | CDBG & SHIP Assistance Programs | Up to 50% of the down payment and up to $3,000 in closing costs assistance | Any homebuyet that can meet income requirements and buying within the city limits of Panama City | Not specified |
| Pensacola | Homebuyer Programs | Up to $7,500 down payment and closing cost assistance grant | First time homebuyers who meet income requirements | Grant |
| St. Petersburg | Purchase Assistance Program | Up to $20,000 in down payment assistance | First time homebuyer who meets income requirements | Partially forgivable loan with a 0% interest rate |
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