These are the Florida programs in our database — state housing finance agency assistance plus any local or regional funds we track. Awards, income limits and funding availability are set by each administering agency and change without notice, so confirm anything you plan to rely on directly with them.
Illustrative photo of Florida housing. Program terms are set by each administering agency.
Quick answer: How does down payment assistance work in Florida?
Florida buyers can use assistance from the state housing finance agency and, in many areas, from a city or county fund on top of it. Awards arrive as a grant, a forgivable second, a deferred second or a repayable second, and eligibility is decided by county income caps, purchase-price caps and buyer status rather than by credit score alone.
TL;DR
Statewide and local Florida programs can often be layered on one purchase.
Income and purchase-price caps are published county by county.
Funding availability is set by the administering agency and can pause without notice.
We are licensed to originate residential mortgages in Florida.
Quick questions
Who runs assistance programs in Florida?
The Florida housing finance agency runs the statewide programs; cities and counties administer their own local funds separately.
Is there an income limit in Florida?
Yes. Each program publishes household income caps that vary by county and often by household size.
Can I use assistance on any home in Florida?
Only on an owner-occupied primary residence within the program's area and under its published purchase-price cap.
Published ·Last updated
Reviewed September 2026
2026 official data
Data verified January 1, 2026
Data source: HUD
Data source: HUD — CHUMS forward limits file
Licensed in Florida
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida. Eligibility, terms, conditions and availability vary by borrower, property, lender and loan program, and all loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Figures shown are estimates, not a quote or commitment to lend.
Monthly review
September 2026 Florida Down Payment Assistance Review
We reviewed Florida housing finance agency program notices, published income and purchase-price limits, local city and county assistance funding updates and federal housing and mortgage-market data relevant to this page. No material changes requiring substantive revisions were identified this month. The information and sources shown here remain current as of our latest review.
•Checked: Florida housing finance agency program notices
•Checked: published income and purchase-price limits
•Checked: local city and county assistance funding updates
•Checked: federal housing and mortgage-market data
Sources:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HUD, HUD — CHUMS forward limits file
Affordable Housing Program set-aside funds for income-eligible Florida buyers, available only through lenders that are FHLBank Atlanta members. Funds may be structured as a grant or as secondary financing layered with an FHA first mortgage; household income generally must be at or below 80% of area median income, and each year's funding allocation is limited.
Repayment: Does not have to be repaid if you meet the program's conditions.
IRS Mortgage Credit Certificate program administered by state and local HFAs. Converts up to 20–30% of your annual mortgage interest into a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit for the life of the loan. Not DPA cash — a lifetime tax benefit. Must be a first-time buyer (or in a targeted area) and stay in the home as your primary residence.
Repayment: A federal income tax credit, not cash toward your down payment.
Nationwide via our wholesale lender — we originate in FL and CO only
Min credit
580
First-time buyer
Not required
Offered by Simply Approved Mortgages LLC and delivered through our wholesale lender partner: up to 5% of the lesser of purchase price or appraised value, structured as a repayable 10-year fixed second mortgage on a qualifying primary residence. Layers with FHA 203(b) or FHA 203(k) purchase first mortgages only. The second lien is priced at the first-mortgage rate + 2.00% and is fully amortizing — not a grant and not forgivable. The wholesale lender offers this product nationwide, but Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only, so we can originate it in those states only.
Repayment: A recorded lien with a monthly payment that is underwritten into your debt-to-income ratio. It is a loan, not a gift.
The City of Jacksonville Head Start to Homeownership Program provides up to $10,000 as a 0% forgivable second mortgage over 10 years for first-time buyers purchasing inside Duval County limits.
Repayment: A recorded lien that is forgiven over time while you occupy the home. Sell or refinance early and the unforgiven balance is due.
Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development offers deferred second-mortgage DPA up to $28,500 for income-qualified first-time buyers purchasing inside county limits. Loan is forgiven proportionally over 30 years of continuous owner-occupancy.
Repayment: A recorded lien that is forgiven over time while you occupy the home. Sell or refinance early and the unforgiven balance is due.
Orange County Housing & Community Development offers up to $60,000 for income-qualified buyers of homes inside Orange County (excludes Orlando city limits which have their own program). Provided as a 0%, deferred, forgivable second mortgage.
Repayment: A recorded lien that is forgiven over time while you occupy the home. Sell or refinance early and the unforgiven balance is due.
Florida Housing FL Assist offers up to $10,000 as a 0%, non-amortizing, deferred second mortgage that becomes due upon sale, refinance, transfer, or when the first mortgage is satisfied. Pairs with FL Housing first-mortgage programs (FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional).
Repayment: A recorded lien with no monthly payment. The full balance comes due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff of the first mortgage.
Florida Housing program for eligible frontline workers (educators, first responders, healthcare, active military, and other qualifying professions) offering up to 5% of the first-mortgage amount, capped at $35,000, as a 0%, non-amortizing second mortgage. First-time buyer required and buyer must be employed full-time by a Florida-based employer.
Repayment: A recorded lien with no monthly payment. The full balance comes due on sale, refinance, transfer or payoff of the first mortgage.
Florida Housing HLP provides up to $10,000 at 3% interest as a fully amortizing 15-year second mortgage layered with a Florida Housing first mortgage. First-time buyer requirement and monthly payment underwritten in DTI.
Repayment: A recorded lien with a monthly payment that is underwritten into your debt-to-income ratio. It is a loan, not a gift.
How down payment assistance helps you buy in Florida
Down payment assistance closes the cash gap between what a lender will lend and what a seller needs at the closing table. For most buyers it is the difference between purchasing this year and saving for another three to five. Terms and availability are set by each administering agency and can change or run out of funding without notice.
You buy years sooner
Saving a 5% down payment on a median-priced home usually takes several years. Assistance covers most or all of that gap now, so your timeline is set by your credit and income rather than by your savings balance.
Your own cash stays intact
Because the assistance funds the down payment and, on many programs, closing costs, your savings can stay where they belong — reserves, moving costs, and the repairs that show up in the first year.
Often no monthly payment added
Grants and forgivable or deferred second mortgages add nothing to your monthly payment. Only a repayable second creates a second monthly obligation, and every program card on this site states which structure applies.
It stacks with normal financing
Assistance attaches to a standard FHA, conventional, VA or USDA first mortgage originated by a lender approved for that program, so you are not trading away loan choice to use it.
What you have to meet
Income limit
Household or qualifying income must fall at or below a published cap, set by county and usually adjusted for household size. This is the most common disqualifier, so check it first.
Purchase-price cap
Most programs limit the acquisition cost of the home, and the cap can differ between new construction, existing homes and federally targeted areas.
First-time buyer status
Commonly defined as no ownership interest in a primary residence for the past three years. Veterans and targeted-area purchases are frequently exempt.
Credit score
Program minimums typically sit in the low-to-mid 600s, and the first mortgage carries its own minimum. The higher of the two governs your file.
Owner occupancy
The home must be your primary residence. Investment and second-home purchases are not eligible, and moving out during a forgiveness period usually accelerates repayment.
Homebuyer education
Most programs require an approved course certificate before closing. It takes a few hours online — take it early, because it is a hard closing condition.
Participating lender and reservation
Funds are delivered through the first mortgage and reserved by an approved lender, normally once you are under contract. Eligibility alone does not hold money; the reservation does.
A realistic timeline
Week 1Check the county income and price limits, pull your own credit report, and start the homebuyer education course.
Week 1–2Work with a lender approved for the specific assistance program you want to use to confirm your financing.
Week 2–8Shop inside the program's eligible area and price cap, then write an offer that allows time for the assistance paperwork.
At contractYour lender reserves the assistance funds while the file moves through underwriting.
At closingFunds are wired to the closing agent and applied to your down payment and permitted closing costs — they are never paid to you as cash.
Timelines are illustrative and vary by program, lender and market. Nothing here is an offer of credit, an approval, or a guarantee of assistance eligibility, funding availability or any particular term.
Florida FHA loan limits (2026)
Most down payment assistance is layered on top of an FHA, conventional, VA or USDA first mortgage, so the county loan limit sets the ceiling on the FHA first mortgage the assistance would sit behind. HUD publishes a limit for each of the 67 counties in Florida; one-unit limits run from $541,287 to $990,150, against a median county sale price of about $330,000. A limit is a cap on insurable loan size, not an approval amount.
Effective for case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2026. Source: HUD CHUMS forward loan limits. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with HUD, FHA or any government agency.
Florida housing and lending data
Published federal figures we refresh automatically, shown so you can size up the market a down payment assistance program would be used in. Context only — none of it decides eligibility, and none of it is a rate quote or an offer of credit.
Households and housing costs in Florida (Census 2024)
Rolled up from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey five-year estimates for the 67 Florida counties in our data set. Population and household counts are sums; the dollar figures and homeownership rate are household-weighted averages of those counties, not official statewide Census estimates.
Home-purchase mortgage activity across Florida (2025)
Every lender covered by the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act reports its home-purchase applications to the CFPB. These are the published totals for the 66 Florida counties we hold — an indication of how active the market is, not a prediction of any individual outcome. Your own approval depends on a full underwriting review.
Origination rate counts loans originated as a share of originated plus denied home-purchase applications. Withdrawn, incomplete and approved-not-accepted files are excluded.
Florida house price trend
The Federal Housing Finance Agency house price index measures repeat sales and refinance appraisals across the state. Statewide movement is context for planning, not a valuation of any individual property.
Published national series, refreshed automatically. They are not a quote, an offer of credit, or the terms of any assistance program, and no rate is available to you until a lender underwrites your file.
Dated changes we recorded from administering agencies and public housing data. Each item links to the source it came from.
Rates
15-year fixed mortgage rate (national average): 6.09% as of September 10, 2026
That is 0.05 points higher than the prior reading. Rate moves change the payment behind any assistance award in Florida, and can move the price a program's income cap still supports.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) · View source
Market data
Florida florida house price index (fhfa, all transactions) up +1.4% year over year
The latest Federal Housing Finance Agency (via FRED) reading for Florida is 825.7 as of April 1, 2026, +1.4% against a year earlier. Rising prices raise the purchase-price cap pressure on assistance programs in Florida; falling prices ease it.
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (via FRED) · View source
Taxes and closing charges in Florida
Assistance solves the cash-to-close problem. These are the costs that stay with you afterwards, and the one-time state charges that land on your Closing Disclosure. Figures are modelled on the approximate statewide median home price of $395,000 for Florida using Florida's published statewide effective property tax rate — an estimate for planning, not a quote for a specific property.
Effective property tax rate
0.86%
Florida statewide, in line with the national effective rate of 0.90%.
Why this matters here. At the national effective rate of 0.90%, the same $395,000 home would carry about $3,555 a year. Florida lands close to that, so property tax is unlikely to be what decides your qualifying payment.
Transfer and documentary charges. Florida charges documentary stamp tax on the deed at $0.70 per $100 of price ($0.60 per $100 in Miami-Dade, plus a $0.45 per $100 surtax on non-single-family transfers), documentary stamps on the note at $0.35 per $100, and intangible tax on the mortgage at $0.002 of the amount financed. On a $400,000 purchase with a $386,000 loan that is roughly $2,800 on the deed, about $1,351 on the note and about $772 in intangible tax.
Homeowners insurance. Homeowners insurance is a material line item here: wind, hail and named-storm exposure drives premiums well above the national average, and lenders escrow the full annual premium. Get a bindable quote before you commit to a purchase price — an assistance program will not offset an insurance surprise.
Florida Housing bond programs carry a federal recapture provision; Florida Housing has historically reimbursed borrowers who owe it, but the rider in your closing package is what governs. Assistance proceeds do not reduce documentary stamp or intangible tax — those are calculated on the purchase price and the financed amount.
Estimates only. Property tax is assessed locally and millage, exemptions (including homestead), and assessment ratios change the actual bill. Transfer, documentary and recording charges are itemised on your Closing Disclosure. This is not tax advice — confirm with your closing agent and a tax professional. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (property taxes paid) · Tax Foundation — property taxes by state.
Florida down payment assistance questions
What down payment assistance is available in Florida?
Our Florida database holds 9 programs — grant, tax-credit, repayable-second-mortgage and forgivable-second-mortgage, plus 1 more — administered by FHLBank Atlanta · fhlbatl.com, IRS · Section 25 MCC and Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS# 2620881, plus 4 more. Program rules are set by the administering agency, change without notice and can run out of funding mid-month, so confirm anything you plan to rely on directly with them before you write an offer.
How much down payment assistance can a Florida buyer receive?
The largest recorded award for Florida is $60,000, and the most generous percentage-based award we have on file is 5% of the purchase price.
Who qualifies for down payment assistance in Florida?
Typical qualifying rules are a household income under the program cap, a credit score at or above the program minimum (as low as 580 in our Florida data), a purchase price under the sales-price cap, occupancy of the home as your primary residence, and — for 7 of the 9 programs — first-time buyer status.
Is down payment assistance in Florida a grant or a loan?
Both structures exist. Our Florida records include 1 grant, 0 forgivable seconds, 0 deferred seconds and 0 repayable seconds. Only a true grant is never repaid.
What income limits apply in Florida?
Recorded household-income caps range up to about $15,000 a month across Florida programs, and most agencies publish the figure by county and household size rather than a single statewide number.
Is there a purchase-price limit for Florida assistance?
Most Florida programs cap the sales price, usually at or below the county FHA loan limit. Check the county page for the current FHA ceiling and the agency page for the program cap.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer in Florida?
7 of the 9 Florida programs we track require it, using the standard definition of no primary-residence ownership in the past three years. Veterans and buyers in targeted areas are the most common exceptions.
Which loan programs can Florida assistance be paired with?
9 of the Florida programs in our directory allow FHA, 8 allow conventional, 5 allow VA and 5 allow USDA. The assistance sits behind the first mortgage as a second lien or is applied as a credit at closing.
Is homebuyer education required in Florida?
We have no education requirement recorded for the Florida programs listed here, but agencies commonly add one. Completing a HUD-approved course early avoids a last-minute delay.
How do I apply for down payment assistance in Florida?
Applications run through a participating lender rather than the agency. The lender pre-qualifies you for the first mortgage, reserves the assistance while funds remain, and coordinates the education certificate and second-lien documents at closing.
Can assistance funds run out in Florida?
Yes. Most programs are funded in rounds and reserved first-come, first-served, so a program that is open in one month can be fully committed the next. That is why we show funding status and a source-check date on each program page instead of treating availability as permanent.
Does down payment assistance affect my mortgage rate in Florida?
It can. Some agency programs require you to take the agency's own first mortgage, whose rate is set by the agency and may differ from a standard market rate, and some price the assistance into the first-mortgage rate. Compare the total cost, not just the assistance amount. Any rate you are quoted depends on your credit, loan amount and other factors and requires full disclosure before it is binding.
Do all 67 Florida counties have assistance?
Statewide housing finance agency programs generally cover every county, while city and county funds exist only where a local government has budgeted for them. Limits and caps still vary county by county even for statewide programs.
Can Simply Approved Mortgages originate a Florida mortgage?
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC (NMLS #2620881) is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida, so we can take your application and pair an eligible program with the first mortgage.
Current data & page updates
Page last reviewed
September 5, 2026
Page last substantively updated
September 5, 2026
Data last verified
January 1, 2026
Current data year
2026
Primary sources
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, HUD — CHUMS forward limits file
Next scheduled review
October 5, 2026
Current monthly review
September 2026
Live data feed
No
Licensing & Disclosures
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC | NMLS #2620881
Florida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685 | Colorado Mortgage Company Registration
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is a mortgage broker and is not a direct lender. We arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado.
Eligibility, terms, conditions, and availability vary by borrower, property, lender, loan program, and state. Not all products or programs are available in all states. All loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Florida advertising disclosure (Chapter 494, Florida Statutes): Simply Approved Mortgages LLC, Florida Mortgage Broker License #MBR7685, NMLS #2620881, is a licensed Florida mortgage broker regulated by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and is not a lender. Any rate, payment, down payment or down payment assistance figure shown on this page is an illustrative estimate for educational purposes only — it is not a quote, rate lock, offer or commitment to lend, and it is not an advertisement of specific credit terms available to any particular borrower. Down payment assistance is a third-party program subject to its own eligibility, income, property and availability requirements. All loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not affiliated with, approved by or endorsed by HUD, FHA or any government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Estimate your assistance amount, the second-lien payment and where you stand against the program rules. Illustrative only — not a quote, offer or commitment to lend.
Simply Approved Mortgages DPA
DPA amount calculator & eligibility checker
Estimate 3.5% assistance on the lesser of price or appraisal, layered over a 30-year fixed FHA first mortgage.
Estimated DPA
$14,000
3.5% of $400,000
2nd-lien P&I
$174
10-yr · 8.500%
Amount calculator
Lesser of price or appraisal
$400,000
DPA at 3.5%
$14,000
2nd-lien term
10-year fixed, repayable
2nd-lien rate
8.500%
Monthly P&I
$174/mo
Illustrative only — not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Binding figures appear only on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure.
Eligibility checker
Documentable qualifying income?
Willing to complete homebuyer education before closing?
Property in NY, WA, USVI, Guam, MP, or AS?
Answer each question above to see your preliminary result.
Preliminary self-check only. Not a quote, lock, offer, or commitment to lend. Simply Approved Mortgages is not affiliated with HUD, FHA, VA, USDA, FHFA, or any government agency. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS# 2620881.
Keep reading
Related pages on down payment assistance, local markets and the numbers behind each program.
Simply Approved Mortgages In-House DPA
Our own down payment assistance program — up to 5% toward your primary home
Simply Approved Mortgages LLC · NMLS# 2620881
In addition to matching you with agency programs, we offer our own assistance program, provided through our wholesale lender partner and arranged by Simply Approved Mortgages: up to 5% of the lesser of the purchase price or appraised value, structured as a repayable 10-year fixed second mortgage on a qualifying primary residence. It layers with FHA 203(b) or FHA 203(k) purchase first mortgages only, and the second lien is priced at the first-mortgage rate plus 2.00%. It is fully amortizing — not a grant and not forgivable — so your Loan Officer will show a side-by-side comparison before you commit.
Offered through our wholesale lender partner
Up to 5% of the lesser of purchase price or appraised value
Repayable 10-year fixed second mortgage
Layers with FHA 203(b) or FHA 203(k) purchase first mortgages
*Our wholesale lender partner offers this product nationwide, but Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is licensed to arrange residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only, so we can originate it in those two states only. Outside Florida and Colorado this is educational information and you should work with a lender licensed in your state.
How it works
1. Find the assistance you qualify for
Answer ten short questions and our DPA matching tool screens your location, income, price range, credit band and first-time buyer status against every state, county and city program we track.
2. A licensed loan officer reviews it with you
A Simply Approved loan officer confirms which programs your file can actually use, how each one is structured, and what it means for your monthly payment and closing costs.
3. Pair assistance with your first mortgage
Assistance is delivered through an approved first mortgage. We arrange the FHA, conventional, VA or USDA loan underneath it and reserve the assistance funds once you are under contract.
4. Funds arrive at closing
The assistance is wired to the closing agent and applied to your down payment and, where the program permits, closing costs — so your own savings stay where they belong.
Repayment: The second lien is a recorded lien with a monthly payment that is underwritten into your debt-to-income ratio. Layered DPA affects your final rate and mortgage insurance; your Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer will disclose the side-by-side comparison before you commit. Program terms, income limits, funding availability and eligibility requirements are subject to change without notice and must be confirmed in writing. Nothing here is an offer of credit, an approval, or a guarantee of eligibility, funding or any particular term. All loans are subject to lender underwriting and approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Follow our down payment assistance updates on Google
Add Simply Approved Mortgages as a preferred source in Google Search and our program updates, county limit changes and funding-status notes are more likely to surface when you search. It is a Google setting you control and can remove at any time.
Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Simply Approved Mortgages LLC is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Google, and this setting has no effect on loan eligibility, pricing or availability.
Down payment assistance changes fast. Stay ahead of it.
New funding rounds, closed programs, and updated income and price limits for Florida and Colorado buyers — in one short email each month.
Licensing notice: Simply Approved Mortgages LLC arranges residential mortgage loans in Florida and Colorado only. The briefing and this website are educational content — not an offer, solicitation, advertisement of credit terms or commitment to lend, and no mortgage services are offered in states where we are not licensed.
Expert Insight
The published rate is usually less important than whether the loan is built for Florida's real costs
In Florida, the published interest rate is usually less important than whether the loan is built for Florida's real costs: homeowners and wind insurance on a coastal property, flood-zone requirements, condo project approval after the Surfside reforms, and county-by-county millage that can swing your escrow by hundreds of dollars a month. A buyer in a Tampa Bay suburb may qualify very differently than a buyer in a Miami-Dade condo or a Panhandle flood zone, even at the same price.
Takeaway: Walk through the real numbers with a Simply Approved Loan Officer before you shop.
The only way to know which program, down-payment structure, and insurance strategy actually fits you in Florida is to walk through it with a Simply Approved Mortgages Loan Officer who can compare the real numbers side-by-side on a Florida Loan Estimate.
Commentary from the Simply Approved Mortgages Team at Simply Approved Mortgages LLC, NMLS #2620881. Verify on NMLS Consumer Access
