Start with the statewide picture
Buying a first home in Florida usually involves two separate pieces that work together: a first mortgage and, for some buyers, a second mortgage or assistance loan that helps with the down payment or closing costs. The first mortgage is the main loan used to buy the home, while assistance is often structured as a subordinate second mortgage with its own repayment or forgiveness terms. Instant Money Mortgage, brokered by Complete Mortgage LLC, helps buyers sort out which first mortgage fits and which assistance programs are worth checking, rather than treating every program as if it worked the same way. That distinction matters because a program that looks generous on its headline amount can still be the wrong fit if its repayment trigger, term, or pairing rules do not match the buyer's plans.
Across Florida, the program buyers ask about first is usually Florida Hometown Heroes, administered through Florida Housing. Think of it as help sized to the main loan: up to 5 percent of the first mortgage, capped at $35,000 and floored at $10,000. The assistance itself takes the form of a 0 percent, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage. No monthly payment comes due on that second loan while it runs, yet the full balance must be repaid when the home is sold, when the loan is refinanced, when the deed is transferred, or when the home stops being the borrower's primary residence. This is the point buyers most often get wrong: the program is explicitly not forgivable, so the balance does not fade away with time and has to be part of the long term plan. On the first mortgage side it works alongside FHA, VA, USDA-RD, and conventional loans. Funding context helps explain its visibility: for fiscal year 2026-27, the Governor's Office reported a $50 million appropriation for the program when the state budget was signed on June 29, 2026.
Eligibility for Hometown Heroes is narrower than a general first-time buyer label suggests. The program is for first-time, income-qualified buyers who are employed full time by a Florida-based employer in categories that include health care, school staff, first responders, public safety and court staff, and child care. Servicemembers and veterans who are employed full time by a Florida-based employer are also included. Because the category list and the income qualification rules are program specific, a buyer should confirm both with a participating lender before assuming eligibility. A job title alone is not enough, and a buyer who changes employers or work location during the process should ask how that change affects qualification.
Beyond Hometown Heroes, Florida Housing lists three more statewide routes, and their payoff shapes are the whole story. Florida Assist is listed at up to $10,000, historically set up as a 0 percent deferred second mortgage that asks for no monthly payment, with primary-verified pairing limited to FHA, VA, and USDA-RD first mortgages. HFA PLUS moves in the opposite direction on repayment: it is listed as a forgivable second mortgage at 3 percent, 4 percent, or 5 percent, with 20 percent forgiven per year over 5 years under a 2021 board document, with the current list confirming the percentages and the forgivable label. Florida HLP completes the set with a monthly obligation attached: it is listed at up to $12,500 as an amortizing 3 percent second mortgage with a monthly payment. A buyer who treats a deferred loan, a forgivable loan, and an amortizing loan as if they were the same product is making one of the most common mistakes in this process.
County programs add a local layer
Beyond the statewide programs, several Florida counties run their own purchase assistance programs, and the county layer is where the details vary the most. Broward County's Homebuyer Purchase Assistance program is a 0 percent deferred loan with a 15-year term and no monthly payment, satisfied after 15 years of primary-residence occupancy under 2022 county guidelines, while the dollar cap varies by city and funding source. Palm Beach County's SHIP program offers a maximum award of $105,000 including project delivery costs, commonly quoted as up to $100,000 in assistance, as a 0 percent deferred payment loan with a 30-year term forgiven at the end of the term. Miami-Dade has two distinct programs that should never be merged: county SHIP assistance up to $35,000 and a separate HFA Miami program up to $15,000. A buyer who only checks the statewide list will miss the local program that may matter most for the city where they plan to buy.
Can programs be combined?
Whether two programs can be stacked depends on the rules of each program and on approval from the first mortgage lender, so there is no single yes or no answer that covers every combination. Some programs are designed to pair with specific first mortgage types, and some county programs require a first mortgage from an approved lender. A combination that works with one first mortgage type may not work with another, and a county program may have its own occupancy, ownership, or asset rules on top of the statewide rules. The practical approach is to name the exact programs being considered, confirm each program's current pairing and eligibility rules with a participating lender or the county program, and get that confirmation before making an offer that depends on assistance being in place.
First steps that save time later
A useful first step is preapproval, which gives a buyer a realistic price range and surfaces document or credit questions early, before a contract deadline makes them urgent. Buyers should gather income, asset, employment, and identification documents, and should be ready to explain any job change, large deposit, or address change that a lender will ask about. Homebuyer education is required by some programs, such as the 8-hour course tied to HFA Miami, while other programs have their own education or counseling steps, so buyers should ask which requirement applies to their specific program rather than assuming one course covers everything. Starting with the program rules, rather than with a house, keeps the search grounded in what can actually close.
Before shopping, confirm four things in writing where possible: whether the buyer qualifies under the program's employment and income rules, which first mortgage types the program pairs with, what triggers repayment or forgiveness, and whether the home must remain a primary residence for a set period. Confirm the county cap for the specific city, because countywide headlines can hide city level variation, and confirm whether current terms have changed since the source document was published. Where current terms cannot be verified, ask the county program or a participating lender directly. That short check takes longer up front, but it prevents the much longer problem of discovering a repayment or eligibility surprise after an offer is accepted.
- Confirm employment category and income qualification with a participating lender
- Confirm which first mortgage types each assistance program pairs with
- Confirm repayment triggers, forgiveness terms, and primary residence rules
- Confirm the county cap for your specific city before you shop
Program terms change. Confirm current rules with the county program or a participating lender before relying on any figure on this page.
More in this series
- First-Time Homebuyers in Florida: Programs, Assistance, and First Steps
- Broward County Down Payment Assistance
- Palm Beach County Down Payment Assistance
- Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance
- First-Time Homebuyer in Miami, FL
- First-Time Homebuyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- First-Time Homebuyer in West Palm Beach, FL
- Florida Hometown Heroes Guide
- Florida Assist Guide
- HFA Preferred Florida Guide
- Salute Our Soldiers Florida Guide
- Can DPA Programs Be Stacked?
- DPA Qualifications and Income Limits in Florida
- Does Hometown Heroes Have to Be Repaid?
- Hometown Heroes Teacher and Nurse Eligibility
- DPA with FHA, VA, and USDA
- DPA with a 580 to 640 Credit Score
- Credit Score to Buy a House in Florida
- How Much Down Payment Assistance in Florida?
- How Long Does Preapproval Take?
- Why Instant Money Mortgage
Related loan programs
First-Time Homebuyer Loans
First-time homebuyer loans are mortgage options with low down payments, typically 3% conventional, 3.5% FHA or $0 VA, often paired with state or local down payment assistance.
FHA Loans
An FHA loan is a government-insured mortgage that allows 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher, or 10% down with a score from 500 to 579.
VA Loans
A VA loan is a mortgage guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that lets eligible veterans, active-duty service members and certain surviving spouses buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance.
Conventional Loans
A conventional loan is a mortgage not insured by the government that follows Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guidelines.
Related answers
- Can down payment assistance programs be stacked in Florida?
- Does Hometown Heroes have to be repaid?
- How much down payment assistance can I get in Florida?
- How long does pre-approval take?
See also
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a first mortgage and down payment assistance?
The first mortgage is the main loan used to buy the home. Down payment assistance is usually a subordinate second mortgage that helps with the down payment or closing costs and carries its own repayment, forgiveness, or term rules.
Does Florida Hometown Heroes have to be repaid?
Yes. Hometown Heroes is a 0 percent, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage that is explicitly not forgivable. The balance is due in full on sale, refinance, transfer of deed, or if the home is no longer the borrower's primary residence.
Can down payment assistance programs be stacked in Florida?
Sometimes, but it depends on each program's rules and on first mortgage lender approval. Confirm pairing, eligibility, and occupancy rules for each program with a participating lender before assuming a combination will work.
What should I confirm before I start shopping for a home?
Confirm employment and income qualification, which first mortgage types pair with the program, repayment or forgiveness triggers, primary residence requirements, and the county cap for your specific city.