Florida down payment assistance, the short version
Most first-time buyers don't have 20% down. The good news: Florida runs multiple down-payment assistance (DPA) programs designed for exactly that gap. The harder part is knowing which one fits your file.
What "DPA" actually means
It's not free money. It's usually a second loan layered on top of your first mortgage, with one of three structures:
- Forgivable — you don't pay it back if you stay in the home long enough (typically 5-10 years)
- Deferred — no payment until you sell or refinance, then it's owed
- Repayable — like any second mortgage, but at favorable terms
The headline number ($10K, $25K, sometimes more) is real. The fine print on which structure you're getting matters more.
The four that come up most for North Florida buyers
Florida Hometown Heroes — for teachers, first responders, military, and other public-service occupations. Up to 5% of the loan amount (capped) toward down payment + closing. Forgivable after a holding period. The fastest path to a no-money-down purchase if you qualify by occupation.
Florida Housing First-Time Homebuyer Program (FL Housing 30-year fixed) — bundles a 30-year first mortgage with DPA in a 0% second loan. Income limits and purchase-price caps apply by county.
Duval, St. Johns, Clay county-level programs — each county runs its own version of DPA with its own income caps and forms. Worth checking specifically for your address before assuming you only qualify for state-level help.
Federal Home Loan Bank Atlanta (FHLB) grants — partner-bank programs that occasionally layer cleanly on top of Florida programs for an additional $7,500-15,000.
Who qualifies
Income limits and credit minimums vary by program, but the typical bar:
- Credit score 640+ (some programs flex to 620)
- Household income at or below 115% of area median for the county
- Buying a primary residence (no investment, no second home)
- Completing a HUD-approved homebuyer education class (online, ~6 hours)
- Property within program-approved geography
Hometown Heroes adds occupation eligibility on top.
How to actually get one
Run the file through a broker who runs DPA every month. Lenders that don't routinely use these programs will quote them slowly or get the structure wrong. We close DPA-stacked files regularly across Duval, Clay, and St. Johns counties.
If you want to know what you qualify for, the fastest path is a 15-minute call. Tell us your situation; we'll tell you which programs fit.