The down payment assistance programs that are listed here are a sample of what is available for homebuyers in Florida. This can be your starting point as you search for the right program for your family.

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Head Start To HOME Ownership Program

Financial Assistance for Homebuyers in Florida

The City of Jacksonville offers the Head Start To HOME Ownership Program, also known as H2H, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible applicants interested in purchasing a home.  


Available Assistance 
Assistance funds from the H2H program come in the form of a zero-interest, second or third mortgage, with a 5-year term. Repayment is due upon sale or refinance of the house, or if the property is no longer the applicant’s primary residence. The applicant must repay the city the original balance of the loan amount or net proceeds from the sale. 

Eligibility Requirements 
In order to qualify for the H2H Program, applicants must have a total household income no higher than 80% of the area median income for Duval County. They must also contribute a minimum of $500 towards the down payment, with $375 due when the initial inspection is scheduled.   

Property Guidelines 
Any home bought with funds from the H2H program must serve as the applicant’s primary residence. Eligible property types include new or existing single-family homes, including patio homes, townhomes, and condominiums, located within the consolidated City of Jacksonville. Mobile homes or manufactured housing are not eligible. 

 

*Seller-funded down payment programs were eliminated in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, but states and local government agencies are still permitted to help borrowers finance their homes with second mortgages and grants. These agencies set different requirements that a borrower needs to meet in order to qualify for the grant programs, such as property location, and purchase price and income limits.     

Note: All figures mentioned above were accurate at the time of publication and may no longer be current. Visit the program website for updated information. 

Down payment assistance programs and/or grants were researched by the team at FHA.com. Please note that all programs listed on this website may involve a second mortgage with payments that are forgiven, deferred, or subsidized in some manner until resale of the mortgaged property.

FHA.com's compilation is not a complete list, but it can serve as a starting point in your search for the down payment assistance program or grant for your situation. It is up to the consumer to contact these entities and find out the specifics of each program.

Down Payment Grants in Florida

Broward County recognizes that many individuals who can afford monthly mortgage payments don't have the required down payment for a home. The Broward County’s Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program helps potential homebuyers overcome this hurdle by offering down payment assistance.

The program provides down payment and closing costs assistance to income-eligible applicants in the form of a zero-interest, deferred second mortgage, with the maximum loan amount being $7,500. This can be used in conjunction with the program’s 4 percent first mortgage exclusively.

The Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County offers the Hillsborough First with Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) Down Payment Assistance Program. The program is meant to help first-time homebuyers who do not have enough money saved for hefty down payments and closing costs.

The City of Jacksonville offers the Head Start To HOME Ownership Program, also known as H2H, which provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible applicants interested in purchasing a home.  

The Housing Finance Authority of Miami-Dade recognizes the high upfront costs of purchasing a home. To help offset this cost, the HFA offers a first mortgage as well down payment assistance to potential homebuyers. 

The Housing Finance Authority of Pinellas County’s First-time Homebuyer Program is designed to help potential borrowers purchase the home of their dreams. Along with a first mortgage, the program helps borrowers with down payment assistance via the Home Key Plus 2nd Mortgage.  

With their Home Ownership Program, the Housing Finance Authority of Manatee County offers homebuyers down payment assistance. In addition to a first mortgage, the program gives borrowers the chance to cover the down payment and/or closing costs as well. 

The Housing Finance Authority of Hillsborough County offers homebuyers the Home Sweet Home Hillsborough Program that helps applicants overcome the hurdle of expensive down payments. 

 Florida's Lee County Housing Finance Authority provides first-time homebuyers down payment and closing cost assistance with the FirstPlus program. This program works on a first-come, first-served basis and is continuously funded. 

Florida residents in Orange County can take advantage the Down Payment Assistance Program, which provides funding to income-eligible first-time homebuyers to help them purchase a new or existing home. These funds are to be put toward paying qualified closing costs and the down payment associated with a mortgage transaction.

The City of Palm Bay in Florida established the HOME Down Payment Assistance Program, which is designed to help income-eligible applicants with down payment and closing cost assistance to purchase their first home, and rehabilitation, if needed. 

The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program in Charlotte County provides income-eligible applicants up to 10 percent of the purchase price (a maximum award of $15,000), in the form of a zero-interest loan.

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