Buying your first home? These 2026 programs pay real money
Up to $100K in down payment help exists right now. Most buyers never hear about it. Want in?
Calls returned within 1 hour. Texts, usually minutes.
Three programs, three very different piles of cash.
Florida still funds first-time buyers in 2026. Three programs matter most in Broward, and they are not the same size.
Hometown Heroes helps full-time Florida workers. Any industry, as long as you work for a Florida employer. FL Assist is the broad fallback that pairs with a Florida Housing first mortgage. And Broward's own purchase assistance program goes biggest of all, up to $100,000 for buyers in the lower income tiers.
Can you stack them? Sometimes. Stacking depends on your first mortgage and the county's rules for that cycle. That's exactly the kind of thing I check for you before we write a single offer.
One more layer most buyers miss: city money. As of mid-2026, Weston offers up to $50,000, and Margate and Oakland Park each offer up to $40,000 for buyers inside their limits. If your target city has a program, we use it.
| Program | Help available | Who qualifies | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| FL Hometown Heroes Florida Housing | Up to $35,000 5% of loan, capped | Full-time FL workers, income within county limits, first-time buyer | 0% deferred second. Repay on sale or refi. |
| Florida Assist (FL Assist) Florida Housing | Up to $10,000 | Paired with an FL Housing first mortgage, income and price limits | 0% deferred second. Repay on sale or refi. |
| Broward County Purchase Assistance County HOME funds | Up to $100,000 Varies by income tier | Broward buyers under income limits, homebuyer class required | Forgivable over time if you stay put. |
Program amounts as of mid-2026. Funding opens and closes in cycles, so always confirm the current round before you plan.
What the programs actually ask of you.
Every program has its own checklist. Here's the pattern that shows up on almost all of them.
- The class. Broward requires an 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer workshop. The Urban League of Broward County and the Housing Foundation of America both run them, often free or cheap. Do it early. The certificate is good for a year.
- The credit line. Most programs want a 640 credit score or better. FHA itself can flex lower. Not there yet? I'll connect you with a lender who coaches credit at no cost.
- The income window. County assistance generally serves households at roughly 80% to 120% of area median income, as of mid-2026. Different tiers unlock different amounts.
- Skin in the game. Some programs ask you to bring about 3% of your own money to the table. Gift funds from family often count. Ask me how.
Sound like a lot? It's paperwork, not pain. I chase every document with you, step by step.
The family of five who thought they'd never qualify.
A family of five came to me convinced homeownership was years away. Renting forever felt safer than hearing no.
I asked one question: why not? We ran their numbers. We lined up their program fit and got their class scheduled the same week.
They closed on a fully renovated home in the exact neighborhood they wanted. Their kids each have a room now. That's what this money is for.
Wait. Do I even count as a first-time buyer?
Probably. The definition is friendlier than people expect.
For most programs, a first-time buyer is anyone who has not owned a principal residence in the last 3 years. Owned a home years ago, sold it, and rented since? You likely count again. Owned an investment property but never lived in it? You may still count. Divorced and the house went to your ex? There are carve-outs for that too.
Buying with a partner changes the math, not the dream. Some programs look at both incomes. Some let one qualified buyer carry the application. Which path fits depends on your credit picture and the program's rules for that cycle.
The point: don't disqualify yourself from your couch. Two texts with me settles it. Then we spend our energy on the fun part, the house hunt itself.
Program money runs out. Here's how the cycle works.
These programs are not endless pots. The state and the county load funding in rounds. A round opens, buyers rush in, and the money is spoken for. Sometimes in weeks.
Hometown Heroes has sold out early in past cycles. Broward's county funds move by fiscal year and can pause mid-stream. City programs are smaller still, so they close fastest of all.
What does that mean for you? Two things.
First, get ready before the money opens. Class done. Pre-approval done. Documents in a folder. When a round opens, prepared buyers win it.
Second, have a plan B. If one program's round closes, another may still be open. I watch the funding announcements every week, so you don't have to refresh a government website at midnight.
This is also why I answer fast. When your dream house and an open funding round line up, the window is short. Calls returned within 1 hour. That promise exists for exactly these moments.
Four mistakes that cost first-time buyers real money.
- Shopping before pre-approval. You fall in love with a house you can't offer on. In this market, sellers barely read offers without a lender letter attached.
- Skipping the class until the end. The 8-hour workshop feels skippable. Then your closing waits on a certificate. Book it in week one and it never blocks you.
- Draining savings for the biggest down payment possible. Program money exists so you can keep reserves. Lenders like reserves. So do surprise repairs.
- Opening new credit mid-purchase. New car, new card, new furniture on credit. Any of these can shrink your approval overnight. Buy the couch after closing.
Every one of these is avoidable with a five-minute conversation at the right time. That's my job. Start with the programs, then text me the moment a question pops up.
Here's the whole thing, start to keys.
Six steps. About 45 days once you're under contract. I'm on the phone with you for all of it.
How much cash do you actually need?
Let's run a real one. Say you find a $450,000 townhome in Davie. Here's the honest math, rounded, as of mid-2026 program terms.
- FHA down payment at 3.5%: $15,750
- Closing costs, roughly 2% to 3%: $9,000 to $13,500
- Cash needed before help: about $25,000 to $29,000
Now subtract the programs.
- Hometown Heroes: up to $22,500 on this loan (5% of the loan amount)
- Or stack a county award instead, which can reach far higher for qualifying incomes
Plenty of my buyers walk in with under $5,000 of their own money. Some bring less. Your number depends on your income, your credit, and the funding cycle. Want your personal version? Text me. It takes one evening.
And the monthly side? On that same $450,000 townhome with 3.5% down, the loan runs about $434,000. At the 6.75% 30-year rate I use for estimates (as of mid-2026, not a quote), principal and interest lands near $2,815 a month before taxes, insurance, and any HOA. Compare that to Davie townhome rents and the gap is smaller than most renters think.
Starter price points, city by city.
I keep this page about the money. The neighborhood deep-dives live on my area pages. But here's where first purchases actually happen, as of mid-2026.
| City | Median sale | First-home angle |
|---|---|---|
| Davie | $520K | Townhomes and mobile homes open the door well under the median. |
| Cooper City | $601K | Family favorite. Watch for townhome listings near the schools. |
| Hollywood | $486K | Condos east of I-95 are the lowest entry point of the five. |
Not ready to buy this year? No shame in that. Rent smart first, then we make the jump together. And if you want the full program playbook, my Broward first-time buyer guide goes deeper than any page on the internet.
Already know the money part and want the how-we-shop part? That lives on my buyers agent page.
Questions every first-time buyer asks me.
How do I qualify for the first-time home buyer grant in Florida?
Most Florida programs ask for three things: you have not owned a home in the last 3 years, your income fits the county limits, and you take an approved homebuyer class. Credit of 640 or better opens most doors. I check your fit for free before you fill out anything.
What is the $35,000 down payment assistance program?
That is Florida Hometown Heroes, run by Florida Housing. It gives full-time Florida workers up to 5% of the loan amount, capped at $35,000, as a 0% deferred second mortgage. You repay it when you sell or refinance. Funding rounds run out fast, so timing matters.
What disqualifies you from first-time buyer programs?
The usual culprits: income over the county limit, owning a home within the last 3 years, buying above the price cap, or skipping the required homebuyer class. Some programs also want you to contribute a small amount of your own money. None of these are dealbreakers until we check the details together.
Are there first-time buyer incentives in 2026?
Yes. As of mid-2026, Hometown Heroes, FL Assist, and Broward County purchase assistance are all active when funded. Several cities add their own money on top, like Weston up to $50,000 and Margate up to $40,000. Funding opens and closes in cycles through the year.
What are the income limits in Broward County?
Broward purchase assistance generally serves households earning roughly 80% to 120% of the area median income, and the tier you land in changes the amount of help. The limits move each year. Text me your household size and income and I will give you a same-day read.
Ready to see your real number?
Text me your budget question. You'll hear back in minutes, not days.