State programs lend qualified buyers $10,000–$35,000 for down payment and closing costs — interest-free, payment-free, and in one case forgiven entirely. No jargon. No surprises.
How it works
Every Florida program is one of these three shapes. Understanding the shape is how you know what you actually owe — and when.
0% interest · no monthly payment
A second loan that sits quietly behind your mortgage. No interest, no monthly payment. You repay it only when you sell, refinance, move out, or pay off the first mortgage. Used by Hometown Heroes and Florida Assist.
0% interest · forgiven over 5 years
0% interest and no payment, and it shrinks 20% each year. After five years you owe nothing at all — the balance is fully forgiven. Used by Plus TBA (HFA Advantage PLUS).
3% · small monthly payment
$12,500 at a low 3% rate that amortizes with a small monthly payment (about $53–$86/mo), with the balance due when you sell or refinance. Used by FL HLP.
The programs
Which one you land on depends on your job, your credit, and how long you’ll stay. The wizard below sorts it for you — here’s the full picture.
Bond & TBA — 5% of your loan, from $10,000 up to $35,000, as a 0% deferred second. The lowest rates of any track.
First mortgages
FHA · USDA-RD · VA · Fannie Mae HFA Preferred · Freddie Mac HFA Advantage
Availability
Over $40M available in the 2026 round, first-come first-served. 60-day delivery timeline. Existing reservations can’t switch into Hometown Heroes.
You must work full-time at a qualifying Florida “hero” employer. Eligibility follows the employer and a physical Florida worksite — not your job title.
Healthcare — physicians, dentists, pharmacists, RN/LPN/APRN, medical/lab/imaging/surgical techs, physical/occupational/speech therapists, mental-health professionals, plus support staff at hospitals and healthcare facilities.
K-12 education — teachers, principals, counselors, librarians, aides, and school staff at public, private, charter, and magnet schools. (College staff are not eligible.)
First responders — firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics.
Law enforcement & public safety — sworn officers, correctional and probation officers, and 911 dispatchers.
Courts — judges, attorneys, clerks, and stenographers.
Childcare — employees of licensed facilities and registered home daycares.
Military & veterans — active duty in any role; honorably discharged veterans in ANY full-time Florida job. Veterans are also exempt from the first-time-buyer rule.
Key rule
Eligibility follows the employer and a physical Florida worksite, not the job title — support staff at qualifying facilities count, but fully-remote workers don’t. Only one borrower on the loan needs to qualify.
The classic first-time-buyer program. Household income is counted.
Pairs with either Florida Assist ($10,000, 0% deferred, not forgivable) or FL HLP ($12,500 at 3% with a small monthly payment). A dependable path when Hometown Heroes doesn’t apply.
Same assistance options as Standard Bond — but income is counted for the borrowers on the loan only.
Because only 1003 (on-the-loan) income counts — not total household income — this is a door-opener for two-income households where one spouse stays off the loan.
3%, 4%, or 5% of your total loan as a forgivable second: 0% interest, no payments, forgiven 20% on each closing anniversary. $0 owed after year 5.
Forgiveness is not pro-rata — it steps down on each anniversary. Exit early and you repay only the portion not yet forgiven. Requires a Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional first mortgage.
How forgiveness works
Example: a $300,000 loan with 5% assistance = $15,000 forgiven over five years.
You owe $0
Today’s pricing
As of July 30, 2026 — rates change daily. We’ll keep this current.
Hometown Heroes — Bond
Prices well below every other track.
| First-mortgage product | Rate |
|---|---|
| FHA / USDA-RD / VA | 6.500% |
| Fannie Mae HFA Preferred | 6.750% |
| Freddie Mac HFA Advantage | 6.500% |
Hometown Heroes — TBA
| First-mortgage product | Rate |
|---|---|
| FHA / USDA-RD / VA | 6.625% |
| Freddie Mac HFA Advantage (any AMI) | 6.750% |
Standard Bond
| First-mortgage product | Rate |
|---|---|
| Fannie Mae HFA Preferred | 7.500% |
| Freddie Mac HFA Advantage | 7.250% |
Standard TBA
| First-mortgage product | Rate |
|---|---|
| FHA / USDA-RD / VA | 7.125% |
| Freddie Mac HFA Advantage (≤80% AMI) | 7.250% |
| Freddie Mac HFA Advantage (>80% AMI) | 7.375% |
Plus TBA (forgivable) by assistance size
Each forgiveness step up costs roughly ¼–⅜ point in rate.
| Forgivable DPA | ≤80% AMI | >80% AMI |
|---|---|---|
| 3% forgivable | 7.125% | 7.250% |
| 4% forgivable | 7.375% | 7.500% |
| 5% forgivable | 7.750% | 7.875% |
Hometown Heroes prices well below every other track. Each Plus TBA forgiveness step up costs roughly ¼–⅜ point in rate. Rates shown are note rates, not APR; APR will differ.
The basics
First-time buyer means no ownership interest in a primary home in the past 3 years. Veterans, active-duty military, and buyers in federally designated targeted areas are exempt.
Primary residence only — these programs are for the home you’ll live in.
Minimum 640 FICO (660 for a manual underwrite).
Debt-to-income up to 50% with an automated-underwriting approval.
One occupying borrower completes an approved pre-purchase homebuyer education course. The certificate is valid for 2 years.
Income and purchase-price limits vary by county.
Find my program
No account, no credit pull. We’ll rank the Florida programs that fit you and show the money in real dollars.
Questions
The rules and county limits are the fine print we handle. Tell us about you and we’ll confirm your exact fit in 15 minutes.
Educational information only — not a commitment to lend or a rate quote. Down payment assistance programs are administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and are subject to funding availability and change. Rates are as of the date shown and change daily; APR will differ. Not all applicants qualify. Laszlo Varga NMLS #380661 · Swiftlend.com Mortgage Company NMLS #402985. Equal Housing Opportunity.