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Your Trusted Lender for the
Florida Hometown Heroes Program

An authorized participating lender proudly helping Florida's heroes become homeowners.

FAQ

Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout the Florida Hometown Heroes Program

FLORIDA HOMETOWN HEROES

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Who qualifies for the 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

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To qualify for the 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program, applicants must meet all of the following:

✅ Eligible Occupation

You must be employed full-time (35+ hours/week) by a Florida-based employer in one of the following roles:

  • Healthcare worker
  • School staff member
  • First responder
  • Public safety employee
  • Court employee
  • Childcare worker
  • Active-duty military or military reserves
  • U.S. Coast Guard or Coast Guard reserves
  • Florida National Guard
  • Veteran employed full-time by a Florida-based employer

🛑 If your job does not fall under one of these categories, you will not be eligible, even if you met program criteria in previous years.

💰 County Income Limits

Your total household income must be at or below your county’s income limit, based on household size.This requirement applies to all applicants, including servicemembers and veterans.

Loan Qualification

You must qualify for a first mortgage loan (FHA, VA, or Conventional) and meet minimum standards:

  • Minimum 640 credit scoreMaximum
  • 50% debt-to-income ratio

📅 Important Timing Note

Funds will not be available on July 1, 2025 as in past years. The program will launch only after:

  • The Governor approves the state budget
  • Florida Housing finalizes the official list of eligible occupations
  • Lenders receive updated program guidelines and training

Does the down payment assistance have a monthly payment under the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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No, there is no monthly payment for the down payment assistance.  The down payment assistance is a 0% interest, 30 year deferred second mortgage.

It must always be repaid in full when any of the following occur:

  • The home is sold
  • The home is refinanced
  • The borrower moves to another home
  • The original first mortgage comes to term

At no time is this loan forgiven.

What is the maximum down payment assistance I can receive under the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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You may receive down payment assistance equal to 5% of the new mortgage loan amount.  The maximum assistance you can receive ranges from $10,000 - $35,000.

Can I use a Cosigner for the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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Yes.  A cosigner can be used as long as the combined income between for all applicants does not exceed the total income limits for the program.

To find the income limits in your county, click here to access the Florida Hometown Heroes Income Limit Chart »

Can I get cash back if I don't use all the down payment assistance under the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

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No, you may not receive any cash back. If there are unused funds from the down payment assistance, this amount can be applied towards principle reduction of the new loan up to maximum $2,000, or the loan can be reduced prior to closing.

Are there minimum credit score requirements for the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?  

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Yes. All applicants must have a 640 middle FICO score to qualify for the program.  

If you are buying a manufactured home, you will need a 660 middle FICO score to qualify.

Is the income limit based on the applicant's income or the total income in the household under the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

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For Conventional, FHA and VA loans, the income is limited to the applicant's income, not household income.  Only people's income who are applying for or cosigning for the new mortgage loan count towards this limit.

Do I have to repay the down payment assistance under the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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Yes. Although there is no monthly payment; the down payment assistance must always be paid in full whenever any of the following occur:

  • The home is sold
  • The first mortgage is refinanced
  • If the homeowner moves to another home
  • The first mortgage eventually comes to term

At no time is this loan forgiven.

Are there any income limits to qualify for the Florida Hometown Heroes Program down payment assistance?

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Yes, the Florida Hometown Heroes Program has restrictions on the total combined income for all applicants, and the amount varies by county.  

What is the maximum debt-vs-income (DTI) ratio for the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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The maximum debt-vs-income (DTI) ratio for the Florida Hometown Heroes Program is 50% for Conventional, FHA, and VA home loans for Automated Underwriting System (AUS) approved loans.  

For manually-underwritten loans, the maximum debt-vs-income (DTI) ratio is 43%.  

Manufactured homes have a maximum debt-vs-income (DTI) ratio of 43%, regardless of the underwriting type.

Buyer's Realtor commissions. My Realtor's commission is not being covered by the seller in my transaction. Can I use the Hometown Heroes down payment assistance to cover their commission?  

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No. Under the Florida Hometown Heroes Program, the assistance cannot be used to pay your Realtor's commission. If this is not negotiated in your contract, then the buyer must pay the commission from their own funds.   (This guideline implemented as of 02/16/2024)

My Realtor's company charges a transaction fee that is due at closing.  Can the down payment assistance cover this fee under the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?  

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Under the Florida Hometown Heroes Program, the assistance can be used to pay a Realtor's with a maximum amount of $500.00. This includes, but is not limited to, transaction fees, processing fees or administrative fees. (This guideline implemented as of 02/16/2024)

What are the Florida Hometown Heroes Program Requirements?

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To qualify for the 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program, applicants must meet all of the following:

Eligible Occupation

You must be employed full-time (35+ hours/week) by a Florida-based employer in one of the following roles:

  • Healthcare worker
  • School staff member
  • First responder
  • Public safety employee
  • Court employee
  • Childcare worker
  • Active-duty military or military reserves
  • U.S. Coast Guard or Coast Guard reserves
  • Florida National Guard
  • Veteran employed full-time by a Florida-based employer

🛑 If your job does not fall under one of these categories, you will not be eligible, even if you met program criteria in previous years.

💰 County Income Limits

Your total household income must be at or below your county’s income limit, based on household size.

This requirement applies to all applicants, including servicemembers and veterans.

Loan Qualification

You must qualify for a first mortgage loan (FHA, VA, or Conventional) and meet minimum standards:

  • Minimum 640 credit score
  • Maximum 50% debt-to-income ratio

📅 Important Timing Note

Funds will not be available on July 1, 2025 as in past years. The program will launch only after:

  • The Governor approves the state budget
  • Florida Housing finalizes the official list of eligible occupations
  • Lenders receive updated program guidelines and training

What is the Florida.Hometown Heroes Program?

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The Florida.Hometown Heroes program is a comprehensive housing initiative that combines standardized affordable lending programs with down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers who are frontline workers working for a Florida-based employer, Active-Duty military, and Veterans working for a Florida-based employer.  

The program was formed by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation in Tallahassee, FL and the program is available to the public through participating authorized mortgage lenders.

What is the income limit for down payment assistance in Florida?

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For the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, the income eligibility limit for down payment assistance is 120% of an area's AMI (Average Median Income), which changes each year and varies by county.

To find your county, click here to access the most current limits:  Florida Hometown Heroes Income Limit Chart »

What types of homes can I buy with the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program allows first-time homebuyers to finance the following property types:

  • Single Family Homes
  • Townhomes / Villas
  • Condominiums
  • 2-4 Unit Multi-Family Homes
  • Manufactured Homes

Can I qualify for discounted PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) through the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

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If you are qualifying for a Conventional mortgage, and the total income on the application is 80% or less than the Average Median Income (AMI) for the county, you may be eligible for a discounted Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) premium, which may lower your overall monthly payment.

If your income is above this limit, (but still within program income limit of 120% of the county AMI), you may still qualify for the Florida Hometown Heroes program with a standard PMI policy.  

Click here to access the Florida Hometown Heroes income Income Limit Chart »

Do I have to live in the home for a certain number of years under the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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No, the Florida Hometown Heroes Down Payment Assistance funds do not require the homeowner to live in the home for a specific amount of time; however the down payment assistance funds itself must always be repaid in full when any of the following occur:

  • The home is sold
  • The home is refinanced
  • The borrower moves to another home
  • When the original mortgage loan comes to term.  

At no time is this loan forgiven.

Who provides the down payment assistance for the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program?

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The down payment assistance funds are provided through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation in Tallahassee, FL.

To access the funds, applicants must apply with an authorized participating mortgage lender.

For more information about the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, visit floridahousing.org.

DEREK  BISSEN

NMLS# 365627

MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATOR

FLORIDA HOMETOWN HEROES PROGRAM EXPERT

MEET YOUR LOAN ORIGINATOR

A Tampa native, Derek has been banking and financing for over 25 years. Derek's expertise and depth of knowledge in the mortgage and financial services industry is unparalleled. He is a creative loan structurer and specializes in working with homebuyers of all experience levels.

He is also professional saxophonist, marketing specialist, videographer, visual artist, Star Trek/ Sci-Fi fan, comic book collector and sports car enthusiast.

If you're looking for a reliable and trustworthy mortgage expert, contact Derek today to learn more about how he can help you achieve your financial goals.

OTHER LINKS:

FLORIDA BUSINESS OWNERS & HUMAN RESOURCE SPECIALISTS: Employee homeownership lowers attrition and boosts employee pride in their communities and workplace.  Book a seminar today with your staff, and let us show your employees how to become a homeowner with little or no money down.

RESIDENTIAL BUILDERS IN FLORIDA: Increase your pool of eligible buyers by offering them the ability to close with little or no money down

REALTORS – Start selling more homes today! We host lunch and learn seminars to help you understand this powerful program!

This is not a commitment to lend.  Not all borrowers will qualify for the loan programs listed.  All program terms and conditions are subject to change and may be discontinued without prior notice.  Contact loan originator for program questions and scenarios.