LPS · SOUTH FLORIDA BUYER READINESS

Your first home starts with a clear plan.

Start with your income and a payment that feels comfortable. Explore assistance, understand the cash you may need, and find your next step toward homeownership.

Build my readiness plan →Explore home searches

AI-generated home illustration · not an available property listing

YOUR STARTING POINT

Start with income. Build a plan.

You do not need to know every answer. Use estimates, choose “unknown” where available, and update your plan after speaking with a lender. Enter 0 where an amount does not apply.

No credit pull. No Social Security number. Answers stay in this browser tab and are not submitted to LPS. This is an educational planning tool, not a mortgage application or pre-qualification.

01 · Income & everyday comfort

Combined gross monthly incomeIncome before taxes from everyone applying for the mortgage. Include income you want a lender to consider; not every source is treated the same.Main income sourceTime receiving this incomeMonthly debt paymentsMinimum cards, car, student loans and other required debt payments. Exclude current rent, groceries and utilities.Comfortable monthly housing budgetInclude mortgage, taxes, insurance and association fees. Keep room for utilities, maintenance and everyday living.Savings available for buyingAmount of those savings to keep untouchedYour emergency reserve. This is kept out of the purchase budget.Amount you can add to savings monthly

02 · Your homebuying situation

Estimated credit rangePreferred countyNumber of people in your householdAnnual household incomeSome assistance programs count household income differently from mortgage qualifying income. Include all household income for this planning question.Owned and occupied a primary home in the last 3 years?Hometown Heroes occupation categoryFull-time work for a Florida-based employer?Will this be your primary home?Preferred home typeWhen would you like to buy?

03 · Explore a home & its costs

30-year fixed-rate example. A 0% down payment scenario requires a suitable loan program and lender approval; it does not mean zero closing costs.

Home price to exploreDown payment percentage for this exampleIllustrative annual interest rate (%)Editable example, not a current rate quote or APR.Annual property taxes ($)Use an estimate based on your purchase—not the seller’s current tax bill.Monthly home / flood insurance ($)Monthly HOA / condo fees ($)Monthly mortgage insurance ($)Placeholder: replace with your lender’s estimate; VA loans generally have no monthly mortgage insurance.Other financed loan fees ($)Enter lender-confirmed financed upfront mortgage insurance, VA funding fee or other financed fees, if applicable.Inspection allowance ($)Moving / immediate repairs allowance ($)Hypothetical assistance or allowed credits ($)Optional “what if” only. Enter 0 unless you want to compare a possible assistance amount. A lender must confirm the award, allowed uses, stacking and any second-loan payment.

ASSISTANCE, EXPLAINED

More than one possible path.

Programs depend on lender review, current income and purchase limits, property eligibility and available funds. Ask before combining assistance; benefits are not automatically stackable.

WORKFORCE & MILITARY

Florida Hometown Heroes

The 2026 program covers specified health care, school, first-response, public-safety, court and child-care roles with full-time Florida employment, plus qualifying servicemembers and veterans under the program’s rules.

Assistance is generally 5% of the first mortgage, with a $10,000 minimum and $35,000 maximum. It is a 0% deferred second mortgage—not a gift. Repayment can be triggered by selling, refinancing, transferring the deed or ceasing to use the home as a primary residence.

A participating lender must confirm occupation, first-time-buyer rules or exceptions, income, credit, loan limits and funding. There is no fee to apply for Hometown Heroes assistance.

Official rules & current county limits ↗

STATEWIDE OPTIONS

Florida Housing assistance

FL Assist: up to $10,000; a deferred 0% second mortgage, not forgivable.
FL HLP: $12,500 at 3% over 30 years; carries a monthly payment.
HFA PLUS: 3%, 4% or 5% assistance with certain conventional products; forgiveness occurs over five years under program conditions.

These require an eligible Florida Housing first mortgage. General program requirements include a 640 minimum credit score, approved education, county limits and first-time-buyer rules. The lender verifies exceptions and repayment terms.

Compare official Florida Housing options ↗

COUNTY & CITY

Local purchase assistance

Your household size, income, purchase address and available funding matter. A city may administer a different program from its county.

Check application windows, education requirements, participating lenders, occupancy restrictions and repayment before relying on an award.

MORTGAGE OPTIONS

A smaller down payment may be possible.

You do not always need 20% down. FHA and some conventional loans offer lower-down-payment options. Eligible military borrowers may explore VA loans, and eligible rural-area buyers may explore USDA.

Income starts the conversation; debts, credit history, assets and the property complete it. Lower savings or an imperfect score are reasons to ask for a plan—not to assume the answer.

Understand mortgage choices with the CFPB ↗

Official sources reviewed September 29, 2026. Funding has not been reserved or independently confirmed for any buyer. LPS provides real estate guidance; the lender makes lending and program decisions.

CONNECT THE PLAN TO REAL HOMES

Explore your saved South Florida searches.

Start with the payment you can manage, then compare homes. These searches reuse LPS’s prepared MLS shortcodes. A price-filtered listing is not confirmation that a home or buyer qualifies for a loan or assistance.

Homes up to $400,000 ↗Single-family search · up to $766,650 ↗Multifamily search · up to $1,194,250 ↗Multifamily search · up to $1,474,400 ↗

The numbers above are the saved search labels, not current loan limits or your approved budget. Confirm the actual filters and property details in the results. Some saved searches include pending listings or homes with community/occupancy restrictions. Multifamily eligibility and unit limits vary by loan and assistance program.

Additional saved home search

This original VA-named search is preserved for browsing. Its name does not establish VA loan or property eligibility.

Original VA home search ↗

Select a search to load live MLS results below. If the feed is unavailable, open South Florida listings or ask Carlyne for a tailored search.

Choose a search above to view live homes.

Single-family

Consider roof condition, insurance, flood zones, maintenance and any association fees.

Townhome or condo

Compare the full monthly cost, association reserves, special assessments and mortgage project approval.

Owner-occupied multifamily

Confirm allowed unit count, occupancy, reserves and whether projected rent can count toward income.

A PERSON TO HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD

Meet Carlyne Belot.

Hometown Heroes Specialist · Luxury Property Solutions

Bring your questions, your preferred area and your comfortable budget. Carlyne can help organize your search and connect your next steps with a participating lender.

Call Carlyne · 754-248-0922 Request buyer guidance

Meet Carlyne →

Your buyer resource library.

Buyer readiness & cost planner →Hometown Heroes guide →Assistance program directory →Interactive readiness questionnaire →Path to homeownership →Cash needed to buy →Buyer registration →

Prepare for your lender conversation

Bring identification, income and employment records, recent asset statements, a list of debts and an explanation of any credit concerns. Ask how gifts, variable income, student loans and assistance are treated. Share sensitive documents only through a verified lender’s secure process.

Find a Florida Housing participating loan officer ↗ · CFPB: down payment and closing-cost planning ↗