Hometown Heroes Mortgage Program

Program update: Reservations begin August 18th 2025, see eligible occupations below!

The hometown heroes mortgage program effective July of 2025 will no longer be available for all first time home buyers who work for a Florida based employer full time. The eligible occupations are listed below, and the employer must still be Florida based.

They include: Healthcare worker, school staff member, first responder, public safety employee, court employee, childcare worker, an active service member of the United States Military, military reserves, and the United States Coast Guard or its reserves and the Florida National Guard. Also any veteran employed by a Florida based employer will qualify even if they are not a first time home buyer.

Full time is considered 40 hours or more a week. If 40 hours a week is not reflected on a pay stub, a written verification of employment confirming full time status is acceptable. This is a first time home buyer’s program! That does not mean you can’t have ever owned a home. It means you can’t have occupied and owned that home in the last three years! Furthermore Veterans do no need to be first time home buyers if buying in a federally designated target area.  

Summed up the Hometown Heroes mortgage program is designed to help reduce interest rate, closing costs, and out of pocket expenses when purchasing a home. This is huge news for the state of Florida, this program makes buying a home more affordable in a time when home affordability is a serious issue!

So What’s the Benefit to the Hometown Heroes Program?

In short the hometown heroes first time home buyer program saves you money!  5% of the mortgage amount up to $35,0000 is able to be applied towards your closing costs and down payment with a minimum of $10,000. If your loan amount is less than $200,000 you receive and automatic $10,000.

So on a $300,000 loan amount that’s $15,000 available at closing. This is done through a 0% second non-amortizing mortgage, otherwise known as a silent second. However, the second mortgage is not forgivable. Its due once the home is sold, refinanced or if the home owner no longer occupies the property as a primary residence. The hometown heroes mortgage program can be utilized with not only Conventional financing via Fannie or Freddie, but also FHA, the VA lending program and $0 Down USDA financing. The hometown heroes mortgage program can be used to buy a manufactured home well with a minimum score of 660.

Benefits in a Nutshell 

• Seller concessions for closing costs and pre-paids aren’t needed.
• The rate is lower than current market rates and published by ehousingPlus.
• Discount points to lower the rate are not allowed.
• No origination points are allowed.
• The program can be used on a 30 or 15 year fixed mortgage.
• State doc stamps and intangibles are waived when the buyer uses this program, with typical financing in Florida a lot of times the seller is paying this so it makes your offer even stronger!
• If you are a Veteran the first time home buyer qualification is waived!
• Only one of the borrowers must have a qualifying occupation!
• For those using conventional financing with income at 80% or below of adjusted median income for your county special mortgage insurance rates apply

Hometown Heroes Mortgage Program Limitations

The program does have income limitations. However the limitations are based on the area median income or the AMI. The max income limit ranges from $95,300 to $182,420 depending on which county you live in! When using Hometown Heroes in conjunction with USDA financing the USDA income limits apply.

There are also purchase price limitations. The max varies by county as well. It ranges from $544,232 to $1,004,062. For these exact numbers you can see them here at the Florida Housing site. The minimum credit score required to participate in the Hometown Heroes Program is a 640! If you are using the program to buy a manufactured home the minimum credit score is also a 640. This is dictated by the state, if yours is a little lower ask us how we can help get it up.

 Hometown Heroes Guidelines You Need to Know

• 640 minimum credit score for all loan programs (FHA, VA, Conventional, USDA) for single family homes and manufactured homes.
• Max debt ratio is 50% (totaly monthly debt can’t exceed 50% of monthly income)
• For manual underwrites the minimum credit score is 660, with a max debrt ratio of 43%
• The term of the mortgage will be 30 years
• As a first time home buyer your nor a non borrowing spouse can have owned a primary residence for the last 3 years unless buying in a federally designated area.
• Manufactured homes built in 1994 or newer qualify, for USDA the home can’t be more than 20 years old.
• Modular homes are permitted
• co-signors are allowed but can’t be on the deed
• At least one borrower must complete a first time home buyers course or a pre-purchasing course
• Lender fees can’t exceed $1,750
• Hometown Heroes funds can not be used to pay for real estate agent commissions, the borrower must use their own funds if there is a charge to them. 

 First Time Home Buyer’s Course

Remember, unless you are a Veteran this is a first time home buyer’s program for Floridians. Which the states definition to qualify is that you can’t have owned a home in a the last 3 years to be considered a first time home buyer. Before you close on your loan using the Hometown Heroes Program you must complete a first time home buyer’s course by a HUD approved counselor. This can be done through an online course. You can find a list of HUD approved counselors here, you can search by zip code.

Florida Hometown Heroes (HTH) Loan Program – Eligible Occupations

You must be employed full time in one of the occupations listed below to qualify for the Hometown Heroes program. The employer must also be a Florida based employer. That just means they need a physical location here. You can’t work remotely for an out of state company.

Healthcare Workers

Nursing

• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

• Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

• Nurse Anesthetist

• Nurse Midwife

• Nursing Assistant (CNA)

• Nursing Technician

• Registered Nurse (RN)

Medical Technicians

• Anesthesia Support Technician

• Cardiology Technician

• Clinical Technician

• Computed Tomography (CT) Technician

• Emergency Room (ER) Technician

• Laboratory Technician (Including Phlebotomist)

• Music Technician

• Neurology Technician

• Nuclear Medicine Technician

• Monitor Technician

• Orthopedic (Ortho) Technician

• Pharmacy Technician

• Radiation Technician

• Rehabilitation (Rehab) Technician

• Sonographer

• Surgical Technicians

• X-ray Technician

Medical Therapists

• Audiology Therapist

• Occupational Therapist

• Physical Therapist

• Respiratory Therapist

• Speech Therapist

Mental Health Workers

• Behavioral Health Specialist

• Behavioral Health Technician

• Behavioral Health Therapist

• Case Manager

• Mental Health Specialist

• Mental Health Technician

• Mental Health Therapist

• Psychiatrist

• Psychologist

• Social Worker

Doctors, Physicians, and Pharmacists

• Anesthesiologist

• Anesthesiologist Assistant

• Dentist

• Nuclear Pharmacist

• Pharmacist

• Pharmacy Technician

• Physician

• Physician Assistant

Other Healthcare Workers

• Dental Assistant

• Dental Hygienist

• Medical Assistant (CMA or MA)

• Patient Care Assistant

• Patient Transporter (Orderly)

• Phlebotomist

School Staff Members

Borrowers employed full-time by a Florida-based K-12 public, private, charter, or magnet school are eligible. Examples include:

• Assistant Principal

• Career Specialist (Guidance Counselor)

• Classroom Teacher

• Food Service / Cafeteria Staff

• Librarian/Media Specialist

• Maintenance / Janitorial Staff

• Principal

• School Counselor

• School Psychologist

• Social Worker

• Teacher Aide

First Responders

Borrowers employed full-time by a Florida-based fire department, ambulance service, or hospital are eligible. Examples include:

• Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

• Certified Paramedic

• Firefighter

Public Safety Workers

Borrowers employed full-time by a Florida-based local, county, state, or federal law enforcement department, juvenile detention facility, correctional facility, or emergency operations center are eligible. Examples include:

• 911 Public Safety Communicator (911 Operator or Dispatcher)

• Correctional Officer

• Correctional Probation Officer

• Juvenile Detention Officer

• Juvenile Probation Officer

• Sworn Law Enforcement Officer (Local, State, or Federal)

Court Employees

Borrowers employed full-time by a Florida-based county, state, or federal court, court administrator’s office, State Attorney’s Office, or Public Defender’s Office are eligible. Examples include:

• Assistant State Attorney

• Assistant Public Defender

• Attorney (if employed by the Florida Supreme Court, District Courts of Appeal, Circuit Courts, or a county court in Florida)

• Court Clerk

• Court Stenographer (Court Reporter) (if employed by the Florida Supreme Court, District Courts of Appeal, Circuit Courts, or a county court in Florida)

Childcare Workers

Borrowers employed full-time by a Florida-based licensed childcare facility (pursuant to S.402.301-402.305) or exempt from licensure (pursuant to S.402.313 and 402.316) are eligible. Examples include:

• Any worker at a licensed childcare facility

• Any worker at a licensed or registered home daycare

Military & Veterans Service Members

• All active duty or reserve service members of all branches of the United States Armed Forces, including the Florida National Guard.

• Veterans employed full-time with a Florida-based employer who have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions from one of the eligible military or reserve branches.

Fill out an application today for a pre-approval! Hometown Heroes funds dry up fast!

By applying for a pre-approval we can confirm you meet the income and first time home buyer status for Hometown Heroes. An application is not an obligation, and if you don’t qualify we can help guide you in the right direction for another loan program that meets your needs!