Hometown Heroes is assistance for an eligible primary-residence purchase, not a grant or rental-investment funding source. Confirm your employer or military category, the BOND/TBA product and its current limits with a participating lender. A general program page or preapproval does not reserve funds.
Know What You Are Applying For
The assistance is a second mortgage used with an eligible program first loan. Compare the total financing and the cash you still need rather than assuming an award covers the whole purchase. Ask for the applicable guide and an itemized estimate, including permitted fees.
An Illustration of the Published Assistance Formula
| Illustrative First Mortgage | 5% Calculation | What This Does Not Establish |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $10,000 | Eligibility, reservation or cash still needed |
| $300,000 | $15,000 | Coverage of all down payment and closing items |
| $700,000 | $35,000 | An approval or permitted loan size for your case |
The published formula is up to 5% of the total first mortgage, with a $10,000 minimum and $35,000 maximum. These arithmetic examples are not awards, purchase-price limits or confirmation that each first loan qualifies.
Confirm the Borrower Category and Product
- Civilian applicants: check the current eligible Florida-based employer categories and full-time work documentation, not a job title alone.
- Veterans: confirm full-time Florida-based employment and the required service documentation; veteran status alone is not enough.
- Servicemembers, reserves and National Guard: ask the lender to document the applicable employment and first-time-buyer treatment for BOND versus TBA.
- Full-time status is documented through the employer; do not substitute a universal weekly-hours rule.
- Confirm the current county limits, the product's income definition, credit/underwriting requirements, education rules and primary-residence use.
Deferred Does Not Mean Forgiven
The 0%, non-amortizing, 30-year assistance mortgage is not forgivable. The lender FAQ lists repayment on sale, refinance, deed transfer, payoff of the first loan, loss of primary-residence occupancy or maturity. Review the actual note before planning a refinance, move or rental conversion.
Work With the Lender in the Right Order
1. Confirm the Product and Required Documents
Use a participating lender to check the applicable employer or military category, income calculation, homebuyer status and property requirements. Ask which current BOND or TBA guide applies.
2. Check Reservation Requirements After Contract
Ask the lender to confirm funds and reservation steps for the executed purchase contract, including deadlines and remaining conditions. A preapproval conversation is not a reservation or a guaranteed closing.
3. Review the Whole Financing Package
Compare the first loan, assistance note, fees, education requirements and cash needed. Confirm any allowed pairing rather than assuming multiple assistance products can be stacked.
4. Keep the Contract and Program Milestones Aligned
Track lender requests and reservation/closing requirements with the purchase schedule. Ask about changes before switching lenders or products; do not assume an existing reservation transfers unchanged.
A Funding Announcement Is Not Your Reservation
The administrator requires an executed purchase contract before a loan lock. Have the participating lender confirm the current process, status and deadlines for your file. Do not rely on a prior funding round's balance, exhaustion prediction or a general review date.
Confirm Before Relying on a Program
- Confirm the exact BOND/TBA product and current eligibility documents.
- Use the current county/income sheet, not an old statewide cap.
- Obtain lender confirmation of the reservation and outstanding conditions.
- Read repayment triggers and primary-residence requirements before treating assistance as available cash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Continue Your Buying Research
Official Sources and Current Program Checks
Reviewed October 17, 2026. Published program terms are not an approval or a live funding confirmation. Use the current product guide and participating lender for the actual borrower and property.
- Florida Housing: published Hometown Heroes terms
- Florida Housing: July 2026 eligible-employer list
- Florida Housing: 2026 income and loan limit sheet
- Administrator: July 2026 lender FAQ
- Administrator: September 2026 HTH TBA guide
- Administrator: current offerings and reservation requirements
- Florida Housing: participating lender locator
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