Mortgage Approval Group
Florida Hometown Heroes Home Loan Program
Up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance for eligible first-time homebuyers who work full-time in a qualifying hero job role for a Florida-based employer. Mortgage Approval Group is a participating lender serving Tampa Bay and all of Florida.
What Is the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?
The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program is a state-sponsored initiative administered through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. It is designed to help eligible first-time homebuyers who work full-time in a qualifying hero occupation for a Florida-based employer purchase a home in Florida.
The program may provide up to 5% of the purchase price — up to $35,000 — in down payment and closing cost assistance, structured as a 0% interest second mortgage. The assistance is not a grant and is subject to repayment under certain circumstances, such as when the home is sold, refinanced or is no longer the borrower's primary residence.
A key requirement is that the borrower must be employed full-time (35+ hours per week) in one of the seven eligible hero job categories. Not all Florida workers qualify — the program is specifically targeted at healthcare workers, school staff, first responders, public safety workers, court employees, child care workers and military/veterans.
Program guidelines, funding availability, income limits, purchase price limits and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Contact Mortgage Approval Group for current program information.
How Much Assistance May Be Available?
Eligible homebuyers may receive up to 5% of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $35,000, toward down payment assistance and closing costs — subject to program guidelines and funding availability.
The assistance is structured as a 0% interest second mortgage. It is not a grant and may need to be repaid when the home is sold, refinanced or is no longer used as the borrower's primary residence.
Program funding is subject to availability. Contact Mortgage Approval Group for current information on program availability and assistance amounts.
Who May Qualify for Florida Hometown Heroes?
Key Program Features
Eligible Hero Job Categories
Participants must be employed full-time and currently employed by a Florida-based employer. Only one borrower must qualify with an eligible employer. The seven eligible categories are listed below — examples include, but are not limited to, the roles shown.
General Qualification Considerations
Florida Hometown Heroes eligibility requires meeting program income limits, purchase price limits and employment requirements. Borrowers must work full-time (generally 35 or more hours per week) in an eligible hero job role for a Florida-based employer.
Participants generally should not have owned a home during the previous three years, with exceptions for veterans and active-duty police officers. The property must be used as the borrower's primary residence in Florida.
Florida Virtual School teachers qualify only if their paystubs or VOE reflect they are paid directly by Florida Virtual School. Attorney and Court Stenographer roles qualify only if employed by the Florida Supreme Court, District Courts of Appeal, Circuit Courts or a county court in Florida.
Program guidelines, funding availability, income limits, purchase price limits and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Contact Mortgage Approval Group for current program information.
Florida Hometown Heroes in Tampa Bay
The Florida Hometown Heroes program is available statewide, including throughout the Tampa Bay area. Eligible homebuyers in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Wesley Chapel and surrounding communities may be able to use the program to help with down payment and closing costs.
Mortgage Approval Group is a participating lender for the Florida Hometown Heroes program based in Tampa. Our mortgage professionals can help you confirm your job role qualifies, check current income and purchase price limits, and guide you through the application process.
Florida Hometown Heroes program guidelines, funding availability, income limits, purchase price limits and eligibility requirements are subject to change. Source: Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Always verify current program guidelines and eligibility requirements. Contact Mortgage Approval Group for current program information.
Why Work With Mortgage Approval Group?
Mortgage Approval Group is an independent mortgage broker headquartered in Tampa, Florida, serving homebuyers, homeowners and real estate investors throughout the state. As a broker, we work with a network of wholesale lenders — which means we can compare loan programs and pricing across multiple sources rather than being limited to a single lender's offerings.
Our mortgage professionals take time to understand your goals, review your financial situation and help identify financing options that may fit your circumstances. Whether you're purchasing your first home, refinancing an existing mortgage or exploring a specialized loan program, we're here to guide you through the process.
Mortgage Approval Group, LLC is located at 2918 Busch Lake Blvd, Suite A, Tampa, FL 33614. We serve borrowers throughout Florida.
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