Answers
First-time home buyer loans in Miami
How first-time buyers in Miami pair a first mortgage with Florida Housing and Miami-Dade County programs, and who counts as first-time.
Short answer
Florida Housing says you must work with a participating program lender and complete homebuyer education [4]. Miami-Dade County asks for a homebuyer training certificate and a first mortgage from a participating lender [6]. The Fannie Mae, Florida Housing and Miami-Dade definitions look at whether you owned a home in the last three years [3][4][7].
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There is no single "first-time buyer loan."
A first-time buyer in Miami still uses a first mortgage, such as an FHA or conventional loan [1][2], and may add public help from Florida Housing [4] and Miami-Dade County [6][7].
The Fannie Mae, Florida Housing and Miami-Dade definitions look at whether you owned a home in the last three years [3][4][7].
On this page
01
Is there a special loan for first-time buyers in Miami?
Not a single one. A first-time buyer still needs a first mortgage.
An FHA loan is insured by the Federal Housing Administration, which is part of HUD, and its qualifying standards are generally more flexible than for conventional loans [1].
A conventional loan is simply one that is not part of a specific government program [2].
02
Who counts as a first-time home buyer?
Each program uses its own definition, so check the one that applies to you.
Fannie Mae's Selling Guide treats you as a first-time homebuyer if you are buying the home, will live in it as your principal residence, and had no ownership interest in a residential property during the three years before the purchase [3].
Its definition also covers some displaced homemakers and single parents [3].
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Florida Housing uses the IRS definition and says you cannot have owned and occupied your primary residence in the three years before the purchase [4].
Miami-Dade County's down payment program generally looks for no ownership of a principal residence in the three years before the purchase, with listed exceptions [7].
03
What does Florida Housing offer first-time buyers?
Florida Housing Finance Corporation offers first mortgage loans to first-time homebuyers through participating lenders, and its down payment assistance programs include Florida Assist and the Florida Homeownership Loan Program second mortgage [4].
Florida Housing says you must work with an approved, participating program lender, complete approved homebuyer education, and stay below the income and purchase price limits for the county where you buy [4].
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The Florida Hometown Heroes program gives down payment and closing cost help to first-time, income-qualified buyers who work full time for a Florida-based employer in eligible occupations, and to eligible servicemembers and veterans [5].
It is a deferred second mortgage that is not forgivable, and Florida Housing says there is no cost to apply [5].
04
What does Miami-Dade County offer?
Miami-Dade County's Public Housing and Community Development department runs a homebuyer program that includes the Homebuyer Loan Program and a Down Payment Assistance Program, and it publishes income and mortgage limits (FY 2025 limits on the page we read) [6].
Miami-Dade County asks for a homebuyer training certificate and a first mortgage from an approved participating lender, and you must be a Miami-Dade County resident when you apply [6].
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The county's down payment program is a deferred loan, repaid at the end of its term or when the home is sold, refinanced or transferred, and the county shares in the profit if you sell during the first years [7].
Requirements differ between the county's programs, so read each program's page before you apply [6][7].
05
What are the steps for a first-time buyer in Miami?
A general path, not a promise about any program or lender.
- Check whether you count as a first-time buyer under the program you want [3][4][7].
- Take homebuyer education, and if you want one-on-one help, find a HUD-approved housing counselor by ZIP code [8].
- Compare your household income and target price with the county limits [4][6].
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- This page does not say that Global G Home Loans participates in these programs. Ask any lender or broker, including us, whether it participates in the Florida Housing or Miami-Dade program you are considering [4][6].
- Request and compare Loan Estimates from more than one lender [9].
- Do not pay an upfront fee to apply for Hometown Heroes help; Florida Housing warns against anyone who asks for one [5].
06
What should I have ready?
The usual loan paperwork, plus what the programs add.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Who counts as a first-time home buyer in Florida?
It depends on the program. Florida Housing uses the IRS definition and says you cannot have owned and occupied your primary residence in the three years before the purchase [4]. Fannie Mae's definition also looks at the three years before the purchase [3].
Sources: E-3-06, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: F (09/03/2025); Homebuyer Overview
Do I need a specific lender for Florida Housing programs?
Yes. Florida Housing says you must work with an approved, participating program lender [4].
Sources: Homebuyer Overview
Is homebuyer education required?
For these programs, yes. Florida Housing requires approved homebuyer education [4], and Miami-Dade County asks for a certificate of completion from a homebuyer training program [6].
Sources: Homebuyer Overview; Affordable Homeownership Program
Can a non-permanent resident use an FHA loan for a first home?
Not for new FHA cases. HUD's Mortgagee Letter 2025-09 removed eligibility for non-permanent residents for FHA case numbers assigned on or after May 25, 2025 [10].
Sources: Mortgagee Letter 2025-09, Revisions to Residency Requirements
Does it cost anything to apply for Hometown Heroes?
Florida Housing says there is no cost to apply for Hometown Heroes down payment assistance, and it warns against anyone who asks for an upfront fee [5].
Sources (11)
- What is an FHA loan?. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Last reviewed Feb. 2, 2024; page last modified June 30, 2025. Accessed .
- Conventional loans. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Accessed .
- E-3-06, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: F (09/03/2025). Fannie Mae Selling Guide. First-time homebuyer. Accessed .
- Homebuyer Overview. Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Who qualifies; Down Payment Assistance Programs. Accessed .
- Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program. Florida Housing Finance Corporation. HTH 2026 Program; eligible borrowers; fraud warning. Accessed .
- Affordable Homeownership Program. Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development. Eligibility; requirements; FY 2025 income and mortgage limits. Accessed .
- Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Miami-Dade County Housing and Community Development. Program terms; who qualifies; requirements. Accessed .
- Find a housing counselor. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Accessed .
- Compare: shop for your mortgage. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Accessed .
- Mortgagee Letter 2025-09, Revisions to Residency Requirements. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Dated March 26, 2025; Effective Date; Summary of Changes. Accessed .
- Create a loan application packet. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Gather your personal and financial information; What to know. Accessed .