About This Florida Down Payment Assistance Site
Straight, current information on Florida Housing and Hometown Heroes, from a lender who originates these loans directly, not a lead broker.
Why this site exists
Search "down payment assistance in Florida" and you will hit pages that quote year-old Hometown Heroes numbers, or say the program is open when its funding has run dry, or blur the difference between the repayable and forgivable options. We keep this site current to the actual Florida rules, the three Florida Housing options, the 640 credit floor, the county limits, and crucially, whether Hometown Heroes is funded right now. It is a strong set of programs for a lot of Florida buyers. When it is not the right fit, we say so.
What we do
- Originate Florida Housing loans directly, FL Assist, FL PLUS, and Hometown Heroes, plus county programs.
- Match the program to your situation, repayable vs. forgivable, statewide vs. county HFA, FHA vs. conventional.
- Serve Florida statewide, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Myers, and every county.
- Give honest tradeoff advice, including whether Hometown Heroes is funded and when saving your own down payment beats taking assistance.
Who you work with
Mike Certo is a branch manager and licensed mortgage loan officer with Cornerstone First Mortgage (NMLS #260555; company NMLS #173855). He is an approved participating lender for Florida Housing and closes these loans across the state. This site is an educational resource, not the program administrator; Florida Housing (FHFC) runs the statewide programs, and each county HFA runs its own.
Have a question? Talk to Mike
Tell us your county, credit range, and price target, and we’ll map your Florida path in a no-pressure 20-minute call. No obligation.