Down Payment Assistance for Davie Florida Home Buyers in 2026

The davie florida down payment assistance program question usually comes up at the exact moment a first time buyer starts to believe the down payment is the wall between them and a home. It is not always the wall it looks like. Broward County and the State of Florida both run assistance programs that put real money toward your down payment and closing costs on a single family home, and several of them reach further up the income scale than buyers assume. This guide gives you the programs, the dollar amounts, the income limits, and the one rule that confuses almost everyone: whether you ever pay the money back.

Down Payment Assistance Programs Available to Davie Buyers

Three programs do most of the work for buyers shopping single family homes in Davie. They differ in how much they pay, who qualifies, and how the money is repaid.

The Broward County Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program is the largest local source of help. The Florida Hometown Heroes program is the one that reaches the most working professional households because its income limit is far higher than people expect. Florida Assist is a smaller statewide layer that pairs with a Florida first mortgage. You do not pick one at random. You match the program to your income, your job, and the price of the home you are buying.

A point worth saying plainly: these programs are written around entry level pricing. They fit a first single family home in eastern Davie around 33314 or 33317, or a townhome sized budget pushed toward a small house, far better than they fit a luxury estate west of University Drive. If your search sits above the price caps below, the value here is knowing that early, so you plan your cash differently. Run any program against your real numbers using the Davie closing costs breakdown and your monthly cost of ownership before you decide what you can spend.

Broward County Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program

This is the program most people mean when they search for Davie down payment help. Broward County offers up to $80,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance, and up to $120,000 in higher cost areas such as Weston, toward the purchase of a primary residence.

The eligibility rules are specific:

• Income limit. Household income at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Broward’s reference AMI is about $96,200, so the 2025 to 2026 limits land near $64,550 for one person, $73,750 for two, $83,000 for three, and $92,200 for four.
• Purchase price cap. The home cannot exceed $679,324, with higher limits in select areas.
• Structure. The assistance is a forgivable, zero percent interest second mortgage. You do not make monthly payments on it, and the obligation is forgiven over time if you keep the home as your primary residence.
• Buyer requirements. First time buyer status, a homebuyer education course, and a minimum cash contribution from the buyer are typical conditions.

The 80 percent AMI ceiling is the real gate. It rules out many dual income professional households, which is exactly why the next program matters. You can confirm current program terms and the application process directly through the Broward County Housing office, and you can check where your household lands against local income data published by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Florida Hometown Heroes: The Program That Reaches More Davie Buyers

If your income is too high for the county program, read this section twice. Florida Hometown Heroes is a state run program that provides 5 percent of the loan amount toward down payment and closing costs, up to a maximum of $35,000, with a minimum of $10,000, subject to available program funding.

What makes it different is the income limit. Hometown Heroes uses 150 percent of Area Median Income, updated in January 2026, which puts the county limits in a range of roughly $142,950 to $195,450 depending on location. That ceiling reaches a large share of the working households actually buying single family homes in Davie.

The other requirements:

• Employment. Full time work, 35 hours or more per week, for a Florida based employer in an eligible occupation. The 2026 list covers more than 50 professions including healthcare workers, K through 12 school staff, first responders, public safety and court employees, child care workers, and active duty or reserve military. Veterans are exempt from the occupation requirement.
• First time buyer. Required, and waived for veterans.
• Credit. A minimum score of 640 for FHA, VA, conventional, and USDA loans. The 660 minimum applies only to manufactured or mobile homes.
• Structure. A zero percent interest, non amortizing, 30 year repayable second mortgage. No monthly payments, with repayment deferred until a trigger event.

Because it pairs with an FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgage, Hometown Heroes works on a wider range of single family homes than the county program. You can verify your occupation and current limits through Florida Housing, the state agency that administers it.

Florida Assist and Stacking Programs

Florida Assist is a smaller statewide option that provides up to $10,000 as a zero percent interest, deferred second mortgage. It is designed to pair with a Florida Housing first mortgage rather than stand alone. For a buyer who does not qualify for the larger programs or needs a smaller gap closed, it is a clean way to cover the last stretch of a down payment.

Stacking rules vary, and not every program combines with every other one. A lender approved for these state and county programs runs the actual layering for your file. The agent’s job is to point you to the right programs early and protect your timeline. The buyer’s job is to start the conversation before writing an offer, not after. The Davie buying process guide shows where financing and assistance fit in the order of operations.

Is the Assistance a Grant or Do You Pay It Back?

This is the question that stops most buyers, and the honest answer is: it depends on the program, and almost none of them are simple cash grants.

The Broward County assistance is a forgivable second mortgage. You do not repay it as long as you keep the home as your primary residence through the forgiveness period defined in your agreement. Stay long enough and the obligation goes away.

Hometown Heroes is repayable but deferred. You make no monthly payments, but the balance comes due when a trigger event happens: you sell the home, you refinance the first mortgage, you transfer the title, you pay off the first mortgage, or the home stops being your primary residence. It is not free money, but it is patient money, and it costs nothing while you live there.

Knowing which type you are taking changes how you think about selling or refinancing later. A buyer planning to move in three years treats a deferred repayable second very differently than a buyer planning to stay fifteen. Build that into the decision from the start.

Which Program Fits Your Situation

Work the decision in order rather than applying to everything at once.

1. Check your income against both ceilings. If your household is at or below 80 percent AMI, the Broward County program and its larger dollar amount are in play. If you are above that but within 150 percent AMI, Hometown Heroes is your lane.

2. Check your occupation. If you work in one of the eligible Hometown Heroes professions, that program likely fits even at a higher income.

3. Check the price of the home. Confirm the single family home you want falls under the program’s purchase price cap before you fall in love with it.

4. Get a lender who runs these programs. Not every lender is approved for state and county assistance. Use one who is, and have them confirm your eligibility in writing before you write an offer.

5. Confirm eligibility with the agency. The county and Florida Housing make the final call, not the agent and not the listing. Verify your specific situation with the source.

Eligibility is determined by the administering agency and your lender, so treat any number here as a planning figure, not a guarantee. The point of the framework is to walk into your home search knowing which door is actually open to you.

Davie Florida Down Payment Assistance FAQ

How much down payment assistance can I get in Davie?

Up to $80,000 through the Broward County Homebuyer Purchase Assistance Program, or up to $120,000 in higher cost areas such as Weston, if your household income is at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income. Through Florida Hometown Heroes, up to $35,000, with a higher income ceiling near 150 percent AMI. Florida Assist adds up to $10,000 more in qualifying cases.

Do I have to pay back down payment assistance in Florida?

It depends on the program. The Broward County assistance is a forgivable second mortgage that you do not repay if you keep the home as your primary residence through the forgiveness period. Hometown Heroes is a deferred second mortgage with no monthly payments, repaid only when you sell, refinance, transfer title, or stop using the home as your primary residence.

What is the income limit for down payment assistance in Davie?

The Broward County program requires household income at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income, roughly $64,550 for one person up to $92,200 for four in 2025 to 2026. Florida Hometown Heroes uses a higher 150 percent AMI limit, landing in a county range of about $142,950 to $195,450, which reaches far more working households.

Can I use assistance to buy a single family home in Davie?

Yes, assistance applies to a primary residence, including a single family home, as long as the purchase price falls under the program cap. The Broward County cap is $679,324. Confirm the specific home qualifies with your lender before writing an offer.

Who qualifies for Florida Hometown Heroes in Davie?

Full time employees of a Florida based employer in an eligible occupation, including healthcare workers, teachers and school staff, first responders, public safety and court employees, child care workers, and military. First time buyer status is required and waived for veterans, with a minimum credit score of 640 for most loan types.

Start With the Right Program, Not the Down Payment You Fear

The down payment is rarely the wall it looks like from the outside. For a first single family home in Davie, the right program can cover most of it, and the difference between qualifying and not qualifying often comes down to which program you apply to and the order you do it in. If you are early in your search or about to write an offer, get your income, your occupation, and your target price lined up against these programs first. Call (954) 235-5783 or book a Davie strategy call and we will map which assistance program fits your situation before you start touring homes.

Anthony Spitaleri, Broker Associate, Coldwell Banker

Davie, Florida

Phone: (954) 235-5783

Web: livingindavieflorida.com

Anthony Spitaleri is a Broker Associate with Coldwell Banker, one of the most established residential real estate brands, with approximately 3,000 offices globally and a founded in 1906. A Davie native who returned home in 2025 after 13 years in Miami Beach, Anthony specializes in luxury homes and estates above $1 million, acreage and equestrian properties with no HOA, and relocation buyers moving to Davie from out of state. He created livingindavieflorida.com, the most in-depth independent Davie real estate resource available, with in-depth coverage of Davie’s gated communities, acreage and equestrian properties, and luxury estates, plus original weekly market data, interactive tools, Town Council recaps, and a 24/7 AI concierge. Anthony has been licensed in real estate since 2013 (BK3281907), is a Certified Strategic Coach through Coaching Services International (CSI), an active member of the Davie Cooper City Chamber of Commerce, and a weekly volunteer at Bit by Bit Therapeutic Riding Center in Davie. Learn more on the about Anthony page.