Broward County First Time Home Buyer Program: What's Open, Who Qualifies, and New-Construction Rules
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Broward County's own first-time home buyer program, Homebuyer Purchase Assistance, gives a 0% deferred second mortgage, and it can be used on a new-construction home. The catch: when we checked on Oct. 29, 2026, the county's page marked 24 of its 25 listed areas ""(No Funds)."" Hollywood was the only one without that tag. Statewide help from Florida Housing and a county-run mortgage tax credit still cover all of Broward.
Here is what each program offers, who qualifies, and how it works when the home is brand new.
What is the Broward County first time home buyer program?
The Broward County Housing Finance Division runs Homebuyer Purchase Assistance (HPA). According to the county's program page:
Help comes as ""a deferred-payment second mortgage at 0% interest and a 15-year term.""
""You may purchase an existing home or a new construction home.""
The page lists a maximum sales price of $679,324, with a note that a higher maximum may apply in Weston. The county's March 2026 lender guidelines list a different cap, $636,806, so ask your lender which one applies to your file.
You do not apply online. ""Your lender will be applying on the client's behalf; there are no online applications available.""
The county's June 2026 program flyer defines a first-time buyer as someone who has not owned a home in the past three years. The lender guidelines also require a homebuyer education class from a HUD-approved agency in South Florida.
Who qualifies? Broward income limits for 2026
HPA uses 80% of area median income. The county's chart, ""Effective: May, 2026,"" sets these maximum gross household incomes:
Household size | Maximum income (80% AMI, Broward HPA) |
|---|---|
1 person | $71,000 |
2 people | $81,150 |
3 people | $91,300 |
4 people | $101,400 |
5 people | $109,550 |
6 people | $117,650 |
7 people | $125,750 |
8 people | $133,850 |
The City of Pompano Beach's 2026 program flyer uses the same 80% figures.
Which Broward cities still have funds?
This is the part most buyers miss. HPA money is split by city. On Oct. 29, 2026, the county page tagged these areas ""(No Funds)"": Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Davie, Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Lazy Lake Village, Lighthouse Point, Margate, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Plantation, Sunrise, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, West Park, Weston, Wilton Manors and unincorporated Broward County.
Hollywood was the only listed area without the tag. The county runs Hollywood's own first-time buyer program too. Its page lists up to $50,000 at 0%, deferred for 15 years and reduced by one-fifteenth each year. The home must be in Hollywood's Neighborhood Pride Eligibility Area, and the buyer must have 3% of the first mortgage in their own savings.
Funding changes, and the county says money goes out first-come, first-qualified. Ask a participating lender to check before you count on it.
Do Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach have their own programs?
Some larger cities run their own help instead of using the county list.
Pompano Beach: the city's 2026 flyer offers up to $80,000 as a 0% deferred loan over 20 years, reduced 20% a year in the last five years. It lists a maximum price of $451,000 for ""PY-2025,"" and buyers apply through the city's online portal. The flyer does not say whether new construction is allowed, so ask the city.
Fort Lauderdale: the city's housing plan, last revised Jan. 30, 2026, describes purchase help of up to $75,000 and says a new home must have received its certificate of occupancy within the last 12 months. The same plan projects $0 for purchase assistance in its funding goals, so check with the city before you plan around it.
What statewide help can Broward buyers use?
Florida Housing Finance Corporation programs work in every county, through approved lenders.
Florida Assist: ""Up to $10,000 on FHA, VA, USDA and Conventional Loans,"" as a ""0%, non-amortizing, deferred second mortgage."" It is not forgiven. You need a Florida Housing first mortgage, a credit score of at least 640 and an approved homebuyer education course. A first-time buyer is someone who has not owned and lived in a home as their main residence in the past three years.
HFA Preferred and HFA Advantage PLUS: 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan amount, forgiven 20% a year over five years.
Hometown Heroes: for full-time workers at Florida employers in eligible jobs, plus military and veterans. It offers 5% of the first mortgage, from $10,000 up to $35,000, as a 0% deferred, not forgivable loan. Florida Housing's 2026 limits for Broward, effective with reservations from May 6, 2026, are $190,200 in household income and a $667,000 FHA loan limit. Florida Housing said in February 2026 that it had committed all funding for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Its pages do not show whether money is open now, so ask a participating lender. Our Hometown Heroes guide covers the new-construction rules.
What is the Broward Mortgage Credit Certificate?
The Housing Finance Authority of Broward County runs a Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC). It is not cash at closing. It is a federal tax credit for part of the mortgage interest you pay each year.
Its 2026 public notice says the credit is 10% to 50% of your mortgage interest, capped at $2,000 a year when the rate is above 20%. The program was set to start on or about Jan. 15, 2026, and runs until credits run out or Dec. 31, 2028. Price limits for ""New and Existing Homes"" are $679,323.60 outside targeted areas and $830,284.40 inside them. Income limits are $122,400.66 for 1-2 people and $140,760.75 for 3 or more outside targeted areas.
What this means for new-construction buyers in Broward County, FL
A brand-new home can work with Broward's programs, but timing matters more than on a resale.
Line up the lender first. Every program here runs through a participating lender. Ask if they work with HPA, Florida Housing and the MCC before you sign with a builder.
Watch the rate lock. Broward's HPA lender guidelines say the rate lock happens 120 days before the estimated certificate of occupancy. If your home will take longer to finish, plan for that gap.
Expect an inspection. The same guidelines require a comprehensive inspection, even on a new home.
Check the price cap early. Compare the home's price with each program's maximum before you put down a deposit.
Check funds again before closing. Money that is there today may be gone by the time a home is built.
Browse Broward communities such as Hunters Manor in Pompano Beach, Vineyards in Davie and Solterra in Sunrise. Then call 561-704-0091 for today's pricing and builder offers. For the tax side, read our guide to Broward County property tax on a new home.
Common Questions
Does Broward County have a first time home buyer program?
Yes. Broward County's Homebuyer Purchase Assistance gives a 0% deferred second mortgage with a 15-year term. On Oct. 29, 2026, the county's page marked every listed area except Hollywood ""(No Funds).""
Can I use Broward County down payment assistance on a new construction home?
Yes, for the county's HPA program. Its page says you may buy an existing home or a new construction home. The lender guidelines add a comprehensive inspection and a rate lock 120 days before the estimated certificate of occupancy.
What is the income limit for Broward County down payment assistance?
For HPA, the limit is 80% of area median income. The May 2026 chart allows \$71,000 for one person and \$101,400 for a family of four.
How do I apply for Broward County HPA?
You apply through a participating lender. The county says there are no online applications. You take a HUD-approved homebuyer class, get approved for a first mortgage, and the lender requests the funds.
Can I combine Broward help with Florida Housing programs?
Florida Assist and Hometown Heroes are statewide and available through approved lenders in Broward. Whether you can stack them with county help depends on each program's rules, so ask a lender that works with both.
What is the Broward MCC?
It is a Mortgage Credit Certificate from the Housing Finance Authority of Broward County. It gives a federal tax credit of 10% to 50% of the mortgage interest you pay each year, with a \$2,000 yearly cap when the rate is above 20%.
Ready to take the next step?
Call 561-704-0091 to talk with a National House Search specialist, or Schedule a visit.
Related reading: Hunters Manor in Pompano Beach · Vineyards in Davie · Florida down payment assistance programs · Broward County property tax on a new home
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures checked October 29, 2026.