By Carolyn Stewart


Every day the dream of home ownership seems to get more elusive for those who have never experienced it. Groceries, utilities, school supplies and tuition are among the monthly expenses that are always on the rise. A number of state governments are addressing this issue in an effort to help. Qualified home buyers can take advantage of any one of the numerous down payment assistance programs Florida has available for instance.

In certain counties, residents can take advantage of HHF, or the Hardest Hit Fund. This fund is designed to assist the citizens who have been most affected by recent economic downturns. This year Florida has a maximum allowance of fifteen thousand dollars for qualified buyers to use toward a down payment on a single family home, pre-approved condo, or town house. The qualifying loans are for thirty years at a fixed rate.

If you are interested in a conventional HFA preferred loan, the state will assist with seventy-five hundred dollars toward a down payment or closing costs. They will not accept any co-signers, and you must complete a buyer education course. This assistance is offered throughout the state. Those who qualify can also get discounted mortgage insurance. It is available only to owner occupants. New homes and foreclosed property fall under the state's guidelines.

The FHA with Florida Assist program offers a total of seven thousand five hundred dollars for a down payment or closing. Your credit score must be at least 640, and you are required to pass a home buying course. No cash back at closing is allowed.

A program that allows higher incomes than most of the others is called Conventional HFA Preferred Plus Loan. If you are a veteran, you don't have to be a first time home buyer to quality for assistance. The state allows a three percent grant based on the purchase cost instead of a flat amount. As with the other plans, this one requires applicants to take an education course. There are certain counties that are excluded from the program.

The state offers several matching grants. One of them will match the buyer at a one to four ratio up to a maximum of five thousand dollars. The buyers must contribute a minimum of a thousand dollars. Income limitations apply, and there are maximum purchase price stipulations as well. New homes, town homes, and foreclosures are included in the matching grant guidelines.

Law enforcement personnel, firefighters, other first responders, and teachers can take advantage of special matching funds plans offering up to seven thousand five hundred dollars. Healthcare workers and active and retired military can also qualify for this subsidy. If you are interested, you can get more information online.

These are only a few of the programs offered each year. If this is something that interests you, you can get more information online, or you can call the state. Applying is free, and you are not obligated to accept a loan offer from the state.




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