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Florida Hometown Heroes Program in Orlando: Down Payment Assistance for First-Time Buyers

You can handle the monthly payment. The down payment and closing costs are what stand between you and a house.

For Orlando buyers, the Florida Hometown Heroes program is built for that gap. It gives first-time buyers who work full time for a Florida employer in an eligible field up to $35,000 toward the down payment and closing costs, as a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment.

The money is limited each year and has run out before. Bruce Woodburn, The Loan Arranger, and the Woodburn Team check your eligibility and the current funding before you start house hunting. Call 407-869-8830.

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How Florida Hometown Heroes Assistance Works

5%
of the first mortgage amount, from $10,000 up to $35,000
Terms
A 0% interest second mortgage with no monthly payments
Repayment
Due when you sell, refinance, pay off the first mortgage or stop living in the home
Uses
The down payment and closing costs
First Mortgage
Pairs with a Florida Housing first mortgage — FHA, VA, USDA or conventional
Four smiling first responders in uniform with arms crossed: a paramedic with a stethoscope, a firefighter, a police officer and a woman in a navy uniform, against a dark background

Who Qualifies for Florida Hometown Heroes?

Hometown Heroes is for first-time buyers who work full-time for a Florida-based employer in an eligible field. Borrowers generally need to meet all of these:

  • Employment: full-time (35 or more hours a week) for a Florida-based employer in an eligible field, such as schools, hospitals and healthcare, fire and EMS, law enforcement and corrections, courts, licensed childcare or the military
  • First-time buyer: no ownership of a primary residence in the past three years
  • Credit score: 640 minimum
  • Income: at or below the limit for the county where the home is located
  • Primary residence: the home must be where the buyer lives
  • Homebuyer education: an approved course before closing

Veterans: exempt from the first-time buyer rule with a qualifying discharge, and eligible when working full-time for any Florida-based employer.

Not a first-time buyer? CrossCountry Mortgage’s Teacher and First Responder Program is separate from Hometown Heroes and has no first-time buyer requirement.

Florida Hometown Heroes: Down Payment Assistance for Essential Workers

Florida Hometown Heroes gives eligible essential workers 5% of their first mortgage amount, from $10,000 up to $35,000, toward down payment and closing costs. It’s a 0% interest second loan with no monthly payment, paired with a Florida Housing first mortgage (FHA, VA, USDA or conventional).

Assistance Amount

$10K–$35K

5% of the first mortgage

Interest Rate

0%

No monthly payment

Lender Fee

Waived

Standard 1% origination

How The Second Loan Works

  • Not a grant: it’s a silent second loan that sits behind the main mortgage.
  • Repayment: due only when the home is sold, refinanced or no longer the buyer’s primary residence.

Funding Runs Out

Money is released in yearly cycles and reserved first come, first served. The last cycle was fully committed in six months.

For many teachers and first responders, that’s the difference between “someday” and moving day this year.

CrossCountry Mortgage's Teacher and First Responder Program

A Separate Program, From The Lender

This is not Hometown Heroes. Hometown Heroes is state down payment assistance administered by Florida Housing. This one comes from the lender.

CrossCountry Mortgage’s program offers eligible teachers and first responders lender benefits such as reduced closing costs and rate incentives. Exact terms are confirmed at application.

Worth asking on the first call: whether the two can be combined on the same purchase.

Florida Hometown Heroes vs. CrossCountry's Teacher and First Responder Program

Florida Hometown HeroesState down payment assistance CCM Teacher & First ResponderLender benefits
What It Is 0% interest deferred second mortgage for down payment and closing costs Lender benefits such as reduced closing costs and rate incentives
Amount 5% of the first mortgage, from $10,000 to $35,000 Confirmed at application
Repayment Nothing monthly; repaid when the home is sold, refinanced or no longer the primary residence Nothing to repay
First Mortgage Florida Housing first mortgage (FHA, VA, USDA or conventional) CCM loan programs
Administered By Florida Housing Finance Corporation CrossCountry Mortgage
First-Time Buyer Required Yes; waived for veterans No
Funding Limited yearly cycles, first come, first served Ongoing, subject to program terms

Program terms, income limits and funding availability change and are subject to underwriting approval. Certain restrictions apply.

Florida Homebuyer Programs for Teachers, First Responders and Veterans

First-time buyers working full-time in an eligible field — schools, healthcare, fire and EMS, law enforcement, corrections

Florida Hometown Heroes may cover part of the down payment and closing costs when funding is available.

Check Hometown Heroes eligibility →

Teachers and first responders who have owned a home in the past three years

CrossCountry’s Teacher and First Responder Program has no first-time buyer requirement.

Ask about the program →

Buyers over the Hometown Heroes income limit

An FHA or conventional loan, where CrossCountry’s program may still apply [CONFIRM].

Compare loan options →

Veterans and active-duty military

A VA loan, often with no down payment. Veterans may also qualify for Hometown Heroes even as repeat buyers.

See VA loans →

Teacher and First Responder Home Loan FAQs

Do teachers get a mortgage discount in Florida?

Not a discount built into every loan, but two programs can lower the cost. Florida Hometown Heroes offers eligible first-time buyers down payment and closing cost assistance, and CrossCountry’s Teacher and First Responder Program offers lender benefits such as reduced closing costs and rate incentives.

Are there home loan programs for nurses in Florida?

Yes. Full-time nurses and other healthcare workers at an eligible Florida employer can qualify for Hometown Heroes if they meet the first-time buyer, income and credit requirements. CrossCountry’s Teacher and First Responder Program has been offered to school employees, firefighters, EMTs and law enforcement officers, so call to ask whether it currently extends to nurses.

Are there home loan programs for first responders in Florida?

Yes, three. Hometown Heroes covers police officers, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics who meet its first-time buyer and income rules. CrossCountry’s Teacher and First Responder Program offers reduced closing costs and rate incentives, and HUD’s Good Neighbor Next Door discounts eligible HUD homes for law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs.

What is the Good Neighbor Next Door program?

It’s a HUD program that offers 50% off the list price of eligible HUD-owned homes to full-time teachers (pre-K through 12), law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs. The home must be in a HUD revitalization area, and the buyer must live there for three years. Orlando-area listings are limited, so it works best alongside other options.

Is Hometown Heroes still available?

It depends on the funding cycle. Florida Housing reopened the program on July 13, 2026 with $50 million, and the previous cycle was fully committed in six months. Call 407-869-8830 to check current availability before you start shopping.

Can Hometown Heroes be used anywhere in Florida?

Yes. It’s available in all 67 counties. The income limit is set by the county where the home is located, so the same buyer can qualify in one county and not in another.

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