Fact-checking
How we check Florida homebuyer programs
Every program here is held up against the agency that runs it. This page explains the process and what our labels mean.
Primary documents only
Our 50 Florida programs trace back to 43 official sources. For the state program that means Florida Housing's own program pages, term sheets and income-limit tables. For local programs it means the city, county or nonprofit that writes the checks. Dollar amounts, caps and rules come straight from those documents. We don't copy other directories or news write-ups. When two official sources say different things, the program page shows both rather than guessing.
How fresh it is
Each card carries the month we last checked it. We go back to the official pages on a regular schedule, and we change a program's status when its money runs dry, a new funding round opens, or the terms are rewritten. A program that has ended for good comes off the site. One that's only paused stays up, marked as paused, so you know to look again.
Our labels, decoded
| You'll see | It means |
|---|---|
| Taking applications | Participating lenders or the program office are accepting files. |
| Limited funds | Paid from a yearly or capped budget that can be used up. Make sure money is left before you apply. |
| Waitlist only | Current money is committed. New buyers join a list for the next round. |
| Paused for now | Not accepting files today, though many restart when the next budget lands. |
| Grant, never repaid | You keep it no matter what. |
| Forgivable second loan | Wiped out over time as long as you keep living in the home. Owed if you sell or refinance before then. |
| Deferred loan, due at sale or refinance | Nothing due each month, but the balance is repaid when you sell, refinance or move out. |
| Second loan with monthly payments | Paid back in monthly installments, like any other loan. |
Lines we don't cross
The word "grant" only appears when the official terms say the money is never repaid. If a program's amount or terms can't be confirmed, it gets a short card and no full write-up until the program publishes them. No program pays to be listed. We're an independent publisher, not a lender and not part of any government.
Seen something stale?
Rules change, sometimes overnight. If a status or term looks wrong, write to leads@fldownpmtassistance.com and we'll go back to the source.
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