Buyer guides
Florida-specific answers for teachers, deputies, nurses and other public-service buyers: insurance, flood, condos, taxes, county help and the Hometown Heroes rules themselves.
How Florida lenders count self-employed income, worked examples from a Cape Coral roofer and a Keys charter captain, which programs are open to business owners, and the documents to gather.
Drive Uber or Lyft in Orlando, deliver for DoorDash or Instacart, or run Amazon Flex blocks? How Florida lenders count app income, the mileage hit and which programs fit.
How Florida's homestead exemption and Save Our Homes cap work on a first home, the January 1 and March 1 dates, and what Amendment 3 changes starting in 2027.
How Florida homeowners insurance affects your first-home budget: when Citizens is an option, the 20% rule, roof age and four-point rules, and the flood requirement.
What a Florida wind mitigation inspection checks, the new April 2026 form, how long a report lasts, who can sign it, and how it fits with a four-point and home inspection.
Florida's seller flood disclosure, when a lender requires flood insurance, the NFIP waiting period at closing, Citizens' flood rule and local programs that exclude flood zones.
The three Florida taxes on a home purchase, Miami-Dade's different deed rate, a worked closing example, and how Hometown Heroes mortgages skip the note taxes.
What Florida's condo safety laws mean for a first-time buyer: milestone inspections, structural integrity reserve studies, the documents you receive and questions to ask.
Florida's SHIP program funds county and city down payment help. How it works, how it layers with Hometown Heroes, and the status of major county programs in late 2026.
Florida's Hometown Heroes loan comes in two versions. How TBA and Bond differ on income, purchase price, loan types and recapture tax, with county examples.
Hometown Heroes, Florida Assist, HFA PLUS, FL HLP, HOP and local SHIP loans each get repaid differently. What triggers repayment and what selling early would cost.
A Florida-specific timeline for buying with Hometown Heroes: what to do before you shop, the 60-day reservation clock, inspections, insurance, closing and the March 1 homestead deadline.
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