FHA down payment help · Florida and Georgia
Grant or loan? Know what your down payment help really costs.
Most programs called "down payment help" are 0% loans you repay when you sell or refinance. A true grant you never repay does exist, but it comes with a higher interest rate. Here's how each option works with an FHA loan in Florida and Georgia, side by side.
Most "grants" are loans
Florida Hometown Heroes, Florida Assist and Georgia Dream are 0% second mortgages. You pay them back when you sell, refinance or pay off the home.
A true grant costs rate
Grants you never repay are available through our partner lenders. In exchange, your interest rate and monthly payment go up.
You usually pick one
The partner-lender grant can't be combined with any other down payment program, so compare them before you choose.
Compare the programs
Four ways to get help with an FHA loan
Each program sets its own rules, funding and limits, and those can change. A licensed loan officer can tell you which ones fit your income, job, credit and the home you want.
Florida
Florida Hometown Heroes
Type: 0% second mortgage
Repay: when you sell, refinance or pay off
Help: 5% of the loan, $10,000 to $35,000
For: full-time workers at Florida employers in eligible fields, and veterans
Score: 640
With FHA: yes
Florida
Florida Assist
Type: 0% second mortgage
Repay: in full later
Help: up to $10,000
For: buyers within Florida Housing's income and price limits, usually first-time buyers
Score: 640
With FHA: yes
Georgia
Georgia Dream
Type: 0% second mortgage
Repay: when you sell, refinance, transfer title or move out
Help: set by Georgia DCA
For: first-time buyers within DCA's income limits (veterans and targeted areas exempt from first-time rule)
Score: 640
With FHA: yes
Florida + Georgia
Partner-lender grant
Type: grant, no second mortgage
Repay: never
Cost: a higher interest rate and monthly payment
For: moderate incomes, first responders, educators, medical workers, civil servants, military, first-time buyers and more
Score: 620
With FHA: purchases only
Read the cost section below before choosing this one.
The true grant, in detail
How the partner-lender grant works
FLO Mortgage arranges FHA loans through partner lenders, and some of them offer a down payment grant through a government program they administer. Open each section for the rules.
What you get
The grant covers part of the money FHA asks you to bring at closing. You don't repay it, and no second mortgage goes on your home. The grant is a set share of the purchase price, and your Loan Estimate shows the exact figure. The seller can still pay up to 6% of the price toward your closing costs.
What it costs you (read this first)
The grant isn't free money. The program gives you a higher interest rate than you'd get without it, so your monthly payment is higher and you pay more interest over the life of the loan. If family can give you gift money for the down payment, that usually costs less. When you use this grant, FLO Mortgage's compensation is paid by you as the borrower and shows on your Loan Estimate. Ask us to show you both versions, with and without the grant, before you decide.
Who qualifies
You need a credit score of at least 620 and FHA approval. You also need to fit one of these:
• household income at or below 140% of your area's median
• first responder, including volunteers
• educator
• medical worker
• federal, state or local civil servant
• military
• first-time home buyer
• the home sits in an underserved census tract
Rules to know
• Purchases only, on a 1 to 4 unit home you'll live in. FHA-approved condos and manufactured homes can qualify.
• 20, 25 or 30-year fixed-rate FHA loans, including 203(k) renovation loans.
• Not available on FHA high-balance loans, and you can't combine it with another down payment program.
• One borrower finishes a HUD-approved homebuyer course. The lender credits back up to $100 of the course fee at closing.
• The program isn't affiliated with HUD or FHA.
Timeline
The program needs three business days between clear-to-close and your closing, so plan your closing date with your agent and the seller.
Before you choose
• Ask family first. FHA accepts documented gift money for your down payment, and it costs nothing in rate.
• Price both ways. Compare the monthly payment with a state program, with a grant, and with no help at all.
• Check funding. State programs can run out of money for the year.
• Plan to stay? A 0% second mortgage comes due when you sell or refinance, so factor it into future plans.
See every FHA rule in our FHA requirements guide, or start from the FHA loan overview.
Down payment help: common questions
Are there down payment grants for FHA loans in Florida and Georgia?
Yes. Some partner-lender programs offer a grant you never repay, with no second mortgage, but they raise your interest rate. Florida Hometown Heroes, Florida Assist and Georgia Dream are 0% second mortgages you repay later, not grants.
Is Florida Hometown Heroes a grant?
No. It's a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment. You repay it when you sell, refinance or pay off the home.
Is Georgia Dream a grant?
No. Georgia Dream is a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment. It comes due when you sell, refinance, transfer title or stop living in the home.
What's the catch with a down payment grant?
The grant comes with a higher interest rate, so your monthly payment and total interest go up. Compare it with gift money from family or a state program before you choose.
Can I combine a grant with Hometown Heroes or Georgia Dream?
Not with the partner-lender grant. It can't be combined with any other down payment assistance program.
What credit score do I need for down payment help?
At least 620 for the partner-lender grant, and 640 for Florida Housing's programs and Georgia Dream. HUD's own FHA minimum is 500.
Let's price it both ways
A licensed loan officer can show you the payment with a state program, with a grant and with no help, so you pick with real numbers.
This page is general education, not a commitment to lend or an offer of specific terms. All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting guidelines and property eligibility. Not all applicants will qualify. Down payment programs are set and funded by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and our partner lenders. Amounts, rules and availability can change, and funds can run out. Grant programs offered through partner lenders aren't affiliated with HUD or FHA and come with a higher interest rate. FLO Mortgage arranges FHA loans through partner lenders and does not underwrite or fund them. Program details checked October 22, 2026. FLO Mortgage is licensed as a mortgage lender in Florida (MLD2621) and Georgia (#1835856), Company NMLS #1835856; Broker Owner Joy McCoy Flores, NMLS #1096400. Equal Housing Opportunity. Licensing & Disclosures.