What is the minimum down payment for a first-time buyer in Florida?

First-time buyers in Florida can put as little as 3% down with a conventional loan, 3.5% with an FHA loan, or 0% with a VA loan if eligible.

Do first-time buyers get a tax break in Florida?

Florida has no state income tax, but homeowners get a homestead exemption that reduces property taxes on their primary residence by up to $50,000 of assessed value.

How much does it cost to close on a home in Florida?

Closing costs in Florida typically run 2%–4% of the purchase price. The seller often pays a portion (especially title insurance in most counties).

How long does it take to buy a home in Florida?

From getting pre-approved to receiving keys usually takes 45–60 days: a couple of weeks to find a home and another 30–35 days from offer acceptance to closing.

First-Time Homebuyers

First-Time Homebuyer Guide for Florida (2026)

From pre-approval to keys — a complete 2026 roadmap for first-time Florida homebuyers.

8 min readPublished March 22, 2026

Quick Answer

First-time Florida homebuyers should budget 3.5%–5% down plus 2%–4% closing costs, get pre-approved before house hunting, and explore Florida Housing's Hometown Heroes and FL Assist down-payment-assistance programs. The full process from offer to keys typically takes 30–45 days.

Key takeaways

Budget for down payment + 2%–4% closing costs + reserves.
Get pre-approved before you start touring homes.
Florida Hometown Heroes can give up to $35,000 in down payment assistance.
Plan 30–45 days from accepted offer to closing.
Lock in your rate when you have a signed contract.

Step 1: Know your numbers

Pull your credit report, calculate your monthly debts, and determine how much you have saved for a down payment and closing costs. Most first-time buyers in Florida need around 5%–7% of the purchase price in total cash to close.

Step 2: Get pre-approved

A pre-approval is a lender's commitment based on your verified income, credit, and assets. Florida sellers rarely accept offers without one. Casa Nova Lending's pre-approval is free, soft-pull, and ready in 10 minutes.

Step 3: Use Florida down payment assistance

Florida Housing runs several programs that help with down payment and closing costs, including Hometown Heroes (for teachers, nurses, first responders, and other public-service workers) and FL Assist. These programs stack with FHA, VA, and conventional loans.

Step 4: Shop, offer, inspect, close

Once your offer is accepted you have inspection, appraisal, and underwriting milestones. Lock your rate, review your Loan Estimate, and you'll get a Closing Disclosure three business days before closing.

Frequently asked questions

See what you qualify for

Free pre-approval. Soft credit pull. About 10 minutes.

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Conventional Loan vs. FHA: Which Is Better in Florida?

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