See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 27, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Delray Beach, FL (2026)

Population: 72,000 | Median home price: $480,000 | Est. closing costs: $9,500 - $14,500

Delray Beach is a vibrant coastal city in Palm Beach County, Florida, known for its lively Atlantic Avenue downtown, beautiful beaches, and growing arts scene, with a population of approximately 72,000 and a median home price around $480,000. The City of Delray Beach First-Time Homeownership Program offers up to $75,000 in down payment and closing cost help through a 0% interest forgivable loan. At the county level, the Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Program provides up to $100,000, the Palm Beach County Homebuyer Match Pilot Program offers up to $50,000 as a grant, and the Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority Homebuyer Program adds up to $17,500. State programs like Florida Hometown Heroes provide up to $35,000 and Florida Assist offers $10,000. By stacking city, county, and state programs, eligible Delray Beach homebuyers could access well over $150,000 in combined assistance.

City Programs in Delray Beach

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Delray Beach First-Time Homeownership Program (SHIP)	Forgivable Loan	Up to $75,000 for down payment and closing cost assistance	Yes	View →

City of Delray Beach First-Time Homeownership Program (SHIP)

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $75,000 for down payment and closing cost assistance
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Palm Beach County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Palm Beach County HOME First-Time Homebuyer Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $100,000	Yes	View →
Palm Beach County Homebuyer Match Pilot Program	Grant	Up to $50,000	Yes	View →
Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority Homebuyer Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $17,500	Yes	View →
Palm Beach County Mortgage Credit Certificate Program	Tax Credit	Up to $2,000 per year in federal tax credits	Yes	View →
Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $100,000	Yes	View →

Palm Beach County HOME First-Time Homebuyer Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $100,000
First-time only:: Yes

Palm Beach County Homebuyer Match Pilot Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $50,000
First-time only:: Yes

Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority Homebuyer Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $17,500
First-time only:: Yes

Palm Beach County Mortgage Credit Certificate Program

Type:: Tax Credit
Amount:: Up to $2,000 per year in federal tax credits
First-time only:: Yes

Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $100,000
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Florida

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHLBA Community Partners Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →
FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+	Grant	Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
Florida Assist (FL Assist) Second Mortgage Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $10,000	Yes	View →
Florida HFA Preferred and Advantage PLUS Program	Forgivable Loan	3%, 4%, or 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount (HFA Advantage PLUS TBA, Freddie Mac first mortgage only)	Yes	View →
Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program	Deferred Loan	Up to 5% of first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000	Yes	View →

FHLBA Community Partners Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

Florida Assist (FL Assist) Second Mortgage Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
First-time only:: Yes

Florida HFA Preferred and Advantage PLUS Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3%, 4%, or 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount (HFA Advantage PLUS TBA, Freddie Mac first mortgage only)
First-time only:: Yes

Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 5% of first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000
First-time only:: Yes

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Delray Beach Community Land Trust Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Permanently affordable homes priced below market rate for low to moderate income households	No	View →
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable mortgage with 0% interest	No	View →
Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable mortgage with 0% interest	Yes	View →

Delray Beach Community Land Trust Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Permanently affordable homes priced below market rate for low to moderate income households
First-time only:: No

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable mortgage with 0% interest
First-time only:: No

Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable mortgage with 0% interest
First-time only:: Yes

Free eligibility check

22 programs available in Delray Beach. See which ones you qualify for.

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Question 1 of 6

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. The City of Delray Beach program requires household income at or below 80% of Area Median Income for Palm Beach County. You must not have owned a home in the past 3 years for most programs.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. Take at least 6 hours of a HUD-approved Homebuyer Education class and obtain your certificate. Contact the Delray Beach Community Land Trust at (561) 243-7500 for local resources, or reach out to the Palm Beach County Housing Authority for approved course providers.

Step 3: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a lender to determine your purchasing power and obtain a pre-approval letter. Ask about Florida Housing Finance Corporation loan products like the Hometown Heroes and Florida Assist programs, which can be layered with local assistance.

Step 4: Find a home in Delray Beach within program limits. Search for eligible properties including single-family homes, villas, townhomes, and condos within city limits. Also check with the Delray Beach Community Land Trust for permanently affordable homes available through their program.

Step 5: Apply during the open enrollment period. The City of Delray Beach releases SHIP funding periodically. Monitor the city website for application opening dates. For the March 2026 round, applications open March 2 at 8:00 AM and close March 30 at 5:00 PM. You must contribute a minimum of 2% of the purchase price, and your housing expenses must not exceed 40% of gross monthly income.

Step 6: Apply for county assistance through your lender. Your lender can submit applications to Palm Beach County for the SHIP Purchase Assistance Program, the Housing Finance Authority program, or the Homebuyer Match Pilot Program on your behalf.

Step 7: Close on your new home. Your assistance funds will be applied at closing as deferred second mortgages. The city loan is forgiven after 10 to 15 years of owner-occupancy depending on the amount received.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Delray Beach?+

Delray Beach buyers can access multiple layers of assistance. The City of Delray Beach First-Time Homeownership Program provides up to $75,000. The Palm Beach County SHIP Purchase Assistance Program adds up to $100,000, the Homebuyer Match Pilot Program offers up to $50,000 as a grant, and the Housing Finance Authority program provides up to $17,500. At the state level, Florida Hometown Heroes offers up to $35,000 and Florida Assist provides $10,000. By stacking these programs, eligible buyers could receive well over $150,000 in total assistance.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify?+

Most Delray Beach programs require first-time buyer status, meaning you have not owned a home in the past 3 years. However, the Delray Beach Community Land Trust does not require first-time buyer status. Federal programs like FHA and VA loans also do not have this requirement, and certain state programs may have exceptions for veterans or buyers in targeted areas.

What is the maximum home price I can pay using these programs?+

The City of Delray Beach program and Palm Beach County programs have purchase price limits that vary by program and property type. Check with the City of Delray Beach Neighborhood Services Division or Palm Beach County Housing Division for the most current purchase price limits. Florida Housing state programs also have their own limits that are updated annually.

What homebuyer education is required?+

The City of Delray Beach program requires at least 6 hours of a HUD-approved Homebuyer Education class. You must submit your certificate with your application. The Delray Beach Community Land Trust at (561) 243-7500 can direct you to local course providers, or you can check HUD.gov for approved agencies in the Palm Beach County area.

When can I apply for the City of Delray Beach program?+

The City of Delray Beach releases SHIP funding periodically through open enrollment windows. For the March 2026 round, applications open on March 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM and close on March 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM, or earlier if all funds are committed. Monitor the city website for future application dates.

What is the Delray Beach Community Land Trust?+

The Delray Beach Community Land Trust is a nonprofit that provides permanently affordable homes for low to moderate income households within Delray Beach. Under the land trust model, you own the home but lease the land at a nominal rate, keeping the home affordable for future buyers. The DBCLT has completed over 105 sales throughout Delray Beach. Contact them at (561) 243-7500 or visit their website for available homes.