See programs you qualify for

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

Homebuyer Programs in Fort Myers, FL (2026)

Population: 105,000 | Median home price: $355,000 | Est. closing costs: $7,000 - $10,500

Fort Myers is a city of approximately 105,000 residents in Lee County on Florida's Gulf Coast, serving as the county seat and commercial hub of Southwest Florida. With a median home price around $355,000, buyers here can access multiple layers of assistance. The City of Fort Myers Home Purchase Assistance Program provides up to $35,000 as a 0% interest deferred second mortgage, while the Lee County HOME Down Payment Assistance Program adds up to $34,000 and the Lee County FirstPlus Program contributes up to $10,000. Statewide, the Florida Hometown Heroes program offers up to $35,000 for eligible frontline workers. By combining city, county, state, and federal programs, Fort Myers buyers can potentially stack nearly $80,000 or more in down payment and closing cost assistance.

City Programs in Fort Myers

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Fort Myers Home Purchase Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $35,000 for down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →

City of Fort Myers Home Purchase Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $35,000 for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Lee County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Lee County HOME Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $34,000 (10% of purchase price)	Yes	View →
Lee County Housing Finance Authority FirstPlus Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $10,000	Yes	View →

Lee County HOME Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $34,000 (10% of purchase price)
First-time only:: Yes

Lee County Housing Finance Authority FirstPlus Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
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
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable mortgage with no down payment required	No	View →

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable mortgage with no down payment required
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

17 programs available in Fort Myers. See which ones you qualify for.

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Question 1 of 6

housebuyerguides

How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Your household income must qualify per HUD Income Limits for Lee County, and you must be a first-time homebuyer (no homeownership in the past 3 years).

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. Attend a HUD-approved homebuyer education class. The Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida and the Lee County Housing Authority both offer courses in the Fort Myers area. Contact HUD at (800) 569-4287 for a list of approved agencies near you.

Step 3: Contact the City of Fort Myers Housing Division. Apply for the Home Purchase Assistance Program, which offers up to $35,000 as a 0% interest deferred second mortgage. Visit fortmyers.gov or call the Housing Division for current availability.

Step 4: Apply for Lee County programs. Contact Lee County Human and Veteran Services to apply for the HOME Down Payment Assistance Program (up to $34,000) and the FirstPlus Program (up to $10,000). These can be layered with the city program.

Step 5: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with an FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional lender. The city and county assistance can be paired with any of these loan types.

Step 6: Find a home within Fort Myers city limits. The property must be located within Fort Myers municipal boundaries and must serve as your primary residence.

Step 7: Submit your complete application. Your lender will coordinate with the city and county to finalize the assistance package.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Fort Myers?+

Fort Myers buyers can stack multiple programs for significant assistance. The City of Fort Myers Home Purchase Assistance Program offers up to $35,000 as a 0% interest deferred loan. The Lee County HOME Down Payment Assistance Program provides up to $34,000 (10% of purchase price). The Lee County FirstPlus Program adds up to $10,000. The Florida Hometown Heroes program offers up to $35,000 for eligible frontline workers. Combined with federal options like FHA (3.5% down) or VA (0% down), buyers can potentially cover their entire down payment and closing costs.

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

Yes, both the City of Fort Myers program and the Lee County programs require you to be a first-time homebuyer, defined as someone who has not owned a home in the past 3 years. Federal programs like FHA and VA loans do not have this restriction.

What is the maximum home price I can pay?+

The City of Fort Myers program does not publicly list a specific purchase price cap, but the property must meet FHA or conventional appraisal standards. The Lee County HOME program limits assistance to 10% of the purchase price up to $34,000. Contact the City of Fort Myers Housing Division for the most current purchase price limits.

What homebuyer education is required?+

You must complete a homebuyer education class from a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency before receiving assistance. Multiple agencies serve the Fort Myers area. Call HUD at (800) 569-4287 for approved providers near you, or check with the City of Fort Myers Housing Division for recommended local courses.

Can I combine the Fort Myers city program with Lee County programs?+

Yes, the City of Fort Myers Home Purchase Assistance Program, the Lee County HOME Down Payment Assistance Program, and the Lee County FirstPlus Program can all be layered together. Eligible buyers could receive up to $35,000 from the city plus up to $34,000 from the county HOME program plus up to $10,000 from FirstPlus, totaling up to $79,000 in combined local assistance.

How is the assistance repaid?+

The City of Fort Myers assistance is structured as a 0% interest, no monthly payment second mortgage. Repayment is deferred and only triggered if you sell, refinance, transfer title, or stop using the home as your primary residence. The Lee County FirstPlus program has similar terms with a 30-year deferred structure.