See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 24, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Hialeah, FL (2026)

Population: 235,000 | Median home price: $480,000 | Est. closing costs: $9,500 - $14,500

Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida, located in Miami-Dade County just northwest of Miami, with a median home price around $480,000. First-time homebuyers in Hialeah can access the City of Hialeah SHIP Down Payment Assistance Program for up to $40,000 in forgivable assistance, plus the Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program for up to $35,000 as a zero-interest deferred loan. The MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program offers up to $28,500 forgivable after 20 years, and the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program provides up to $35,000 at the state level. By combining city, county, state, and federal programs, Hialeah buyers can potentially stack over $100,000 in total homebuyer assistance.

City Programs in Hialeah

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Hialeah SHIP Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $40,000	Yes	View →

City of Hialeah SHIP Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $40,000
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Miami-Dade County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
HFA Miami-Dade Mortgage Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →
MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP)	Forgivable Loan	Up to $28,500 (at or below 80% AMI) or up to $14,500 (above 80% AMI)	No	View →
Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $35,000	Yes	View →
Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Loan Program (HLP)	Zero-Interest Loan	Up to $100,000 at 1% interest or $80,000 at 2% interest	No	View →

HFA Miami-Dade Mortgage Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000
First-time only:: Yes

MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP)

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $28,500 (at or below 80% AMI) or up to $14,500 (above 80% AMI)
First-time only:: No

Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $35,000
First-time only:: Yes

Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Loan Program (HLP)

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Up to $100,000 at 1% interest or $80,000 at 2% interest
First-time only:: No

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 Greater Miami Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable mortgage with no down payment required	No	View →
Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida Homebuyer Program	Deferred Loan	Down payment and closing cost assistance available	Yes	View →

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami Homeownership Program

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

Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida Homebuyer Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Down payment and closing cost assistance available
First-time only:: Yes

Free eligibility check

20 programs available in Hialeah. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Most programs require first-time homebuyer status (no homeownership in the past 3 years). Income limits vary: the City of Hialeah SHIP program caps income at 140% of Area Median Income, while the MDEAT program also caps at 140% AMI with tiered assistance based on income level.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. A HUD-approved homebuyer education course is required for most programs. Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida at (305) 751-5511 offers courses in English, Creole, and Spanish. The MDEAT program requires in-person education specifically.

Step 3: Contact local housing partners. Reach out to the City of Hialeah Housing and Community Services Department for the SHIP program. For the Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance Program, call 786-469-4100. For NHSSF counseling and affordable lending, call (305) 751-5511.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a participating lender approved by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation or a local lender. The HFA Miami-Dade Mortgage Program offers favorable rates for first-time buyers.

Step 5: Find a home within program guidelines. The city SHIP program requires purchasing within Hialeah city limits. County programs require the home to be in Miami-Dade County. The property must be an immediately habitable single-family home, condo, or townhome for most programs.

Step 6: Submit your application and close on your home. SHIP funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis during open application periods. You must contribute 1% to 3% of the purchase price from personal funds depending on the program. Check current availability with each program before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Hialeah?+

Hialeah buyers can stack significant assistance from multiple programs. The City of Hialeah SHIP Down Payment Assistance Program offers up to $40,000. The Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program provides up to $35,000 as a zero-interest deferred loan. The MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program offers up to $28,500, forgivable after 20 years. At the state level, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program provides up to $35,000, and the Florida HFA Preferred and Advantage PLUS Program offers 3% to 5% of the loan amount as a grant. Florida Assist adds up to $10,000 as a zero-interest second mortgage.

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

Most programs in Hialeah require first-time homebuyer status, meaning you have not owned a home in the past three years. The City of Hialeah SHIP program and the Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance Program both require first-time buyer status. However, the MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program is open to both first-time and repeat buyers. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami also does not require first-time buyer status.

What are the income limits for Hialeah homebuyer programs?+

Income limits vary by program. The City of Hialeah SHIP program requires income at or below 140% of Area Median Income. The Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance Program also caps at 140% AMI, with specific limits such as $95,620 for individuals, $109,200 for couples, $122,920 for three-person households, and $136,500 for four-person households. The MDEAT program has tiered assistance: up to $10,000 for households at or below 80% AMI, and up to $28,500 for those above 80% AMI.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most programs require completion of a HUD-approved homebuyer education course before closing. Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida at (305) 751-5511 offers courses in English, Creole, and Spanish and is a HUD-certified counseling agency. The MDEAT program specifically requires in-person homebuyer education from a HUD-certified agency. Credit Advisors Foundation also provides HUD-approved housing counseling in the Hialeah area.

Can I use multiple programs together in Hialeah?+

Yes, many of these programs can be stacked together. For example, you could combine the City of Hialeah SHIP assistance with a Miami-Dade County program and a Florida state program like Hometown Heroes. However, each program has its own requirements and you must qualify separately for each. Work with a HUD-approved housing counselor to determine which combination of programs you are eligible for and how to maximize your total assistance.