See programs you qualify for

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

Homebuyer Programs in Orlando, FL (2026)

Population: 320,000 | Median home price: $385,000 | Est. closing costs: $7,500 - $11,500

Orlando is Central Florida's largest city and one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the nation, with a median home price of approximately $385,000. Homebuyers in Orlando benefit from generous local programs, including the City of Orlando Down Payment Assistance Program offering up to $45,000 in forgivable loans and the Orange County Down Payment Assistance Program providing up to $70,000 for very low-income buyers. The Orange County Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) adds up to $80,000 in deferred financing, and the OCHFA Homebuyer Program offers competitive first mortgage rates with DPA. At the state level, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program provides up to $35,000 in deferred assistance. By combining city, county, and state programs, eligible Orlando buyers may access well over $80,000 in total down payment and closing cost assistance.

City Programs in Orlando

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Orlando Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $45,000	Yes	View →

City of Orlando Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $45,000
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Orange County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
OCHFA Homebuyer Program	Deferred Loan	Down payment and closing cost assistance combined with competitive first mortgage rates	Yes	View →
Orange County Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $70,000 (very low income), $40,000 (low income), or $10,000 (moderate income)	Yes	View →
Orange County Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)	Deferred Loan	Up to $80,000	Yes	View →

OCHFA Homebuyer Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Down payment and closing cost assistance combined with competitive first mortgage rates
First-time only:: Yes

Orange County Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $70,000 (very low income), $40,000 (low income), or $10,000 (moderate income)
First-time only:: Yes

Orange County Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $80,000
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 Greater Orlando & Osceola County	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable home purchase with 0% interest mortgage; mortgage payments never exceed 30% of household income	No	View →
NACA Purchase Program (Orlando)	Grant	No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate	No	View →
NeighborWorks Orange County Homebuyer Assistance	Deferred Loan	Down payment assistance available through counseling and program matching	No	View →

Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable home purchase with 0% interest mortgage; mortgage payments never exceed 30% of household income
First-time only:: No

NACA Purchase Program (Orlando)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate
First-time only:: No

NeighborWorks Orange County Homebuyer Assistance

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Down payment assistance available through counseling and program matching
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

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

Free
No credit check
Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

Yes No Not sure

Question 1 of 6

housebuyerguides

How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Review income limits for the programs you are interested in. The City of Orlando program serves households earning up to 140% of the area median income (4-person limit: $147,560). The Orange County DPA program tiers assistance by income level, with very low-income buyers eligible for up to $70,000.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. A HUD-approved pre-purchase homebuyer education course is required for most Orlando programs. Contact HANDS of Central Florida at 407-447-5686, Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando at 407-648-4567 ext. 2 (free 8-hour workshop in English and Spanish), or NeighborWorks Orange County.

Step 3: Contact a local housing partner. For the City of Orlando program, call 407-246-4077. For Orange County programs, contact the Housing and Community Development Division at (407) 836-5150 or housing@ocfl.net. NeighborWorks Orange County also provides comprehensive counseling and DPA matching.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a participating lender certified by the program you are applying for. The OCHFA program has its own approved lender network. The City of Orlando program has no credit score minimum.

Step 5: Find a home within program guidelines. The City of Orlando program has a purchase price limit of $544,233 and requires the home to be within city limits. The Orange County DPA program has a $345,000 purchase price limit and requires the home to be in Orange County.

Step 6: Submit your application. You must contribute at least $1,000 toward the purchase for the City of Orlando program ($500 if low or very low income). Applications are processed as funding is available, so check current status before beginning.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Orlando buyers can access substantial assistance depending on income level. The City of Orlando DPA Program offers up to $45,000 as a forgivable loan. The Orange County DPA Program provides up to $70,000 for very low-income buyers, $40,000 for low-income buyers, or $10,000 for moderate-income buyers. The Orange County Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP) offers up to $80,000 at 3% simple interest. At the state level, the Florida Hometown Heroes program adds up to $35,000. Work with a housing counselor to determine which programs you qualify for and whether they can be combined.

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

Most Orlando programs require first-time buyer status, generally defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years. The City of Orlando DPA, Orange County DPA, Orange County MAP, and OCHFA programs all require first-time buyer status. However, NACA does not require first-time buyer status, and Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando is open to qualifying low-income families regardless of previous ownership.

What is the maximum home price I can pay?+

Purchase price limits vary by program. The City of Orlando DPA Program has a maximum purchase price of $544,233. The Orange County DPA Program has a lower limit of $345,000. The OCHFA and state programs have their own limits that are updated periodically. If you are buying a higher-priced home, the City of Orlando program or state programs may be better options than the county program.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most Orlando programs require a HUD-approved pre-purchase homebuyer education course. Several local agencies offer these courses: HANDS of Central Florida (407-447-5686), Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando and Osceola County (free 8-hour workshop offered monthly in English and Spanish, call 407-648-4567 ext. 2), and NeighborWorks Orange County. NACA offers its own free homebuyer workshop.

Is the City of Orlando program currently accepting applications?+

The City of Orlando Down Payment Assistance Program opens and closes based on SHIP funding availability. As of early 2026, the program is temporarily closed pending new funding. Check with the City of Orlando Housing and Community Development office at 407-246-4077 for the most current status. In the meantime, the Orange County DPA Program, Orange County MAP, OCHFA Homebuyer Program, and state programs like Florida Hometown Heroes remain active alternatives.

Can I use NACA in Orlando for a no-down-payment mortgage?+

Yes. NACA is active in the Orlando area and offers mortgages with no down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, and no fees at below-market fixed interest rates. Priority members with income below 100% of the Orlando area median income can purchase anywhere. Non-priority members must purchase in designated census tracts. Attend a free NACA Homebuyer Workshop to get started. Annual membership is $36.