Down Payment Assistance for First-Time Buyers in Miami Lakes, Hialeah & Pembroke Pines
Think you need a huge savings account to buy your first home? You may not. Eligible first-time homebuyers in Miami-Dade and Broward can receive up to $150,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance — and some buyers combine programs for over $100,000 in help.
Funding is limited and program details change. The fastest way to know what you qualify for right now is a short conversation.
Help With Your Down Payment Is Real — and It’s Local
Down payment assistance programs in Miami-Dade County, the City of Hialeah, Broward County, and the State of Florida exist for one reason: to help working families buy a first home sooner. Realty Empire works with both the Miami-Dade and Broward down payment assistance programs, and funding is available through some programs for eligible buyers right now — availability runs in cycles, so ask me what’s open where you’re looking.
The programs don’t all work the same way — and the right combination depends on where you buy, your household income, and the home you choose. That part is a conversation, not a webpage. Here are the basics.
The Basics Most Buyers Qualify Under
- First-time buyer means you have not owned a home in the last 3 years. Owned long ago? You may count as a first-time buyer again.
- Income limits apply — they vary by program and household size, and they reach further than most people expect.
- The home must be your primary residence, in the program’s area, and within its price limit.
- Most programs require a short homebuyer education class — it’s online-friendly and I will point you to the right one.
- Programs open, close, and refill as funding changes. What is available this month may differ next month — one more reason to ask before you assume.
Assistance Comes in More Than One Form
Depending on the program — and how programs are combined — assistance can arrive as:
- Zero-interest or low-interest loans with no monthly payments — the assistance sits quietly behind your mortgage and is repaid only if you sell, refinance, or move.
- Forgivable assistance that works like grant money — live in the home for the required years and the balance is forgiven, a portion at a time.
- Combinations (“stacking”) — a city program plus a county or state program together. This is how some eligible first-time homebuyers reach over $100,000 in assistance.
Which form, how much, and which programs can be combined for your purchase — that’s exactly what I map out with you, based on the home and the city.
Down Payment Assistance Where I Work
Hialeah
The City of Hialeah runs one of the most generous first-time homebuyer programs in Florida — up to $150,000 in purchase assistance for eligible buyers purchasing inside Hialeah, as a 0% interest loan forgiven over time. Availability runs in cycles, so ask me what’s open right now.
Miami Lakes & Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County programs offer eligible first-time buyers up to $35,000 toward down payment and closing costs — 0% interest, no monthly payments — and county and state help can often be combined. That includes buyers purchasing in Miami Lakes.
Pembroke Pines & Broward County
Broward County and city programs — including Pembroke Pines — offer substantial deferred, 0% interest assistance for eligible first-time buyers, and statewide Florida programs can add more on top. Ask me for the current amounts where you’re looking.
Statewide, Florida Housing programs — including Hometown Heroes for full-time Florida workers — can add up to $35,000 more toward your down payment and closing costs.
Buying in Hialeah or Pembroke Pines specifically? See the city programs on our Hialeah & Pembroke Pines assistance page.
Why Work With Me on This
I’m Stephanie Leon, Broker of Realty Empire in Miami Lakes. For 20 years I’ve helped South Florida families buy — 500+ homes sold — and I’m a recognized Florida Housing Preferred Realtor with the NAR C2EX endorsement. Down payment assistance is not a side topic for me; guiding first-time buyers through Miami-Dade and Broward programs is core to what my brokerage does.
Programs have deadlines, waitlists, and rules that reward buyers who start early. A ten-minute call now can be worth tens of thousands of dollars at your closing.
Common Questions
How much down payment assistance can I get?
It ranges from $10,000 to $150,000 depending on the program and the city — and programs can often be combined. Some eligible first-time homebuyers qualify for over $100,000 in total assistance. Your number depends on your household and where you buy; I’ll calculate it with you.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
For most programs, “first-time” means you haven’t owned a home in the last 3 years. If you owned a home before that, you may qualify again.
Is the money a grant or a loan?
Both exist. Some assistance is a 0% or low-interest loan with no monthly payments; some is forgiven over the years you live in the home, working like grant money. Many buyers use a mix.
Which cities have down payment assistance?
Programs exist at the city, county, and state level across Miami-Dade and Broward — including Hialeah, Miami Lakes, and Pembroke Pines. The strongest option depends on the exact home address.
What does it cost to find out if I qualify?
Nothing. Contact me for additional information — you may qualify for down payment assistance. Some eligible first-time homebuyers may qualify for over $100,000 in assistance!
Ask About Down Payment Assistance
Tell me where you’re hoping to buy and a little about your situation, and I’ll reply with the programs that may be open for you right now. No cost and no obligation — the details are a conversation, and it starts here.
Your first home may be closer than you think.
Programs, amounts, income limits, and funding availability change and are confirmed at application. Realty Empire is a real estate brokerage, not a lender; assistance is provided through the applicable city, county, and state programs and participating lenders.