Most buyers never learn what assistance they actually qualify for — because every lender only mentions the one program it sells. This matcher checks your answers against the real Northeast Florida stack: state, city, and county programs, with their real rules, in about 60 seconds.
This tool checks your answers against the official program terms cited in the table below. It is a screening tool, not an approval — program funds are limited, cycle on and off, and every program verifies income, credit, and eligibility on a full file. When your matches are ready, the page asks for your name, email, and phone — that's how Douglas gets them, verifies them against today's funding, and follows up with you. No spam. No selling your information. No credit pull.
Same numbers the tool uses, with the official source for each. If a lender's DPA page can't show you a table like this, ask why.
| Program | Help | Key rules | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Hometown Heroes | Up to $35,000 (5% of loan, min $10,000) | 0% deferred second, not forgiven · occupation categories + veterans · income up to 150% of median · 640 credit | Fla. Stat. §420.5096 / Florida Housing |
| Florida Assist | Up to $10,000 | 0% deferred second · income up to ~120% of median | Florida Housing |
| FL Homeownership Loan Program | Up to $12,500 | 3% second mortgage, 30-year term | Florida Housing |
| Florida PLUS | 3–5% of loan | Forgiven after 5 years | Florida Housing |
| Salute Our Soldiers PLUS | 3–5% of loan | Military/veterans · forgiven 20%/yr over 5 years | Florida Housing |
| City of Jacksonville H2H | Up to $25,000 | Income up to 80% of median · approval BEFORE contract | City of Jacksonville |
| Duval County SHIP | Awards documented up to $50,000 | Forgivable over 5–15 years · counseling required · $500 buyer contribution | Duval LHAP |
| St. Johns County SHIP | Up to $100,000 | First-time buyers · income categories · largest award in the region | St. Johns LHAP |
| Clay County SHIP | Up to $20,000 (live page) | Deferred second, not forgiven · price cap $322,925 | Clay LHAP / county page |
| Nassau County SHIP | 20–30% of price (caps $68,498–$102,747) | 0%, 10-year deferred · HUD class · condos eligible | Nassau LHAP |
Program terms as published by the administering bodies, checked November 2026. Funds are appropriation-limited and can pause without notice; amounts and limits change. Your file review confirms what is open and what you qualify for on the day it matters.
Banks offer their own down payment program — if they have one — and stay quiet about the rest. A retail lender working one rate sheet has no reason to tell a Jacksonville nurse about a state program it doesn't sell, or a St. Johns buyer about a $100,000 county award. So buyers conclude the help doesn't exist, save for years longer than they had to, or buy less house than they could have.
I broker through 200+ lenders and every public program in this region, so the matcher above is the whole shelf, not one shelf. The other half of the trap is sequencing: H2H dies if you sign a contract first, Hometown Heroes money is first-come against a fixed appropriation, and SHIP funds cycle. The right order is match first, offer second.
"If you're a veteran looking to buy a home, I can't recommend Douglas highly enough. As a fellow Marine veteran, he truly understands every aspect of the VA home loan process and knows how to navigate it from start to finish. His knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to serving veterans are second to none. What really sets Douglas apart is that he's much more than just a mortgage loan officer. He works seamlessly with your real estate agent to make sure everyone is aligned and the entire process runs smoothly. You never feel like you're just another transaction. The best part is that once you become part of Douglas's ecosystem, you never really leave it. He continues to be a trusted resource long after closing, providing guidance, connections, and support whenever you need it. It's not just a mortgage — it's a lifelong relationship and an incredible asset to have in your corner. If you're looking for someone who genuinely cares about your success and has the expertise to get the job done right, Douglas is the person to call. Semper Fi!"
Yes — $35,000 is the law. Florida Statute §420.5096 sets the assistance at 5% of the first mortgage, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000. The $50,000 figure floating around traces back to the program's $50 million funding appropriation — that's the size of the pot, not your award. And the $25,000 number belongs to a different program entirely: the City of Jacksonville's own H2H.
Depends on the program, and the matcher labels each one. Florida PLUS and Salute Our Soldiers seconds are forgiven over five years. Duval and St. Johns SHIP help is forgivable on a schedule. Hometown Heroes and Florida Assist are 0% loans that sit silently until you sell, refinance, or move out — then they're repaid. Clay County's is a deferred second that is not forgiven. "Assistance" is not one thing, which is the whole point of checking.
Sometimes. State seconds are designed to ride on Florida Housing first mortgages, and county SHIP help can in some cases layer with them, subject to each program's rules and the first mortgage's guidelines. Stacking is file-specific — it's one of the things the free review checks before you count on the combined number.
Not everything — but Jacksonville's H2H is almost certainly gone, because it requires approval before a contract. State programs and most county help can still be reserved after contract in many cases, subject to funding and timelines. The sooner it's checked against your closing date, the more survives.
A well-built file doesn't. What weakens offers is a preapproval the listing agent can't trust. Douglas's files go out with the assistance reserved, the numbers documented, and a broker the other side can reach — the same standard behind his on-time closings.
Hometown Heroes starts at 640. Other programs vary, and several of Douglas's 200+ lenders work below the big banks' cutoffs — one program's floor is never the last word. The rate check runs your real scenario across the shelf, free, with no credit pull.
Run the matcher above, then get the matches verified. Assistance is reserved, not promised — the buyers who get it are the ones whose files were built in the right order.
Prefer to talk it through? Call Douglas direct: (904) 517-4049.
Douglas Wilkerson, Mortgage Broker | Branch Manager · Freeman Douglas Corporation, Jacksonville Beach, FL · [email protected]
Freeman Douglas Corporation is a DBA of Edge Home Finance. This is not a promise to lend — all credit decisions are subject to approval. Douglas Wilkerson, NMLS #1680719 | Edge Home Finance, NMLS #891464. Verify licensing at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Tell Douglas where to send them. Your matches open on this page the moment you submit.