First-Time Buyer Programs in Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota

This article is a dated look at official first-time and homebuyer assistance in Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties. I reviewed the official program pages and documents on November 10, 2026. Amounts, income limits, purchase-price caps, and other rules can change, and a program can pause or adjust how it accepts applications. Nothing here is a promise that funds will be available, that you will be approved, or that a first mortgage will close.

This is not a catalog of every program in Florida, and it does not replace the Pinellas and Hillsborough guide already published as Down Payment Assistance in Pinellas and Hillsborough: Fall 2026 Guide. Home Sweet Home Hillsborough and the Pinellas programs in that article are outside the four counties covered here. For first-time buyer steps in general, start with first-time buyer resources, the short FAQ on Florida down payment assistance programs, and first-time home buyer steps in Tampa Bay.

How to read the official figures in this article

When I name an award maximum, an income limit, or a purchase-price cap, I am repeating an official published figure as of the November 10, 2026 review, with the source. Those figures are program maxima and eligibility screens, not an award I can promise on your file. Some programs also set a minimum buyer contribution, a required class, or a lender-submission rule. I describe those conditions without treating them as a quote or an approval.

Not every program in this article is limited to first-time buyers. I say so where the official rules are broader. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. participates in any assistance program named here.

Florida Hometown Heroes, a statewide program available in these counties

Florida Hometown Heroes is a statewide Florida Housing Finance Corporation program. On the official program page, reviewed November 10, 2026, it is for first-time, income-qualified buyers purchasing a primary residence who also meet an occupation test. The program is limited to full-time employees of a Florida-based employer who work as health care workers, school staff members, first responders, public safety or court employees, or child care workers. It is also open to servicemembers of the U.S. military or reserves, the U.S. Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard, and to veterans employed full-time by a Florida-based employer. Assistance can be up to 5 percent of the first mortgage, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. That assistance is a deferred second mortgage that is not forgiven. It becomes due in full if the home is sold, the first mortgage is refinanced, the deed is transferred, or the home is no longer your primary residence. It must be used with a Florida Housing first mortgage from a participating lender. The official page is floridahousing.org/live-local-act/hometown-heroes-program.

A Hometown Heroes first mortgage has to come from a participating lender. Florida Housing's official site has a lender locator. That does not mean every file is approved, and it does not mean a given lender participates in the county programs described later in this article. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. is on the Florida Hometown Heroes approved-lender list.

County income limits come from Florida Housing's 2026 Hometown Heroes TBA Lender Guide, dated June 30, 2026, and effective with reservations as of May 6, 2026, reviewed November 10, 2026. For FHA, VA, and HFA Advantage first mortgages used with Hometown Heroes, the income limits in that official guide are $172,050 in Pasco County, $172,050 in Hernando County, $171,150 in Manatee County, and $171,150 in Sarasota County. For a USDA first mortgage used with Hometown Heroes, the same official guide lists income limits of $119,850 in Pasco, Hernando, and Manatee Counties, and $123,750 in Sarasota County. Those figures apply to the Hometown Heroes first-mortgage path in the official guide, not to the county SHIP or down-payment programs below. The same official PDF also posts first-mortgage loan limits by county and loan type, which should be read from the guide rather than restated as a quote. The official limits PDF is at 2026 Hometown Heroes limits, revised July 13, 2026.

Pasco County down payment assistance

Pasco County publishes a Down Payment Assistance Program page, reviewed November 10, 2026, at pascocountyfl.gov. As of that review, the official page said the county is accepting applications. That is a dated status, not a promise that the program will still be accepting applications when you apply. Confirm current status with the county.

On the official page, the buyer generally must not have owned a home in the last three years, household income must be below 80 percent of area median income for the Tampa Bay area, and the home must be in Pasco County. The official maximum purchase price is $330,000. Eligible property types include single-family homes, condominiums, and townhomes. Mobile homes and manufactured homes are not eligible. Homes in a Special Flood Hazard Area, homes on the repetitive-loss list, and homes with a sinkhole, including a remediated sinkhole, are not eligible.

The official May 2026 area median income table on that page lists, at 80 percent of AMI, $64,250 for a one-person household and $91,750 for a four-person household. At 50 percent of AMI, the same official table lists $40,150 for a one-person household and $57,350 for a four-person household. Official maximum assistance is $65,000 for very low income and $50,000 for low income. The assistance is deferred and then forgiven after 30 years if the official conditions are met. It can become due if the home is sold or transferred, rented, no longer homesteaded, or no longer occupied as required. The county also requires a county-sponsored class and a county-approved lender. A minimum buyer contribution is set by the program. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. is a county-approved lender for this program.

Hernando County SHIP purchase assistance

Hernando County's official State Housing Initiative Program page, reviewed November 10, 2026, is at hernandocounty.us. On that official page, the purchase-assistance path is for first-time buyers at or below 120 percent of area median income for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater area.

The official 2026 income-limit table on that page includes, at 80 percent of AMI, $64,250 for a one-person household and $91,750 for a four-person household, and at 120 percent of AMI, $96,360 for a one-person household and $137,640 for a four-person household. The county's application packet, reviewed the same day, lists purchase-assistance award tiers of up to $50,000 at 0 to 50 percent of AMI, $30,000 at 50.01 to 80 percent of AMI, and $10,000 at 80.01 to 120 percent of AMI, plus up to $20,000 in rehabilitation assistance for households at or below 80 percent of AMI. The application packet lists a maximum purchase price of $350,000. The county's published Local Housing Assistance Plan does not match the packet on every figure, including the purchase price and the award tiers, so confirm the current award and price limit with the county before you rely on either.

Official directions on the county page say applications go to Housing and Supportive Services in Brooksville and that a mortgage pre-approval is required. The county's application packet says emailed and faxed applications will not be accepted. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. is a participating or preferred lender for Hernando SHIP.

Manatee County SHIP, and a separate first-time path

Manatee County's SHIP purchase-assistance figures come from the official 2026 income and maximum purchase-price sheet, effective May 1, 2026, reviewed November 10, 2026. That official sheet lists a median income of $109,700, a maximum purchase price of $400,000, and maximum assistance of up to $70,000. The official geographic rule is unincorporated Manatee County or the City of Palmetto only. The City of Bradenton is not eligible for this county SHIP path. The official program guidelines I reviewed do not list a first-time buyer requirement for this assistance. Confirm that with the county before you rely on it. The assistance is a deferred loan with a 20-year term and forgiveness at the end if the official conditions are met. It can be repayable if the home is sold, rented, leased, or vacated as those guidelines describe. HUD-code manufactured homes can be eligible. Mobile homes are not. The lender submits the file, a minimum buyer contribution is required, and a required course is part of the official process. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. is a participating or certified lender for Manatee SHIP. Official materials reviewed November 10, 2026 include the 2026-27 income-limits and maximum-purchase-price sheet, effective May 1, 2026 and the SHIP down payment assistance program guidelines.

The City of Bradenton is not eligible for that county SHIP path, but the city runs its own SHIP purchase assistance for first-time buyers purchasing inside city limits, through the city. Official city materials, including cityofbradenton.com/housing and the city's Local Housing Assistance Plan on file with Florida Housing, describe that help as a loan secured by a lien on the home, and they show it is repaid over time. City materials and the LHAP do not match on every figure, so I am not stating an award amount, a rate, or a term here. Read the city's current terms before you count on that path. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. participates in the city program.

Separately, the Housing Finance Authority of Manatee County offers first-time buyers (a requirement the official page says is waived for qualified military veterans) a first mortgage that can be paired with a deferred second mortgage, and possibly a mortgage credit certificate, anywhere in the county, including Bradenton. The official second-mortgage guide, reviewed November 10, 2026, says that second mortgage has to be repaid when you sell, refinance, rent the home, or move out, or at the end of its term, and is never forgiven. Confirm current HFA amounts on the official site at manateehfa.org. I am not claiming that PMF, Inc. is a participating HFA lender.

Sarasota HERO purchase assistance

Sarasota's official HERO SHIP purchase-assistance page, reviewed November 10, 2026, is at herosrq.net/ship-purchaseassistance. On that official page, the program is for first-time, low-income buyers. Assistance can be up to $75,000. That is a maximum, and an applicant may qualify for less. Eligible areas named on the official page include unincorporated Sarasota County, North Port, Venice, Osprey, Nokomis, and Englewood. The City of Sarasota is not eligible for this HERO path.

The official page describes the assistance as a deferred loan that is forgiven at 5 percent a year over 20 years if the home remains the primary residence under the program rules. The official page also states that any licensed lender may participate. That is not a statement that PMF, Inc. participates, and I am not claiming participation. The official page points to sample mortgage, note, and shared-appreciation documents. I am not describing those rider terms here. Read the official sample documents and the current program rules before you rely on forgiveness or repayment details.

I was not able, in this review, to verify a separate City of Sarasota down-payment assistance program from an official page that would load. If you are buying inside the City of Sarasota, confirm directly with the city whether a city program exists and what the current rules are. Do not assume the HERO path covers that city.

How I can help

I can originate a first mortgage through PMF, Inc. For Florida Hometown Heroes, ask a participating lender listed on the program's official site. For the county SHIP and down-payment programs in Pasco, Hernando, Manatee, and Sarasota, I can help you read the official rules and see whether a first mortgage can sit beside that assistance. I am not claiming that PMF is an approved or participating lender for Hometown Heroes or for those county programs unless that is later confirmed. Availability, requirements, and terms vary, funds can be limited, and I can't promise an approval.

As a Realtor with Realty of America, I can help you with the purchase. As a Mortgage Loan Originator with PMF, Inc., I can help with the loan. PMF, Inc. is a mortgage broker that works with many wholesale lenders, so I can compare options for your situation. Rates and terms vary by lender, program and borrower, and I can't promise any particular rate or approval. You can use one or both. You don't have to use both.

If you are buying in Pinellas or Hillsborough instead, use the Pinellas and Hillsborough down payment assistance guide. For a broader product overview, see down payment assistance financing. Apply for a mortgage or book a consultation. Any loan approval is conditional until all underwriting conditions are met.

Common questions

Does this article cover every first-time buyer program in these counties?

No. It covers the official programs I could verify on November 10, 2026, plus Florida Hometown Heroes. Other city, employer, or later-announced programs may exist. Confirm current options with the official agency for the county or city where the home sits.

If I am a first-time buyer in the City of Bradenton or the City of Sarasota, can I use the county programs above?

Not necessarily. Official Manatee County SHIP purchase assistance does not include the City of Bradenton. The City of Bradenton has its own SHIP purchase assistance for first-time buyers inside city limits, and a Housing Finance Authority of Manatee County path can also include Bradenton. Official Sarasota HERO purchase assistance does not include the City of Sarasota. Confirm any city program directly with the city. Hometown Heroes can still be a statewide path when you and the first mortgage fit, using a participating lender listed on the program's official site.

Does using one of these programs mean my loan is approved?

No. Assistance programs have their own eligibility rules, funding limits, and conditions. The first mortgage is a separate underwriting decision. Any loan approval is conditional until all underwriting conditions are met.

This article is for education only. It is not an offer of any loan terms and not a commitment to lend. Program rules change. We confirm what applies to your file.

Jonathan Loescher, Realtor, Florida real estate license SL3546365, Realty of America. Jonathan Loescher, Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS 2621894. Mortgage loans are originated through PMF, Inc., NMLS 1980, a Florida licensed Mortgage Broker. Real estate and mortgage services are provided by separate companies, and you don't have to use both. Verify licensing at www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Education only. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property eligibility. Not all applicants will qualify. Any loan approval is conditional until all underwriting conditions are met. Programs, rates, terms and conditions may change without notice.