Mortgage Broker in Hialeah, FL

Short answer

QMS Lending is a bilingual independent mortgage broker 15 minutes from Hialeah with 100+ lenders, including FHA lenders that accept 580 scores and ITIN lenders for buyers without a Social Security number. In Q2 2026 the median Hialeah house sold for $600,000 and the median condo for $281,000, both inside the $667,000 FHA limit, and the City of Hialeah runs its own SHIP down payment program.

Buying a home in Hialeah: what the numbers look like

Hialeah is where Miami-Dade working families still buy houses with FHA loans. In Q2 2026 the median single-family sale in the City of Hialeah was $600,000 across 140 closed sales, and the median townhouse/condo sale was $281,000 across 113 sales, per Florida Realtors data published by MIAMI REALTORS (as of October 2026). Both are below the county medians of $675,000 and $425,000.

The housing stock is 1950s-to-1970s concrete-block houses on 5,000 to 7,500 square foot lots, many with converted garages or efficiencies, plus 1980s-to-2000s townhouses and garden condos in West Hialeah (33016, 33018) and near Palm Springs Mile (33012, 33014). East Hialeah (33010, 33013) is the oldest and most affordable.

At the $600,000 median, an FHA buyer with 3.5% down borrows $579,000, well under the $667,000 limit; a $281,000 condo with 3.5% down is a $271,000 loan.

Loan limits in Miami-Dade County for 2026

The 2026 FHA limit for a 1-unit home in Miami-Dade County is $667,000 and the 2026 conforming (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac) limit is $832,750 (as of October 2026). Above $832,750 you are in jumbo territory. Both limits apply to the loan amount, not the price.

FHA limits for 2-4 unit properties are $853,900, $1,032,150 and $1,282,700.

Hialeah's many legal duplexes and houses with permitted efficiencies make the 2-unit FHA limit of $853,900 relevant: live in one side, rent the other, and use 75% of the rent to qualify. Unpermitted additions are the catch: appraisers flag them and lenders may exclude the space from value.

Property taxes, insurance and flood zones in Hialeah

The 2025 adopted total millage for the City of Hialeah is 18.6468 mills, about 1.86% of taxable value, including a city operating rate of 6.3018 (as of October 2026, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser; the city proposed the same rate for 2026). On a $600,000 house that is roughly $11,200 a year before the homestead exemption. Many sellers have owned since the 1980s with capped assessments, so the listing's tax bill can be a third of what you will pay; we estimate at purchase price.

Insurance is where Hialeah files get tight. A 1960s house needs a 4-point inspection covering roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC; aluminum wiring, a roof over 15 to 20 years old, or polybutylene plumbing can mean Citizens Property Insurance or a required repair before closing. A wind-mitigation report is the cheapest way to lower the premium; get the quote during the inspection period.

Flood: most of Hialeah is FEMA Zone X or Zone AH (shallow ponding), with Zone AH concentrated in West Hialeah near the canals. Flood insurance is mandatory only in A and AH zones, and AH policies are inexpensive compared with coastal zones.

Condos in Hialeah

Hialeah condos are mostly two- and three-story garden-style buildings from the 1970s to 1990s and townhouse communities from the 1990s to 2000s. They are affordable, but small associations often have thin reserves and self-managed books, exactly what lenders now scrutinize.

A warrantable condo passes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project review: no significant deferred maintenance, no open safety-related special assessments, at least 10% of the budget to reserves, plus insurance and investor-concentration tests. The association answers a condo questionnaire (Fannie Mae Form 1076). Fail an item and the building is non-warrantable: a non-warrantable condo loan with a larger down payment, not a denial.

Florida Statute 553.899 requires a milestone structural inspection for condo buildings of three habitable stories or more at 30 years from the certificate of occupancy (25 years where the local building department requires it near salt water), then every 10 years, plus a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS). Lenders ask for both. Two-story Hialeah buildings are exempt; three-story 1970s and 1980s buildings are not, and several have pending assessments.

FHA is the natural loan for a $281,000 condo, but the project must be on HUD's approved list or pass single-unit approval, and many Hialeah associations never applied. We check the HUD list first, then pivot to a 3% to 5% down conventional or a non-warrantable condo loan.

Down payment help available to Hialeah buyers

Hialeah has its own program; county and state programs fit too.

City of Hialeah SHIP First-Time Homebuyer Assistance: covers down payment, closing costs and eligible repairs for first-time buyers purchasing a primary residence inside city limits, as a deferred loan secured by the property. The 2026 80% AMI income tier is $76,300 for one person, $87,200 for two and $98,100 for three. As of October 2026 the city is accepting applications online through its Neighborly portal; homebuyer education is required.

Florida Hometown Heroes: first-time, income-qualified buyers who work full time for a Florida employer (health care, schools, first responders, public safety, child care, military, veterans) may get up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000, as a 0% deferred second mortgage repaid at sale or refinance. Funds come in rounds (2025 money ran out in early 2026; a $50 million round opened July 13, 2026), so ask us whether funds are open. Florida Housing also offers FL Assist (up to $10,000, 0% deferred) and HFA Preferred PLUS (3% to 5%, forgiven over 5 years).

Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance: up to $35,000 as a 0% deferred loan for first-time buyers living in the county; income caps run from $95,620 (1 person) to $136,500 (4 people) and you put in 1% of the price. MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP): up to $28,500 at or below 80% of area median income, or $14,500 up to 140% of AMI, at 0%, forgiven after 20 years, no price cap.

On a $600,000 house, Hometown Heroes (about $28,950) or MDEAT HAP ($28,500) can bring cash to closing down to a few thousand dollars.

Which loan programs fit Hialeah buyers

• FHA: 3.5% down, scores in the 500s and low 600s accepted by many lenders, non-occupant co-borrowers allowed, 2-4 units with rental income.
• ITIN loans: for buyers who pay taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number instead of a Social Security number. Typically 10% to 20% down, with income documented by tax returns, W-2s or bank statements.
• Conventional: 3% down for first-time buyers with scores above 620; the route for non-FHA-approved condos.
• Bank statement loans, P&L loans and 1099 / WVOE loans: for the self-employed, cash-heavy trades and small business owners who dominate Hialeah's economy.
• VA loans: 0% down for eligible veterans and service members, no mortgage insurance.
• DSCR loans: for investors buying Hialeah duplexes and rental houses on the property's rent; business-purpose only.

Why work with a Doral-based broker for Hialeah

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker founded in 2018 at 3105 NW 107th Ave, Suite 400-O6, Doral, FL 33172 (NMLS #1781090). Hialeah is about 15 minutes from our Doral office up the Palmetto. We know which lenders accept ITIN borrowers, which take a 580 score on FHA, and how to document a converted-garage efficiency so the appraisal holds.

A broker has no single rate sheet: we shop your file across 100+ wholesale lenders, which is how a hard file lands with the lender that wants it. The team is bilingual (English and Spanish), led by Michael Fernandez, NMLS #1491775, President; licensed in Florida (and Georgia and Colorado through December 31, 2026); 4.9 stars across 200+ Google reviews. Rates vary daily; call 305-425-1990 for today's pricing. Subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Down payment help for Hialeah buyers

• City of Hialeah SHIP First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Deferred loan for down payment, closing costs and eligible repairs; primary residence inside Hialeah; 2026 income limits published (80% AMI: $76,300 for 1 person); applications open online via Neighborly as of Oct 2026. ↗
• Florida Hometown Heroes Up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000, 0% deferred second; first-time buyers employed full time by a Florida employer. Funded in rounds. ↗
• Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Up to $35,000, 0% deferred up to 30 years; income caps $95,620 (1 person) to $136,500 (4 people); 1% buyer contribution. ↗
• MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) Up to $28,500 (80% AMI or below) or $14,500 (80% to 140% AMI); 0%, forgiven after 20 years; no purchase price cap. ↗

Nearby cities

DoralMiamiKendall