Mortgage Broker in Homestead, FL

Short answer

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker with 100+ lenders for Homestead buyers, including VA lenders for Homestead Air Reserve Base families, FHA lenders that accept lower scores and ITIN lenders. In Q2 2026 the median Homestead house sold for $500,000 and the median townhouse or condo for $336,500, the lowest of any city on this site, and Homestead buyers can layer city CRA, county and state down payment help.

Buying a home in Homestead: what the numbers look like

Homestead is the most affordable Miami-Dade city for a newer house. In Q2 2026 the median single-family sale in the City of Homestead was $500,000 across 131 closed sales, and the median townhouse/condo sale was $336,500 across 104 sales, per Florida Realtors data published by MIAMI REALTORS (as of October 2026). Both sit well under the county medians of $675,000 and $425,000.

Most of the inventory is 2000s-to-2020s construction in master-planned communities: Keys Gate, Malibu Bay, Waterstone, Portofino, Oasis and the newer phases off SW 312th Street and Campbell Drive (33033, 33035). Downtown Homestead and the Southwest Neighborhood (33030) have 1920s-to-1960s houses at the lowest prices. Homestead Air Reserve Base (33039) sits at the east edge of the city.

At the $500,000 median, FHA with 3.5% down is a $482,500 loan; VA with 0% down is a $500,000 loan with no mortgage insurance.

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.

In Homestead the limits are rarely the constraint; the HOA and CDD fees are. Many Homestead communities carry a Community Development District assessment on the tax bill plus HOA dues, and both count in your debt-to-income ratio.

Property taxes, insurance and flood zones in Homestead

Homestead has the highest total millage on this site. The 2025 adopted total is 20.9465 mills, about 2.09% of taxable value, including a city operating rate of 5.9604 (as of October 2026, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser). The city proposed raising its rate to 6.3945 mills for 2026. On a $500,000 house that is roughly $10,500 a year before the homestead exemption, plus any CDD assessment, which can add $1,000 to $3,000 a year in newer communities.

Most Homestead houses were built after 2002 under the Florida Building Code with impact windows or shutters, so wind-mitigation credits are standard and premiums are lower than for older stock in Hialeah or Miami. Roofs from the 2004-2006 boom are now 20 years old; check roof age before 2008.

Flood: much of Homestead is FEMA Zone AH or AE because of its low elevation and proximity to Biscayne Bay and the Everglades; Zone X areas exist in the newer western communities. Flood insurance is mandatory in A, AE and AH zones, and AH policies are inexpensive. Check the parcel at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Condos in Homestead

Homestead's attached housing is mostly 2000s townhouses in HOA communities (Keys Gate, Malibu Bay, Waterstone) plus a smaller set of two- and three-story condo buildings. Fee-simple townhouses are reviewed like houses; condo-titled townhomes and condo buildings go through project review.

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. Most Homestead buildings are under 25 years old or two stories, so milestone inspections are rarely the issue here; reserves and FHA approval are.

FHA is the natural loan for a $336,500 Homestead townhome or condo, so we check HUD's approved list first. Several communities let their FHA approval lapse; a 3% to 5% down conventional is the fallback.

Down payment help available to Homestead buyers

Homestead prices fit every program here, plus one from the city's redevelopment agency.

Homestead CRA First-Time Homebuyer's Program: the Homestead Community Redevelopment Agency offers up to $10,000 toward down payment and closing costs on single-family homes and townhouses inside the CRA boundaries, starting with the Southwest Neighborhood. It is a 0% loan forgiven after 10 years of owner occupancy, for households at or below 120% of AMI ($136,200 for four people), with a 1% buyer contribution, a HUD-approved course and pre-approval from an MDEAT-participating lender.

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 $500,000 house, Hometown Heroes (about $24,100) or MDEAT HAP ($28,500) can bring cash to closing near zero; VA buyers often need no down payment at all.

Which loan programs fit Homestead buyers

• VA loans: 0% down, no mortgage insurance, for active-duty, reserve and veteran buyers, including those assigned to Homestead Air Reserve Base.
• FHA: 3.5% down with flexible credit; the most common Homestead purchase loan, including for 2-4 unit properties in the older downtown blocks.
• Conventional: 3% down for first-time buyers; the fallback when a townhouse community is not FHA-approved.
• ITIN loans: for Homestead's large agricultural and construction workforce filing taxes with an ITIN; typically 10% to 20% down.
• Bank statement loans: for self-employed buyers.
• DSCR loans: for investors buying Homestead rental houses and townhomes on the property's rent; business-purpose only.

Why work with a Doral-based broker for Homestead

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker founded in 2018 at 3105 NW 107th Ave, Suite 400-O6, Doral, FL 33172 (NMLS #1781090). Homestead is 40 minutes south of our office on the Turnpike, and most files close remotely with e-signatures. What we bring is lender depth: VA lenders that know the Air Reserve Base, FHA lenders that accept lower scores, and ITIN lenders.

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 Homestead buyers

• Homestead CRA First-Time Homebuyer's Program Up to $10,000 (+$5,000 for 1-year CRA residents); 0% loan forgiven after 10 years; homes inside CRA boundaries; income up to 120% AMI; 1% buyer contribution; MDEAT-participating lender pre-approval required. ↗
• 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

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