Mortgage Broker in Miami Gardens, FL

Short answer

QMS Lending is an independent Miami-area mortgage broker that shops Miami Gardens home loans across 100+ lenders. In Q2 2026 the median Miami Gardens house sold for $490,000, well inside the $667,000 FHA limit, and the city's own purchase assistance program offers up to $20,000 to qualified first-time buyers.

Buying a home in Miami Gardens: what the numbers look like

Miami Gardens is one of the larger single-family markets in North Miami-Dade. In Q2 2026 the City of Miami Gardens recorded 182 single-family sales at a median of $490,000 (down 5.0% year over year) and 31 townhouse and condo sales at a median of $297,999 (up 6.4%), per Florida Realtors data published by MIAMI REALTORS (as of October 2026). Houses were about 85% of sales.

Most homes are 1950s to 1970s concrete-block houses in Carol City, Norland, Bunche Park, Lake Lucerne and Scott Lake, with larger lots and newer homes in Rolling Oaks and Andover.

At $490,000, a 3.5% down FHA loan is a $472,850 base loan; adding the 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium brings it to about $481,125. FHA annual mortgage insurance on that loan is 0.55% a year. A 3% down conventional loan is the other main option for buyers with stronger credit.

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 the loan is a jumbo loan. Both limits cap the loan amount, not the price.

FHA limits for 2-, 3- and 4-unit properties in Miami-Dade are $853,900, $1,032,150 and $1,282,700.

Miami Gardens prices sit comfortably under both limits, so the deciding factors are credit, debt-to-income and cash to close, not loan size. A duplex can also be bought with FHA at 3.5% down if you live in one unit, and the rent from the other unit can help you qualify.

Property taxes, insurance and flood zones in Miami Gardens

The 2025 adopted total millage for the City of Miami Gardens is 22.3921 mills, about 2.24% of taxable value, including a city operating rate of 6.9363 (as of October 2026, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser). That is one of the higher totals in the county. On a home assessed near $490,000 it is roughly $11,000 a year before the homestead exemption, so filing for homestead right after closing matters.

Because taxes and insurance go into escrow, they can add more to the monthly payment than a small rate difference. We build the full PITI payment with real tax and insurance figures before you make an offer.

Flood: Miami Gardens is inland, but low areas and canal-side lots can still fall in a Special Flood Hazard Area, where flood insurance is required on federally backed loans. Look up the address on Miami-Dade's flood zone map or call the county's Flood Zone Hotline at 305-372-6466; the current FEMA maps took effect September 11, 2009, and new preliminary maps are pending.

Down payment help for Miami Gardens buyers

Miami Gardens is one of the few cities in the county with its own purchase assistance program, and it stacks on top of county and state options (as of October 2026).

• City of Miami Gardens Purchase Assistance Program (SHIP): up to $20,000 for down payment and closing costs as a 0% deferred loan forgiven after 5 years. First-time buyers (no home owned in the last 3 years), household income at or below 120% of median ($95,400 for 1 person to $136,200 for 4), home inside city limits, sales price no higher than $382,195. The city was accepting pre-applications, first qualified, first ready, first served.
• Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance: up to $35,000, 0% deferred up to 30 years; income under $95,620 (1 person) to $136,500 (4 people); 1% buyer contribution.
• MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP): up to $28,500 at or below 80% of area median income, or $14,500 up to 140%, forgiven after 20 years; no price cap.
• Florida Hometown Heroes: $10,000 to $35,000 (up to 5% of the loan) for first-time buyers working full time for a Florida employer in health care, schools, public safety, child care, the military or as veterans. Funded in rounds.

The city program's $382,195 price cap points it at townhomes, condos and the lower end of the house market. On a $490,000 house, the county program, HAP or Hometown Heroes is the more likely fit.

Townhomes and condos in Miami Gardens

Only about 15% of Q2 2026 sales were townhouses or condos, mostly low-rise garden complexes and HOA townhome communities. At a $297,999 median they fit FHA, and they fit under the city program's price cap.

A warrantable condo passes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac project review: adequate reserves, no significant deferred maintenance, no open safety-related special assessments, and acceptable insurance and investor concentration. The association answers a condo questionnaire. If the building fails an item it is non-warrantable, which means a non-warrantable condo loan with more down, not an automatic no.

FHA needs the condo project on HUD's approved list (or a single-unit approval). We check that before you go under contract, so you are not surprised two weeks before closing.

Which loan programs fit Miami Gardens buyers

• FHA: 3.5% down with flexible credit; the most common purchase loan here, and it pairs with the down payment programs above.
• Conventional: 3% down for first-time buyers; PMI comes off as equity builds.
• ITIN loans: for buyers who file taxes with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number; typically more down.
• Bank statement loans: for self-employed buyers, contractors and small business owners.
• DSCR loans: investors buying Miami Gardens rentals on the property's rent; business-purpose only.
• FHA streamline refinance: for current FHA owners who want a lower payment with less paperwork.

QMS Lending is an independent mortgage broker in the Miami area, founded in 2018 (NMLS #1781090), led by Michael Fernandez, NMLS #1491775, President. We shop your file across 100+ wholesale lenders instead of one bank's rate sheet, the team is bilingual in English and Spanish, and we hold 4.9 stars across 200+ Google reviews. Licensed in Florida (and Georgia and Colorado through December 31, 2026). Rates vary daily; call 305-425-1990 for today's pricing. Subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Down payment help for Miami Gardens buyers

• City of Miami Gardens Purchase Assistance Program (SHIP) Up to $20,000, 0% deferred, forgiven after 5 years; first-time buyers at or below 120% of median income; home inside city limits; sales price up to $382,195; pre-application required. ↗
• Miami-Dade County Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Up to $35,000, 0% deferred up to 30 years; first-time buyers living in the county; income under $95,620 (1 person) to $136,500 (4 people); 1% buyer contribution; fixed-rate first mortgage only. ↗
• MDEAT Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) Up to $28,500 (80% AMI or below) or $14,500 (above 80% up to 140% AMI); 0%, forgiven after 20 years of owner occupancy; no purchase price cap; 1% to 3% buyer contribution; 2-4 unit homes excluded. ↗
• Florida Hometown Heroes Up to 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000, as a 0% deferred 30-year second; first-time, income-qualified buyers working full time for a Florida employer in health care, schools, public safety, child care, the military or as veterans. Funded in rounds. ↗

Nearby cities

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